Ace of Spades HQ

February 06, 2014

We're now living in a post-labor Utopia. Have you heard about this?
— Monty

Â“GDP growth isn't a good in and of itself,Â” he says. Â“The question here is what's going to create the most happiness for the greatest numbers of people. Being in a situation where people have to work full time or 40 hours a week at a job that may not be the best match for them because that is the only way to get health insurance is not the way you create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.Â”

Do read it all. This article may be the stupidest piece of tripe I've read in years, and that's quite an achievement in the era of His Majesty the King.

This is liberal elitism at work, believe it or not. The upper-crust Democrats see some guy mowing their lawn in the summer, sweating and grunting as he pushes the mower around the steeply-landscaped back yard. Or they see the trashmen coming by to collect the feculent, festering remains of the weekend cocktail party they threw over the weekend. God, I'd hate that job, they think, and then a light bulb goes on in their heads. I bet they hate that job too! No one would do that job unless they had to! It's an outrage! And then we're off to the races.

Upper-crust liberals tend to have cushy, white-collar jobs that pay well. They tend to have stable families and live in decent neighborhoods. To them, "work" means something far different than it does to the guy outside laboring over their landscaping.

The guy out pushing the mower, or hauling away their trash, probably doesn't hate his job. He may not love it, but he probably doesn't hate it. It pays the bills. To the extent that he feels any outrage, it's generally at the shitty hot weather or the lazy gringo kid he hired as a helper this summer but who didn't show up today. It's not like he dreams of being a neurosurgeon or a performance-artist. He'd probably like more free time (who wouldn't?) but not at the cost of losing income.

In other words: liberals who believe this "less work is good" argument are Utopian idiots. They think everybody lives like they do, and likes the things they like.

Further, and on a different track: remember that huge, bloated, unweildy, horrendously-expensive welfare state we've built over the past fifty years? Remember how we're supposed to pay for that? Tax receipts, which is directly related to per-capita GDP. Drive down per-capita GDP (which is what ObamaCare is doing), and you make the huge welfare-state we've built even more unsustainable than it already is.

People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet porn, or commit crimes. They don't contribute to the economy or culture, as a rule. They just...exist. And it goes on like that, sometimes for generations.

Labor is the fate of all humankind. Always has been. We work to live. Work gives shape and meaning to our lives. It's not just the income we derive from it; it's the knowledge that we are able to function as adults in the wider world, and provide for ourselves and our families. It's feeling the satisfaction of having contributed something to the maintenance of civilization, even if it means we haul trash away or keep the grass mowed. It's all honorable work, necessary work, and not something to be ashamed of.

It's not an outrage, it's just the way things are. To try and embitter people about that, to make them feel that the natural order of things is unfair, is just to do an enormous amout of harm to the very people you're claiming to want to help.
----
UPDATE: Tyler Cowen also responds to this stupidity, but more betterer and smartlier than me. Read it all. Here's a taste:

A simpler possibility is that people undervalue the long-term benefits of having a job and thus in both settings the contraction in employment is a quite negative outcome. That is then very bad news for ACA, if only in expected value terms.

Posted by: Monty at 07:28 AM | Comments (424)
Post contains 735 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Monty Do you have a twitter handle? WeirdDave was asking

Posted by: Y-not aka t-shirt at February 06, 2014 07:29 AM (zDsvJ)

2 Is Ace okay? IÂ’m worried about him.

Posted by: Carol at February 06, 2014 07:30 AM (z4WKX)

Oy! Teh Stoopid!Â™ It burns!

Posted by: Insomniac at February 06, 2014 07:32 AM (DrWcr)

4 Anyone who thinks The Jarrett AgendaÂ™is not about breaking down traditional America is in complete denial.

Posted by: Seems legit at February 06, 2014 07:32 AM (A98Xu)

5 from last thread, just in case 510 Nip, go to amazon, sign in then on the main page dropdown, hit up unlimited instant videos > watch anywhere. click on roku and register your device n it will give you the pin to enter the roku is asking for Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 11:31 AM (GufPw)

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 07:32 AM (GufPw)

6 >>>Is Ace okay? IÂ’m worried about him. He's fine. He told us he went out to get some cigarettes and Val-U-Rite a day ago and said he'd be right back.

Posted by: Ben at February 06, 2014 07:33 AM (5T9I9)

7 Eh maths. Who needs it?

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 07:33 AM (6bMeY)

8 Is Ace okay? IÂ’m worried about him.

Posted by: Carol at February 06, 2014 11:30 AM (z4WKX)

Maybe he's in Pon Farr.

Posted by: Insomniac at February 06, 2014 07:33 AM (DrWcr)

9 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. Ha! Make me a trust fund baby that didn't have to work & I'd never be bored or idle. Way too much to do in this old world. Too much work & not enough money or time is my downfall.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 07:34 AM (p9JxP)

10 Reminds me of the old joke. Guy wakes up and he has won a million dollars. He is so excited. He walks down to the bus stop to go into to town and he sees his bus driver walking down the road. Bill, what are you doing? Shit, I won a million dollars last night, I am not driving that bus anymore.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:34 AM (0FSuD)

11 I've noticed several neoprogs ruminating on how Great!! It is in Germany where people 'job-share' and how their GDP is still Great!! and why don't we just do that here! This will end well.

Posted by: ginaswo at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (I3Aay)

12 We can always just print more money!

Posted by: Ben Bernanke at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (Aif/5)

13 THANK YOU!

I am a long time lurker with just a handful of posts, but this I had to salute. I own a small business and I just copied that second to last paragraph to use to talk to our staff about changes coming for 2014. I couldn't put it into words any better.

This whole mindset of job lock scares the hell out of me. I can't find good people to hire as it is.

Ok - back to lurking and working.

Posted by: chicagolurker at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (c96ms)

14 @5 Thanks, left you a thank you on old dead thread. Finally someone who knows shit at the HQ!

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (0FSuD)

15 from last thread:

On the other hand, I told my father that if they got a Roku there was no way in hell I was helping them with that omfg NO.

Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 11:30 AM (VtjlW)

Thanks for the solidarity. I actually think I could do it eventually, but, the significant other is already p'd off that you have to turn on the AT&T box and the home theater box. I do not want him to totally freak. I bought him a programmable remote for Xmas and he never touched it.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (kXoT0)

But who is going to do all of the work that has to be done when the American middle and lower classes are all unemployed?

Oh yeah - illegal aliens.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (UeKaD)

17 Wait so now it is important to create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people? That seems unpossible.

Posted by: Paranoidgirlinseattle at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (RZ8pf)

18 This reminds me of the mindset during the Dot-Com boom where some idiots were saying that the old economic rules were out, P/E ratios didn't matter any more and stock options were the new currency.
How'd that work out?

