This editorial masquerading as an "article" from USA Today is interesting. Here's the first paragraph:

President Bush is selling his idea to transform Social Security with private investment accounts as part of a new "ownership society" for Americans. The accounts, Vice President Cheney says, would be "a retirement fund they control themselves and can call their own."

Here's the second paragraph, which I like to call the "But..." paragraph. Its the point at which the reporter feels his obligation to reporting "the other side of the issue" is complete and moves on to pile up the criticism.

But the reality would produce a lot less individual control than Bush and Cheney suggest.

Major proposals, including those from the president's own commission,to revamp Social Security with private investment accounts include provisions that place big limits on how much money individuals can invest, where it can be invested, what they can do with it when they retire and how much they can pass on to heirs.

Bush has not offered a specific plan to reshape Social Security, his top domestic priority, but he has said workers should be able to divert a portion of their payroll taxes into investment accounts. "By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear and make our society more prosperous and just and equal," he said in his second inaugural address last week.

The reporter is missing the point here in regard to "ownership." When the President talks about citizens "owning" their Social Security funds what he means is that the funds will no longer be available to greedy politicians looking to raid Social Security to fund other programs and legislation. The government won't have access to your private Social Security account any more then they'd have access to your savings account in the bank.

Granted there will be limits as how much you can pay in or invest but at least you'll know it will be there when you retire. Right now we have no such guarantee. And lets be honest, if Social Security is the sum total of your retirement plans you're a damn fool. In fact, unless Social Security is fixed now I'm not planning on seeing a dime when I retire.

[Cross-posted at Say Anything]

Posted by: Ace at 05:23 AM | Comments (4)
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I think it's time to face reality. Ace is at Sundance. Do you really think he's going to come back here? Oh, no, not Mr. Hollywood. Why would he want to hang out with losers like us? He's probably somewhere having a drink with Chris Matthews and Robert Redford right now.

Matthews
So you really like the show, huh?

Ace
Oh, absolutely, Chris, I love Hardball. You ask the most insightful questions.

Matthews
Really, like what?

Ace
Oh, uh, well there's, uh, that time you, uh, boy, there's just so many, it's hard to say.

Redford
So, did you see that inaugural? Can you believe those Republicans? Just turns your stomach, doesn't it, Ace?

Ace
Republicans? Yeah, well, you know, don't get me started on those guys or we'll be here all night. So Bob, like I was saying, I have this script...

Redford
So who did you vote for?

Ace
Vote? For? Me?

Redford
You seem like a reasonable guy, are you a Kucinich man or did you go with Nader?

Ace
Yeah, uh, so anyway, about that script...

Redford
You didn't vote for Kerry, did you? The guy authorized an illegal war!

Ace
No, no. I definitely did not vote for Kerry.

Redford
Good man.

Can you believe that sell-out? I'm really disappointed in him.

Posted by John from WuzzaDem more...

Posted by: Ace at 09:45 PM | Comments (13)
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My browsing was so upset by the Blair perturbance I missed this.

Too good not to share:

"ItÂ’s a fact: France and the French are pessimists," said Alain Duhamel, a respected French commentator.



He said: "The French doubt themselves and worry about the future. They
do so more than the citizens of neighbouring countries, even when those
neighbouring countries are doing less well than we are and have a more
negative future ahead.



"France has been anxious about its future, about its way of life, for
the last 30 years, ever since the employment crisis and doubts about
identity, ever since the absence of clear perspectives and collective
projects."



Politicians agree that the French are particularly upset about the drop
in their purchasing power, which has led to strong group pessimism even
if individual confidence is quite high. This fear for the countryÂ’s economic future is illustrated by the fact that the French are among the most assiduous savers in the world, putting aside an average of 16 per cent of their income.

Here's an understatement: Thank God for Ronald Reagan.

the UNPOPULIST

Posted by: Ace at 09:44 PM | Comments (1)
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The Mainstream's pretense to objectivity is apparently off.

Good to know.

the UNPOPULIST

Posted by: Ace at 09:31 PM | Add Comment
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A University of Southampton team in Britain found that poor dieting and slimness of pregnant women affects blood flow to the livers of the unborn babies.

Their study in Circulation Research found more blood flows through the livers of babies who have slim mothers or who eat unbalanced diets.

This can affect liver function in later life, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes in the offspring.

Well what do you know? Dieting while pregnant is not so benign after all.

This reminds me of an article I ready a little over four months ago in New York Magazine about chi chi high-powered women in Manhattan who are obsessed with staying thin and sexy during pregnancy.

It was my anger at reading about these vain women that was the subject of my very first post to my blog -- The Urban Grind, and a letter to the magazine's editor.

I just wonder if the women of the New York Magazine article would be so obsessed with their figures if they knew they'd be harming their children in the long run. Unfortunately, I would have to say it wouldn't change a thing for them. If it's a matter of fitting into their Chanel suits, they'd find many ways of rationalizing their reckless disregard for the health of their unborn children.

Zelda - The Urban Grind

Posted by: Ace at 08:14 PM | Comments (4)
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How will Ace repay me when he gets back?

a. His "crazy blog money"

b. His Spice Channel feed

c. His wicked collector's print of Eldritch Wizardry

d. A bit part

What do you think?