Posted by: Max Entropy at February 06, 2014 07:35 AM (cgtTL)

19 If it weren't for my wife's "death benefits" I'd be living in a box under the Lanier Bridge. There have not been any jobs in the Golden Isles since it was apparent Duh!1 would get coronated.

Real Estate is dead and businesses are still dropping like flies. It wasn't this bad under Carter....

Posted by: backhoe at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (ULH4o)

20 I am sure the legal pot lessens the worries of employment for the masses. Especially if you can eventually buy pot with food stamps. C'est la vie! It is all hope-n-change, bro! Let the good times roll.

Has anyone seen Jane D'oh around lately? I have been either out of town or super busy for a couple of months and miss her comments.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (baL2B)

21 Do the libtards in this story ever wander, what would happen if all the garbage men and all the lawn guys quit to become cowboy poets?

Posted by: Mr. Moo Moo at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (0LHZx)

22 Posted by: Ben at February 06, 2014 11:33 AM (5T9I9) I live in MA, what is Val U Rite? I have never heard of it except here. This is a read question.

Posted by: Carol at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (z4WKX)

Liberalism is paternalism for bad parents.

It used to be that a good parent would teach their children right from wrong and, by giving them increasingly important chores around the family farm or family business, inculcate the virtues of hard work, showing up, being on time, doing what you're supposed to do, not letting others down, carrying your own weight, etc.

Now being a good parent means massaging Little Johnny's ego and telling him that he is entitled to all good things without work. It's the ethos of the soccer Mommy who wants every kid in the league to get the same trophy no matter who wins or loses.

Posted by: The Regular Guy at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (qHCyt)

24 Ah.... an attempt to tell you that your life really does NOT suck... That you should be thankful for less money? Oh... and Chocolate Rations are to be raised from 4 grams, to 3 grams...

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 06, 2014 07:36 AM (84gbM)

25 The underlying idea behind this is that everybody hates their job and would rather be doing something else; and by "something else" they don't mean finding alternative gainful employment that would be personally fulfilling and enriching.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 06, 2014 07:37 AM (zjT4v)

26 Sc ience-fictional post-labor economies only works if you have perfect automation making stuff. We are not living in Iain Banks "Culture" SF universe, and we do not have Star-Trek Replicators to make free stuff.

All those Chinese factory workers and factory owners have to get paid at some point.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:37 AM (c6N69)

27
Oh... and Chocolate Rations are to be raised from 4 grams, to 3 grams...

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 06, 2014 11:36 AM (84gbM)

Pass the Victory Gin, would you?

Posted by: Insomniac at February 06, 2014 07:37 AM (DrWcr)

28 How did this 'loss of your job is liberating' meme make the rounds so quickly? And can anyone point to the section in the CBO report where they claim this was said?

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 07:37 AM (bCEmE)

29 GDP growth when the numbers are inflated by a devalued currency. . .rather than real growth in population, production, demand is not what most people call 'progress'. It's only the 'progressives' who do, and only when it suits their political need.

.

"where people have to work full time or 40 hours a week at a job that may not be the best match for them"

In Utopia, people only do the things they want to do, and only when they want to do them. Everyone is paid an above average wage with generous benefits.

Everyone lives in suburban Lake Woebegone, and agrees with Garioson Killer [sic] (not goona look it up)

I'm getting really tired of the fools who vote for hope because you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 07:37 AM (lNxW4)

30 Greetings: Speaking of work and jobs that some people may not like doing, last night the local Progressive (nÂŽe Public) Broadcasting SYstem station, KQED, aired a program entitle "Superskyscraper" about the building of the repalcement for the Twin Towers to which something had happened. In the promos for the program, the local station indicated that the program was about the now ubiquitous "men and women" who were doing the building. Well, my father spent his work life in New York City's construction industry starting of on the Empire State and finishing up with the Twin Towers so I decided to give it watch. Lo, and behold the almost hour long program showed not a single female "builder" or "interviewÂŽe". Not a one. Eternal propaganda is the price of revolution.

Posted by: 11B40 at February 06, 2014 07:38 AM (bGDQ8)

31 Thanks, left you a thank you on old dead thread. Finally someone who knows shit at the HQ! Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 11:35 AM (0FSuD) Nah, just been doing this for a while and remembered having to register our bluray to get it to work with amazon.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 07:38 AM (GufPw)

32 Captain Hate:

Everyone hates working for someone else.

But no one wants to scrimp and slave long enough to have a FU fund, or have an independent source of income. They just keep blowing the money they make.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:38 AM (c6N69)

33 In other words: liberals who believe this "less work is good" argument are Utopian idiots. They think everybody lives like they do, and likes the things they like.
Or their wives who do even less real work than they do.

Posted by: [/i]andycanuck[/b] at February 06, 2014 07:38 AM (LLfr9)

34 Well we know that some people have too much time and too much money on their hands. So they go out and buy 30-50 packs of "Ace of Spades" heroin. Shoot it up and DIE!

Posted by: deepred at February 06, 2014 07:39 AM (RHYM4)

I'd bet that Obama's favorite professor at Harvard Law was Roberto Unger, but that neither can admit to it publicly because of Unger's reputation for radical politics. Here's my comic book summary of Unger:

    1) There are no bad people, only bad governments driven by bad constitutions.

    2) The USA is a start, but not good enough. We need to deliver on the promise of "life, liberty and happiness." To do so, every citizen needs to be guaranteed adequate food, shelter, medical care and education, else the promise of the Declaration is hollow.

    3) We need a constitution and implementing laws to make this so, and enlightened leaders to make it happen.

A lot of what Obama & Co are doing is in the belief that you can build Unger's Utopia I'd love to live in Unger's Utopia, but my cynical side says it'll never work:

1) People suck. See The Bible.

2) Organizations of people often suck more. See George Orwell.

3) Sounds great, but no one will volunteer to be the janitor.

4) This kind of wishful thinking necessitates centralized control, which inevitably leads to tyranny. See Hayek.

Posted by: Ignoramus at February 06, 2014 07:39 AM (EPEqj)

36 You know, I just love seeing those old b&w photos of the soup lines during the Depression with all those freed up happy people.

Posted by: B at February 06, 2014 07:39 AM (twiRb)

It's Funemployment all over again.

Hey, so you can't find a job. Well, relax! Here, you still get your health insurance courtesy of those suckers who are still working. What worries do you have? Go see a movie. Life is good!

/sarc

Posted by: @JohnTant at February 06, 2014 07:40 AM (eytER)

38 See, I told you all this morning we should be thankful towards the great, benevolent king Barack, he who has freed us from the bonds of employment! Now, who wants a sand pie?

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 07:40 AM (GufPw)

39 See Hayek.

*cues up From Dusk Til Dawn dance scene*

Wait, what?

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 06, 2014 07:40 AM (hBNxo)

40 THANK YOU!

I am a long time lurker with just a handful of posts, but this I had to salute. I own a small business and I just copied that second to last paragraph to use to talk to our staff about changes coming for 2014. I couldn't put it into words any better.

This whole mindset of job lock scares the hell out of me. I can't find good people to hire as it is.

Ok - back to lurking and working.

Posted by: chicagolurker at February 06, 2014 11:35 AM (c96ms)

Yes, it is why men like Reagan and Dubya chop wood and clear brush on their ranches. It is any of us do things we don't have.

Work has worth for its own sake.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 07:40 AM (kXoT0)

Do you know what happens when people don't work, and collect money from someone else via government redistribution? Alienation and resentment.

See the mobs in the middle east, who are given stipends from the sheiks, or the welfare cases in the US, who hate the very people who work and pay taxes to feed them. See also, terrorists on welfare.

People with plenty of time on their hands and no sense of accomplishment eventually turn from being a drain on society to becoming a danger to it.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 07:40 AM (UeKaD)

42 Posted by: Tami at February 06, 2014 11:37 AM (bCEmE) They said that the job loss would be mostly in the form of supply side changes (i.e. people choosing to provide less labor.) This is a long form way of saying "people choosing government teat over self-sufficiency" The dems, desperate to avoid that image shifted to the Rawlsian crap about liberation through lack of responsibility.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (GaqMa)

43 very very well said know a guy guy is a trust fund baby. An artist. Never had to work for anybody. Not very responsible. Didn't understand being accountable to anyone well, he made a bad investment and lost nearly allof his inheritance. His Dad told him he would not help him out anymore. He asked in a panic What should he do?!?!?!? was told point blank, get a job guy broke out in a cold sweat money and free time stunted him, made him immature and narcissistic, completely unaware of consequences

Posted by: thunderb at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (zOTsN)

44 My two cents. 1. People who fantasize about the life of the mind probably haven't made a serious attempt to live it. Writing books, composing symphonies, doing scientific research - things like that are all very hard work, if you're doing it right. I feel sorry for those people stuck in awful bureaucratic jobs - multicultural training facilitators, mid-level civil servants, powerpoint editors - because the actual 'work' is stressful precisely because it's not difficult. But to imagine a life where you're doing meaningful stuff without working your ass off is just the obverse of the 'move to Tahiti and live on the beach' fantasy. 2. This being said, I suspect that those stuck in soul-destroying jobs are actually envious of those who mow lawns and paint houses for a living.

Posted by: Marcopohlo at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (7d90h)

45 36 You know, I just love seeing those old bw photos of the soup lines during the Depression with all those freed up happy people. --- Out - Hoovervilles In - Obamaburghs and Potemkin Villages

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (/Crba)

This reminds me of the mindset during the Dot-Com boom where some idiots were saying that the old economic rules were out, P/E ratios didn't matter any more and stock options were the new currency.
How'd that work out?

It worked out just swell for some, not so much for others. P/E ratios didn't matter because no one had figured out how to make money on the net yet, but everyone could tell that it was a revolutionary technology that was going to change the world. So people bet on the people they thought had the best chance of figuring it out.

AOL, of all people, won the dot.com war. They bought Time Inc. for their paper. Google is doing pretty darn well for everyone involved. I was at Lycos for both the up and the down of the bubble. Stock options were a wonderful thing. Everyone, even the receptionist, got them. They were a motivator. I was in bus.dev. If the guy down the hall made a great deal I didn't get envious, I thanked him for his contribution to my option value.

It truly was good times. Some companies, e.g. Lycos, blew it. Others did in fact change the world.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (A0sHn)

47 GDP growth isn't a good in and of itself I want everyone to stop and think about that for a moment. These people are running the executive branch of the government of the United States. There are so many negative results from accepting that kind of statement that I cannot even begin to count them all.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 07:41 AM (659DL)

48 36 You know, I just love seeing those old bw photos of the soup lines during the Depression with all those freed up happy people.

I used to post one at Free Republic that had "hope n' change" photoshopped into the sign....

Posted by: backhoe at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (ULH4o)

49 Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 11:30 AM (VtjlW)

Sorry, but this is how God punishes us for our sins...we are tech support for our aging parents.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (QFxY5)

50 Christie, Jane hasn't been around since Christmas. I am not sure why.

Posted by: Grey Fox at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (Fka6O)

51 To try and embitter people about that, to make them feel that the natural order of things is unfair, is just to do an enormous amout of harm to the very people you're claiming to want to help.

Envy is the liberal's universal solvent for civilization.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (6TB1Z)

52 "Or they see the trashmen coming by to collect the feculent, festering remains of the weekend cocktail party they threw over the weekend." The weekend is always the best time for weekend cocktail parties.

Posted by: Badger at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (CkjRf)

53 I don't understand how progressives think anything will get done in a happy happy joy joy world where we all pursue happiness and not gainful employment. I thank God that there are people willing to do crap jobs for pay so that I can live the life I live without worrying about where my garbage is going to go, or my effluence, etc.

Posted by: Paranoidgirlinseattle at February 06, 2014 07:42 AM (RZ8pf)

54 He did get it right... that GDP growth should not really be used as an indicator of a good economy... Because they do not measure it in constant dollars... nor WHERE the money movement measured by GDP is... I submit that anything the banking industry does should NOT be factored into any measurement of Economic activity, because it is just moving money around... it does not CREATE anything... I submit that Government Deficit Spending should not count... as it is DEBT that must be paid back.... you are literally borrowing money from the future economy to spend today.... (and... they count it twice, once when it enters the economy, then again when you 'pay' the debt). GDP is a horrible measurement of the health of the economy IMO.... which is of course, why Politicians love it.... just like the fake Inflation numbers.. and fake 'unemployment' numbers.

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (84gbM)

55 Any Prog/Com/Dim who thinks that money is going away is daft. Even in the most repressive regimes, those at the top are fabulously well off. Bono (of all people) recently hailed Capitalism as the best method of reducing poverty. It doesn't take much to see that the most restrictive governments are those who don't embrace free markets.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit [/i][/s][/b] at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (0HooB)

56 Yep. Merely existing without being able to work, and provide, blows ass...and is a daily terrible sap on one's happiness, morale, self-esteem, and sense of purpose. In my case, straight up, if it doesn't turn around, it will kill me. So thanks Obama. Thanks a whole goddamned fucking lot. Assholes, every Dem pol. Fuck them all.

Posted by: Hawkins1701 at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (7aJyE)

57 Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 11:41 AM (659DL) Martha Nussbaum's "Gross Domestic Happiness" is an utter load of crock. And yet it's gaining traction at the highest levels.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (GaqMa)

58 start, but not good enough. We need to deliver on the promise of "life, liberty and happiness." To do so, every citizen needs to be guaranteed adequate food, shelter, medical care and education, else the promise of the --------- Pursuit of! Pursuit of!