I'm leaning d.

-the UNPOPULIST

Posted by: Ace at 07:11 PM | Comments (9)
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I think we've all heard this via Drudge:

Media mogul and noted hothead Ted Turner blew his top today at the National Association for Television Programming Executives' opening session in Las Vegas, comparing Fox News's popularity to Hitler's popular election to run Germany before WWII.

But it was remarks Turner made once he left the podium that has media insiders-and others- wondering about his mental capacity. Sources close to Turner say he has been complaining-loudly and to just about anyone who will listen-about what he sees as an 'alarming increase' in deceptive advertising.

After his speech, Turner cornered a well-known Madison Avenue exec and, pointing a finger in his chest, looked him in the eye and said, "Maybe you can't believe it's not butter, but if you ask me it tastes like dog crap!"

Turner later shouted at a waitress trying to refill his coffee, "I tell you that Ned guy is an idiot. Instead of bellyachin' about how he 'Lost another loan to Ditecth,' he needs to figure out how to compete. It ain't brain surgery, it's a freakin' mortgage, for chrissakes!"

As a group of concerned friends quietly led Turner out of the room, a few people near the door could hear him as he exited the building; "It just doesn't make any sense I tell ya - if there was really an orange grove behind the OJ section, it'd cost 'em a fortune to keep the stuff cold - their margins would be shot to hell on utility bills. It doesn't make sense!"

Posted by John at WuzzaDem

Update: Basil over at Basil's Blog has a good roundup on what other bloggers are saying about Mr. Turner here.

Posted by: Ace at 06:52 PM | Comments (11)
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I don't want to have to go all Cameron here and rain on the parade, but somebody's let the fox into the henhouse.

Those dang spam-comments seem to be popping up again.

Sure, one minute you want to learn how to win big money at poker. The next moment, BAM! No more comments for nobody.

So, while Ace is out of town, we should all remember to keep the site clean so he has something nice to return home to.

Especially since Glenn Reynolds has been visiting. I mean, this is bigger than a Harvard recruiter stopping by the house while a brothel is in full swing. We're talking full-on Don Cheadle "JOE," baby.

In the meantime, I urge everyone to stay on their best behavior. No broken vases, no vomit on the carpet, and don't make me say it again, we are absolutely NOT rolling in that keg of High Life.

-- Dave at Garfield Ridge

Posted by: Ace at 06:30 PM | Comments (6)
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Retread alert! From the lazy $#@*! at WuzzaDem.com

Progressive fashion has come a long way, baby - but you wouldn't know it to look at the left-winger pictured above...

...Let's take a look at some of this seasons snazziest styles...

Read the rest here.

Posted by John at WuzzaDem.com

Posted by: Ace at 06:27 PM | Comments (2)
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If you could drive any vehicle from movies or TV, which vehicle would you choose, and why?

A few weeks back on my site I linked to a now-defunct E-Bay auction from a guy selling a faithful replica of K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider.

The post inspired a debate with my buddy Chilperic concerning which was cooler: K.I.T.T., or the A-Team van.

I was shocked that anyone would even raise such a comparison. At the time, I noted that-- whereas K.I.T.T. was impervious to bullets, had turbo boost, and sounded like Topanga's teacher-- the A-Team van had few, if any, special powers. Other than looking bad ass, that is.

I concluded that the A-Team van had only the following special powers:

1. The ability to avoid getting pulled over by police, despite no change in its appearance for five seasons.

2. The ability to store enough heavy weapons to arm Bulgaria. As far as I can tell, the only explanation for carrying all those guns, ammunition, and welding equipment is that the vehicle was a +6 Van Of Holding, or had some sort of temporal displacement going on, making it Dr. Who's Battlewagon Of Love.

3. It provided a stable gun platform for accurate "intimidation" shooting out the sidedoor and windows. Without that special "NBC Family Hour" automotive suspension, submachinegun bullets could accidentally hit a bad guy in the leg, or worse, the chest.

And let me tell you, there are no sucking chest wounds during the NBC Family Hour.

So, why am I bringing this up again today?

Because someone on E-Bay is selling a replica time-machine DeLorean.

Admittedly, this is very cool. All the DeLorean style combined with Doc Brown's gadgets makes for one sweet ride.

Plus, it's not just for show-- it can make 88 mph with plenty of oomph to spare, just perfect for those times when you need to evade defrauded Libyan terrorists.

So, the question is out there to you, Ace's readers: out of any vehicle, any movie or TV show, which one is your dream ride?

We already know Ace is a fan of the last of the Interceptors.

(Speaking of Interceptors, here is a Lego version. Or, maybe you'd rather enjoy a Lego reenactment of The A-Team? Hell, they make anything out of Legos-- including, even, my Lord and Savior.)

As for me. . . hmmm. Can anyone really "drive" Optimus Prime? Or would that be like riding inside his robo-colon?

I must ponder.

-- Dave at Garfield Ridge

Posted by: Ace at 06:00 PM | Comments (16)
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