Posted by: Thomas Jefferson at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (Aif/5)

59 Drive down per-capita GDP (which is what ObamaCare is doing), and you make the huge welfare-state we've built even more unsustainable than it already is.

Hmmm... interesting.

Posted by: Frances Piven and Richard Cloward at February 06, 2014 07:43 AM (hHFOx)

Tami I believe the jaw-dropping remarks about "liberating" came from WH or congressional mouths.

Not to be a one-note charlie - but does anyone here ever pause to consider how degraded the country and its populace are that such idiotic "thoughts"/sentiments/opinions (e.g. that less employment will be somehow positive) are not 1) an instant national/cultural outrage 2) authors of said idiocy are not instantly relegated to kook/fringe status?

Speaking for 90% of my own social environment, the country is literally unrecognizable from just 10 years ago. Catastrophic ignorance and inability to think, dependence on NPR and worse for "news", utter thrall to the dumbest social trends (vote for the black guy! historic and stuff! and stuff, or something!).

Oh, and as I usually try to note, not a single person I know has ever received govt. "assistance" of any kind, and almost none of the people in question has every had any govt. employment.

Desolation.

Posted by: non-purist at February 06, 2014 07:44 AM (afQnV)

61 I live in MA, what is Val U Rite? I have never heard of it except here. This is a read question. Posted by: Carol at February 06, 2014 11:36 AM (z4WKX) A cheap Vodka that only certain people can (like the ones on this blog) can appreciate.

Posted by: Lace Wigs at February 06, 2014 07:44 AM (mETGQ)

62 Posted by: Hawkins1701 at February 06, 2014 11:43 AM (7aJyE) Word! Signed, tsrblke PhD(c) but umemployed.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:44 AM (GaqMa)

63 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet porn, or commit crimes.

THIS.

And then they bitch that rest of us are "stingy" in our handouts.

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 07:44 AM (ZKzrr)

64 I can't find good people to hire as it is. Posted by: chicagolurker at February 06, 2014 11:35 AM (c96ms)

They exist. Some of them are in despair that they will never find an employer like you. Find a library or a church that works with the jobless--in other words, find someone who cares about them.

You might also want to break down that paragraph and meet with your workers about one sentence each week. My company spends millions and millions upon this very thing--a motivated workforce with a purpose.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 07:45 AM (kXoT0)

65 Wait, I get it now, how the world works for lefties. You don't need to work, you can simply self actualize. You get paid to do that by the government. The government simply asks the fed to produce more money to send as checks to the child like dreamers in all of us!

Posted by: Seems legit at February 06, 2014 07:45 AM (A98Xu)

66 In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at February 06, 2014 07:45 AM (0q2P7)

67 I posted on the previous thread on how the NLRB is going to make employers hollow. There are serious, no-shit Marxists on the board, and they will do everything possible to sabotage employers. Of course, worthless Millennials will love this shit, but I'd salt the earth before I let those suckers of cock access to the workplace. Love, your friendly neighborhood HR manager.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 06, 2014 07:45 AM (Ec6wH)

68 I live in MA, what is Val U Rite? I have never heard of it except here. This is a read question. Posted by: Carol AoSHQ meme for the cheaper than cheapest booze you could ever find. Aged about an hour. Swill. Rotgut. Bathtub gin. Think using thrown out french fies as potatoes for making vodka. Worse than that.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 07:45 AM (p9JxP)

69 I'm not sure what the problem with not working is. It allows people more time to enjoy their trust funds. /rich lib with trust fund

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (r+7wo)

70 Stupid like that should be excruciatingly painful...or is it painfully excruciating? I'm unsure about anything anymore.

Posted by: boned to the bone at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (Ph479)

71 36 You know, I just love seeing those old bw photos of the soup lines during the Depression with all those freed up happy people. Posted by: B at February 06, 2014 11:39 AM (twiRb) Well, thank God for the New Deal or we wouldn't have any Okies in CA to vote democratic.

Posted by: Zombie Woody Gruithre. at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (0FSuD)

72 They said that the job loss would be mostly in the form of supply side changes (i.e. people choosing to provide less labor.) This is a long form way of saying "people choosing government teat over self-sufficiency" The dems, desperate to avoid that image shifted to the Rawlsian crap about liberation through lack of responsibility. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 11:41 AM (GaqMa) "They" being the CBO? Did the CBO report actual say 'people choosing to supply less labor'?

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (bCEmE)

73 Martha Nussbaum's "Gross Domestic Happiness" is an utter load of crock. This is one of the negative results. In order to continue to protect "domestic happiness," one needs a vibrant growing, innovative economy. Otherwise, you become Spain since, say, 1700 or so. You can fence yourself in, you cannot fence the world out.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (659DL)

74 Posted by: non-purist at February 06, 2014 11:44 AM (afQnV) Rawls and Daniels have destroyed the world with their stupid. Amirite, AtC.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (GaqMa)

75 Thunderb:

Looks like daddy didn't get him a proper spendthrift trust. Letting trust-fund babies actually control money is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenagers.

Ignoramus: The founding fathers hated pure democracy for good reasons. Compare economic freedom in Singapore ( no political input at all unless you are one of the Chinese immigrant family oligarchs ) to Obama's Democratic America.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (c6N69)

76 Hawkins Don't let TheManchild get you down We're all experiencing various degrees of loss, depression and shock turning to horror at the accelerating slide we are seeing They can never take the shining spirit inside you and the live you have for your family This too shall pass

Posted by: ginaswo at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (I3Aay)

77 So...I've also seen liberals arguing that as part of guaranteed universal employment, which remember is another big goal of theirs, there will be a job for you no matter what...and you will HAVE to take it

I see this more as another desperate attempt to defend Obamacare then a real switch in view.

Socialist states always eventually have to point guns at people's heads and demand they work for the good of the state.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (P3U0f)

78 And then they bitch that rest of us are "stingy" in our handouts. --- As the bitch in the New Orleans projects ranted, "It's a shame what people give you"... about the 40" flat screen TV and apartment she didn't pay a damn thing for. This is the same cunt caught on camera getting in a guy's face and saying "Stay out of this, white boy!" at a public meeting around that time.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at February 06, 2014 07:46 AM (/Crba)

79 Anyone who thinks The Jarrett AgendaÂ™is not about breaking down traditional America is in complete denial. Posted by: Seems --------------------- Â“Barack Will Never Allow You to Go Back to Your Lives as Usual.Â” - Michelle Obama

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 07:47 AM (aDwsi)

80 One of the hallmarks of this malevolent administration is the focused destruction of productivity.

Cash for Clunkers caused the destruction of thousands of valuable, useful assets (ironically) in the name of "economic recovery";

The EPA systematically destroys business by weighing them down with new, costly regulations. When it doesn't do it directly, it does it by funding private bounty hunters -- er, "advocacy groups" -- who act as its proxies;

The administration trumpets its expansion of food stamp use as if increasing dependence on the government is a positive achievement;

Despite their proven effectiveness in getting people off the welfare rolls, the Obama Administration gutted the work incentives that were the centerpiece of the welfare reform act of 1996;

Now Obamacare destroys the incentive of low-income American to work and the Obama Administration cheers this as giving "freedom" to workers. As if locking already-marginal economic players into the soul-crushing cycle of government dependence and social isolation of unemployment is doing them some kind of favor.

Bill O'Reilly had it entirely wrong. Obama is is a nasty, hateful man who intends to destroy everything that made this country great.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at February 06, 2014 07:47 AM (ZTCp6)

81 "Or they see the trashmen coming by to collect the feculent, festering remains of the weekend cocktail party they threw over the weekend." The weekend is always the best time for weekend cocktail parties. Sunday mornings are best for dumpster dining. // Bad grocery shopping advice

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 07:47 AM (p9JxP)

82 IF I could ask this dolt ONE question? Uh, if everyone is working less, so they can get Government help with healthcare... Where are the TAXES going to come from to pay for it???? as people will make less money, and thus pay less income Tax? TANSTAAFL!!!!!

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 06, 2014 07:47 AM (84gbM)

83 This is the same cunt caught on camera getting in a guy's face and saying "Stay out of this, white boy!" at a public meeting around that time. --- I may be mistaken... I think the exact quote was "Shut up, white boy!" instead.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at February 06, 2014 07:47 AM (/Crba)

84 I believe it is time to break out the Heinlein analysis one more time: Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded Â— here and there, now and then Â— are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as Â“bad luck.Â”

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 07:48 AM (659DL)

53: "I thank God that there are people willing to do crap jobs for pay so that I can live the life I live without worrying about where my garbage is going to go, or my effluence, etc."

That may not last too long if municipalities can't get their financial houses in order.

All it takes is for the foreman to turn off the valves whilst proclaiming "Who run Barter Town?"

Posted by: Azenogoth (Freedom or Fire) at February 06, 2014 07:48 AM (OJn3e)

86 Instapundit just mentioned how harmful the whole Follow Your Dream! approach to work is since not everyone gets a dream job, and this concept denigrates all of those dirty jobs as less valuable.

Also, think this "working less, yay!" message has been coordinated with their Immigratrion message about "jobs Americans won't do."
I mean, of course they won't do them, they're in debt up to their eyeballs and demanding their Dream Job, NOW!!!!!

Posted by: Lizzy at February 06, 2014 07:48 AM (POpqt)

87 Valu Rite Vodka? Thanks to a moron, it is available at all NC ABC stores. Special order. It pays to be on the ABC board. http://tinyurl.com/ogpfuge

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:48 AM (0FSuD)

88 It's Funemployment all over again.

Same point in the administration, too. 09-10, 13-14

Posted by: Mega at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (hHFOx)

89 Didn't Pelosi preach this when they were trying to pass Obamacare? That people would be free to be artists and photographers and such, because they wouldn't be held down to those evil, evil jobs.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (4A8Dj)

90 @22 It's like the cheapest vodka you can get. The kind they sell in plastic bottle and is one step above isopropyl alcohol.

Posted by: Ben at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (5T9I9)

91
Ken Jacobs, chair of the Labor Center at the University of California-Berkeley

"I admire its -- purity."

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (kdS6q)

Romeo, some good points. I actually recall, one thousand years ago (Vic was there, I think), an econ professor musing (really sort of a side comment) when discussing national income accounting that unfunded (deficit) govt. expenditure should not be counted in the usual formula. We're talking 30+ years ago - which is, intellectually and socially, a thousand years (and virtually every change has been for the worse, for everyone).

Not so sure about ignoring financial services activity. I think you could develop a formula to count part of it (as banking services are just as much services as are fence-building or auto repair, if you're talking about the basics). Perhaps discount or exclude the part that is mostly "just moving money around".

Posted by: non-purist at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (afQnV)

93 My grandparents started out life together with nothing. My grandmother ironed at some kind of factory for a dime a day, 7 days a week. My grandfather did whatever he could find. When my dad was in kindergarten he had to get himself dressed and pack his own lunch for school because they were gone early in the morning doing very menial labor. Over the years, they moved up in income and employment until they finally opened their own business. They were well off and could afford to travel the world the last half of their lives. Those days are gone, according to the Democrats, although they'll always tell you they want you to succeed and be prosperous. Now, it's government handouts so you can sit around, smoke pot and get a part in a play. America is really in the sh**ter. It's soul crushing to realize just where progressives have taken this country.

Posted by: Lady in Black at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (Oa7B2)

Sounds like a typical weekend at Stately Poppins Manor.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (zF6Iw)

95 @Tami, From the report itself: The estimated reduction stems almost entirely from a net decline in the amount of labor that workers choose to supply, rather than from a net drop in businessesÂ’ demand for labor, so it will appear almost entirely as a reduction in labor force participation and in hours worked relative to what would have occurred otherwise rather than as an increase in unemployment (that is, more workers seeking but not finding jobs) or underemployment (such as part-time workers who would prefer to work more hours per week). (Please don't barrel)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (GaqMa)

96 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet porn, or commit crimes. Or comment on blogs . . . . This whole oh hey we'll make everyone part time and that's freedom and don't you like that thing is bizarre. To the extent there's thought to it, I believe it boils down to the fundamental difference in the view of freedom of Right and Left. Very very broadly speaking, the Left aligns with the positive liberty view (freedom means freedom from wants) while the Right aligns with the negative liberty view (freedom from restraints). So to someone on the Left, saying but but if you don't need to worry about money you are free makes perfect sense while to someone on the Right this is insane because you are not free if the government has a gun to your head to make you pay for everyone else's stuff. There's nothing freeing in relying on someone else to pay for me. Not one single thing about that makes me freer. Then again, freedom is frightening because freedom is meaningless without the freedom to fail.

Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 07:49 AM (VtjlW)

97 "Or they see the trashmen coming by to collect the feculent, festering remains of the weekend cocktail party"

Where I live you have to sort your trash. Which doesn't mean anything until you are told you have to wash your empty cans, bottles, and glass containers, sort your paper, plastic, cardboard, metal. The 'garbage collectors' only take clean empty containers because recycle. There are no organics in my trash. My trash isn't feculent or festering. Where does that guy live?

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 07:50 AM (lNxW4)

98 trust fund "baby" nearly blew all his money in his 40s. He was no teen I know the Kennedys have similar baby proof trusts my point is, it is not good for a man to be "kept" by someone else money, whether it is the tax payers, or his wealthy grandfathers both the long term welfare recipient and the trust fund baby do not understand consequences and accountability, and lack maturity like being a permanent child

Posted by: thunderb at February 06, 2014 07:50 AM (zOTsN)

99 Now, who wants a sand pie? I just made a fresh batch of Pine Needle Tea.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit [/i][/s][/b] at February 06, 2014 07:51 AM (0HooB)

100

Liberals/Democrats want to do to ALL Americans, what they've done to Black Americans. What could go wrong?

Posted by: I'm the honey Badger, BITCH! at February 06, 2014 07:51 AM (+7Usq)

101 The lefties LOVE europe. The ridiculous vacation time, maternity leave, benefits, government. Unfortunately they forgot that the American work ethic provided the opportunity for these assholes to succeed and become politicians. Paid for by the workers of America.

Posted by: Seems legit at February 06, 2014 07:51 AM (A98Xu)

102 My friends, you have nothing to fear from skyrocketing prices and no jobs.

Posted by: Mega at February 06, 2014 07:51 AM (hHFOx)

103 Â“Barack Will Never Allow You to Go Back to Your Lives as Usual.Â” - Michelle Obama It's that "allow" that really chaps my ass as an American. Same as "If you like your doctor...you can keep your doctor" What the JEF meant is "I will ALLOW you to keep your doctor..." (and we know how that turned out.)

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 07:51 AM (7ObY1)

104 Idiots who live in an imaginary world. Can we give these fuckwits their own country now?

Posted by: cormac_mcroadie at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (NE5F0)

105

Obama has gone and raised the work hours allowance from 40 to 30, and in many case supplemented it to zero, and all you do is complain, you racists!

oh, okay... /s

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (BKPeM)

106

OT but interesting.

http://tinyurl.com/khnqrgb

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (xWW96)

107 So I didn't get to add my two cents yesterday to the Executive Order Now Disappeared Thread, but I'd say this is a great opportunity for the Zippy the Pinhead President to Executively Order the Following:

1. Everything is free (like in Russia);

2. Everyone is rich;

3. Everyone is happy;

4. Everyone must get along with everyone else, especially husbands and wives; and,

5. Everyone now gets to live forever.

Reality, who knew it was so easy to change?

Posted by: Sharkman at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (TM1p8)

108 Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 11:49 AM (VtjlW) Well stated. I still think the Horde should form a think tank and apply for that sweet sweet Koch cash.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (GaqMa)

109 Do the libtards in this story ever wander, what would happen if all the garbage men and all the lawn guys quit to become cowboy poets?
___
Duh, that's why we want Amnesty. Serfs for everyone!

Posted by: Some Liberal at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (P3U0f)

110 BackwardsBoy:

Bono has spent a lot of time doing actual relief work in Africa. He is starting to figure out that bad governments cause starvation.

Reality has been bitchslapping him pretty hard for the past decade.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (c6N69)

111 16
But who is going to do all of the work that has to be done when the American middle and lower classes are all unemployed?

Oh yeah - illegal aliens.

Oh, by then they will all be legal.

Posted by: Speaker Boehner at February 06, 2014 07:52 AM (5ikDv)

112 Now, it's government handouts so you can sit around, smoke pot and get a part in a play. America is really in the sh**ter. It's soul crushing to realize just where progressives have taken this country. Posted by: Lady in Black at February 06, 2014 11:49 AM (Oa7B2) It is actually worse than that. The upper class kids that go to college without debt, are told that they should feel guilty that their parents made money. They should become Pajama Boy, who's dad is nice rich Jewish doctor.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:53 AM (0FSuD)

113 Unfortunately they forgot that the American work ethic provided the opportunity for these assholes to succeed and become politicians. Paid for by the workers of America. Also that work ethic paid for the American defense shield that protected their asses for half a century.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 07:53 AM (659DL)

114 Dreamer, you stupid little dreamer; So now you put your head in your hands, oh no! I said "Far out, - What a day, a year, a life it is!" You know, - Well you know you had it comin' to you, Now there's not a lot I can do.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 07:53 AM (4cA6A)

115 Those smiley happy, useless people from Civilization, yeah we have too many of them.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 07:53 AM (6aI1M)

116 Over the years, they moved up in income and employment until they finally opened their own business. They were well off and could afford to travel the world the last half of their lives. Those days are gone, according to the Democrats, although they'll always tell you they want you to succeed and be prosperous They only be too happy to tell you your grandparents didn't build that, though.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (p9JxP)

117 Also that work ethic paid for the American defense shield that protected their asses for half a century. Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 11:53 AM Absolutely. Good point.

Posted by: Seems legit at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (A98Xu)

118 Posted by: Seems legit at February 06, 2014 11:51 AM (A98Xu)

They also forget that evil old Murka has propped up the European Utopian Dream States, not to mention most of the rest of the world, for over 100 years. When we go, they go.

Posted by: Mega at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (hHFOx)

119 The more I think about the diatribe, the more I think he was trying to defend the indefensible position that people losing full time jobs due to stalincare were being given a benefit. He can't really believe what he writes.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (UeKaD)

120 Insty had the best "if I voted for Romney" riff of all time on this subject today.

They told me if I voted for Mitt Romney, our government would be focusing massive efforts on getting women to stay home with their kids. And they were right!

Posted by: Ian S. at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (B/VB5)

121 The most capitalist country I have been in in the last ten years? CHINA.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (0FSuD)

122 As a teen, I loved the novels of Arthur C. Clarke.

As an adult, decades later, I read a quote in which Clarke said that in the future, all work wil be eliminated, and men will live a life of pure leisure, creating art and playing games.

It pains me to know that one of my favorite writers of my youth was actually a completely deluded adult who had no idea of the workings of the human mind.

/on the positive side, I have ammo to ward off the criminally inclined masses when most of them are allowed to 'live a life of pure leisure.' Because I'm pretty sure pure leisure=porn, and when that gets boring, pure leisure= crime.

Posted by: shibumi at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (25HWz)

123 I still think the Horde should form a think tank and apply for that sweet sweet Koch cash. Hear hear!

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (7ObY1)

124 Didn't Pelosi preach this when they were trying to pass Obamacare? That people would be free to be artists and photographers and such, because they wouldn't be held down to those evil, evil jobs.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at February 06, 2014 11:49 AM (4A8Dj)

Yes, I figured she listened to some secret tapes of people talking about how much they hated their work. What she didn't realize was that it was her staffers she was listening to.

Posted by: Captain Hate at February 06, 2014 07:54 AM (zjT4v)

125 I am a long time lurker with just a handful of posts, but this I had to salute. I own a small business and I just copied that second to last paragraph to use to talk to our staff about changes coming for 2014. I couldn't put it into words any better. Posted by: chicagolurker at February 06, 2014 11:35 AM (c96ms) There are a lot of luminaries who post on this website. Monty is one of the best.

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 07:55 AM (bb5+k)

126 Some Liberal:

How did that Amnesty thing work out for the Roman Empire?

Will the next King Alaric have a vassal adopt the orphan child we elect President just before Washington DC is sacked?

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:55 AM (c6N69)

127 There's nothing freeing in relying on someone else to pay for me. There is also the inherent restriction on the amount of that "aid" one receives from the gubmint. You absolutely will not get all the money you want for everything you think you need. You'll only be sent a fixed amount of money. True freedom will allow you to create all the personal wealth you want for yourself and your family. Some enterprising group of individuals could perhaps make a political point of the previous sentence, should they choose to.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit [/i][/s][/b] at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (0HooB)

128 Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 11:49 AM (GaqMa) Ah, ok. So the CBO gave the dems the talking point. And how, pray tell, does the CBO determine what 'labor workers are choosing to supply'?

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (bCEmE)

129 The "black death" affected the resultant genetics of the subsequent surviving generations? You don't say. Wonder how much that study cost us. The Chicago fire affected subsequent fire/building codes. The San Francisco earthquake affected earthquake building codes. Where's my grant money? Bombing and bullets affected the end of world war 2. More grant money for me. LBJ affected the national debt. I could go on all day. (My apologies to any moron who earnestly worked on the study that says, "an event that killed a giant part of humanity had an effect on those who survived." And also congratulations on the grant money scam)

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (/BP38)

130 Those days are gone, according to the Democrats, although they'll always tell you they want you to succeed and be prosperous.

They're working very hard to make those days gone...confiscate more and more of people's earnings so it's harder and harder to accrue wealth.

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (ZKzrr)

131 123 I still think the Horde should form a think tank and apply for that sweet sweet Koch cash. Hear hear! Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 11:54 AM (7ObY1) SO anyone seen the ewok lately? Just saying, great minds think alike.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (0FSuD)

132 He can't really believe what he writes.
***
What liberals believe and what they say have little overlap.

This is covering Obama's ass, no less no more.

If Obamacare was increasing GDP/hours worked we would hear how great that is instead...

Posted by: 18-1 at February 06, 2014 07:56 AM (P3U0f)

133 Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 11:45 AM (p9JxP) Thank you!

Posted by: Carol at February 06, 2014 07:57 AM (z4WKX)

134 I never get invited to these think tanks.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 07:57 AM (6bMeY)

135 the Left aligns with the positive liberty view (freedom means freedom from wants)

And we all know how hypercompetent the Left is at actually providing the means for freedom from want. I'm looking at you, North Korea?

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 07:57 AM (6TB1Z)

136 Jean:

Those smiley happy people in Civilization are only useful when you do your damned job as ruler.

Too much free shit means improvements and new tech doesn't get built ... so don't come cryin' to me when the Zulus bring guns to your sword-fight.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 07:57 AM (c6N69)

137 Valurite vodka! best served frozen.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 07:57 AM (6aI1M)

138 Posted by: non-purist at February 06, 2014 11:49 AM (afQnV) Banking services themselves are a drain on the economy. Anything you pay, to move your own wealth? Takes away from wealth used to actually create things... and do stuff... Remember, Banks do not create anything. They move money around... while taking a portion of said money for moving that money. They are a necessary evil... absolutely needed by an economy... but when given too much power... when too much money is tied up in playing games with Money... that money is NOT used for actual wealth creation... Yet.... it counts as GDP movement...

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 06, 2014 07:58 AM (84gbM)

139 It pains me to know that one of my favorite writers of my youth was actually a completely deluded adult who had no idea of the workings of the human mind.
***
If you really want to be disllusioned, read about why he moved to Sri Lanka

Posted by: 18-1 at February 06, 2014 07:58 AM (P3U0f)

140 My in-laws, many of them, voted (D) in the past few elections. Some due to vast liberal knowledge from East Coast liberals (one gay) who absorb the NYT like a sponge and regurgitate to petri dishes like my mother-in-law who, bless her heart, could not make a decision for herself after her Reagan conservative husband died. Now she is a very devout Catholic who, uh, votes Democrat. Quite a mystery to me except that she does not want to stand alone to her liberal siblings or others who scream like banshees at the thought of Romney or Mike Lee or anyone with (R) behind their names. She was not always a Democrat or a liberal, but, somehow, her brother turning gay after being married and having grown children made her more "open minded" to liberal causes (I am probably still going to hell, or at least purgatory, for being Presbyterian). She will, in one sentence, abhor abortion, and in the next sentence, praise the great black first preznit. I excuse her due to her age, my respect for the elderly which is ingrained in my DNA, and her health history. Others not so much.

Children raised by liberal parents today will either be clones or recognize that this is a mess and the debt now lies with them...many who cannot find jobs with their liberal arts degrees and massive student debt to get that degree. Those paying attention may be future young conservatives.

Either this country will become a generation of welfare (see: Katrina in New Orleans and the result of four generations of welfare), or some will wake up, shake off the legal pot fumes, and fight back. I believe the CBO guy who said we will not see this mess reverse in our lifetimes. And I am one of the lucky ones who will not suffer as much as most, and my kids, thank God, have good degrees----but one has already seen how this works. His home, that he bought just before housing mess, is underwater. Because he and wife have good jobs and salary, the Obama handouts don't help him vs helping those who could not afford to buy a house in the first place due to Fannie Mae and that lisping Bwany Fwank who created the crisis. My son has seen, first hand, how the "system" works for those who are successful vs redistribution.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 07:58 AM (baL2B)

141 In fact, to commemorate the NLRB, I'm going to go and reject about 6 months worth of engineer applicants (don't worry, they're all foreigners looking for H1B sponsorship). "Salary range incorrect." "Didn't follow up on hiring process." "Does not meet education standards" (University of Dakar WTF?)

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 06, 2014 07:58 AM (Ec6wH)

142 The first Meatloaf transport is away.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 07:58 AM (6bMeY)

143 And, forget about those parents who want to work OVER 40 hours a week to grab some overtime - so they can bring their kids on a nice vacation somewhere. The lowest of lows. Yep. The value of the dollar to ordinary Americans does not compute to those that live in DC.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 07:59 AM (IXrOn)

144 This is covering Obama's ass, no less no more.

If Obamacare was increasing GDP/hours worked we would hear how great that is instead...

Correct.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 07:59 AM (6TB1Z)

145 Ah, ok. So the CBO gave the dems the talking point. And how, pray tell, does the CBO determine what 'labor workers are choosing to supply'? Posted by: Tami at February 06, 2014 11:56 AM (bCEmE) It goes on after that right as you'd expect. Noting that the cliff in the subsidies provides significant incentive to stop earning income. Taken in it's totality it is NOT a democrat talking point. In fact it's a statement about unfettered expansion of the welfare state and government dependence. The GOP is focusing on it wrong leaving an opening for the dems to trot out what I call the "Harry Potter Defense." (Pointing to people like Rowling who lived off the state teat to create a hugely popular work of art as the ideal and/or norm rather than what is which is rare at best, and an anathema at worst.) The market has spoken, we have way to much "art" that's why it's value is so low

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 07:59 AM (GaqMa)

146

Valurite vodka! best served frozen.

And shaken. Not stirred.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at February 06, 2014 07:59 AM (zF6Iw)

147 And we all know how hypercompetent the Left is at actually providing the means for freedom from want. I'm looking at you, North Korea? Look closer to home: New Orleans post Katrina as the winds died down.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 08:00 AM (p9JxP)

148 Where all philosophers now.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (6bMeY)

149 think tank
Thats WORK! man. You have to research, and think and people criticize.
and you have to sit at a desk all day instead of surfin' or skate boarding, or hanging out with friends.

The worst part is when people disagree with you. That sucks, man. No one cares about how you feel when they rip your work to shreds, and take it personal..

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (lNxW4)

150 146 Valurite vodka! best served frozen.

"And shaken. Not stirred."

Shaken like a retarded baby!

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (c6N69)

151

to do an enormous amout of harm to the very people you're claiming to want to help.

Also known as, "The practice of progressivism."

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Assault Hobbit [/s][/i][/b][/u] at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (4df7R)

152 I still think the Horde should form a think tank and apply for that sweet sweet Koch cash. I've pushed that idea for a couple of years around here. We've solved quite a few of America's problems, mostly on the ONT.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit [/i][/s][/b] at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (0HooB)

153 Also that work ethic paid for the American defense shield that protected their asses for half a century. Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 11:53 AM Absolutely. Good point. Posted by: Seems ----------------- And provided a market for their goods. What if the U.S. had never imported Audis, VW's, BMW's etc., etc.? What would their economies look like then?

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (aDwsi)

154 My son is marring a girl that went to UVA on scholarship. She is not very conservative and he lets the pussy rule. They are having a ghey women priest marry them. I am not pleased.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:01 AM (0FSuD)

155 If your jug of Val-U-Rite freezes, someone cut it with water.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:02 AM (UeKaD)

156 148 Watched too much of that retarded guy on C-SPAN3. We're.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:02 AM (6bMeY)

157 money and free time stunted him, made him immature and narcissistic, completely unaware of consequences Posted by: thunderb at February 06, 2014 11:41 AM (zOTsN) The story you related is a microcosm of the forces which shaped American Liberalism. The reason the country has been growing Liberal since the 1950s is prosperity, plain and simple. The traditional ideas and practices of our society had made us prosperous enough so that we could afford a disconnect from the very ideas that got us here. Growing up with too easy of a life is virtually a ticket to liberal idiocy.

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 08:02 AM (bb5+k)

158 Just another great day in ADHDmerica.

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:02 AM (QvAgz)

159 @139
Is it because of the acceptance of "relationships" with "young boys" perhaps?

Posted by: shibumi at February 06, 2014 08:02 AM (25HWz)

160 I thought we were a think tank ok maybe just a tank well, fine then a barrel

Posted by: thunderb at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (zOTsN)

161 50 Christie,
Jane hasn't been around since Christmas. I am not sure why.

Posted by: Grey Fox at February 06, 2014 11:42 AM (Fka6O)

Thank you. Hope she is just busy.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (baL2B)

162

A Liberal walks into a bar and orders a Cosmopolitan and says to the bartender, " I bet you hate this menial, no where to go job and are working just for the healthbenefits. Am I right?"

The bartender says, " yep , making Cosmos for condescending douchenozzles is about the worst job you can have, but at least I have health insurance.

Posted by: polynikes at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (m2CN7)

163

I now work in the education field making a decent comfortable living. I worked hard to get to this point. Went to school, graduated college, did menial jobs on my way to where I am now.

I worked in a LOT of job while a teen and early college/working years to make ends meet. I have collected garbage in the ghetto. I have been a hazardous waste technician/grunt laborer. I've been a deckhand and may other jobs of that type. Instilled a great work ethic in me amd paid me well. I always enjoyed those jobs and actually felt I accomplished something each day. Street was full of trash bags? We cleaned it up.

This elitist attitude is what a truly smart party could capitalize on, but alas, all we currently have is the current GOP. Sigh.

Posted by: Ezra's Equal at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (F3Ima)

164 139?

Yeah. I was early to BBS's- 1980-- but late to the web- 1999. That was one of the first things I stumbled across. Yuk.

Posted by: backhoe at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (ULH4o)

165 Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 12:02 PM (bb5+k) There are times that I worry it's morally wrong to want to bring a child into this world. Nevertheless, I suppose someone has to help educate those who will survive the collapse and reignite the virtues.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (GaqMa)

166 @155 Valu rite will not freeze. It will get thick, but it is 40% alcohol. About the same as your radiator.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (0FSuD)

167 An underestimated cost of the Defense shield that has protected us is the innovative people making exquisite systems at 6% fee. All of those engineers, scientists, and managers could have an incredible impact on the economy. If we had only listed to Curtis LeMay and nuked a few more people, we could have backed off that investment for decades.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:03 AM (6aI1M)

168 That sounds real bad. I feel your pain.

Posted by: William Jefferson Clinton at February 06, 2014 08:04 AM (6bMeY)

169 Can't type or spell today - just being lazy. I realize my last post was not done well, you grammar nazis.

Posted by: Ezra's Equal at February 06, 2014 08:04 AM (F3Ima)

170 Let's be honest: you can't take these statements seriously. Leftists don't mean them, it's just today's doublethink: made-up, bullshit reasons that allow Leftists to claim Obamacare is manna from heaven. Tomorrow they'll say exactly the opposite, if it's politically convenient.

Posted by: cormac_mcroadie at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (NE5F0)

171 Nip Sip:Valu rite will not freeze. It will get thick, but it is 40% alcohol. About the same as your radiator.

This is not a coincidence. I wonder how they get the green coloring out?

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (c6N69)

172 Utopia means "no place" so I guess we fit.

Posted by: Vic[/i] at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (T2V/1)

173 Either this country will become a generation of welfare (see: Katrina in New Orleans and the result of four generations of welfare), Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 11:58 AM (baL2B)

Interesting thing about some of those Katrina refugees. They found jobs and new lives. More than one of them has said, "I did not know that we didn't have to live like that."

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (kXoT0)

174 Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (0FSuD) Pfffff.... You just need access to some quality lab equipment. I've frozen more powerful stuff.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (GaqMa)

175 Speaking for 90% of my own social environment, the country is literally unrecognizable from just 10 years ago. Catastrophic ignorance and inability to think, dependence on NPR and worse for "news", utter thrall to the dumbest social trends (vote for the black guy! historic and stuff! and stuff, or something!).

So what happened around 10 years ago that changed the country for the worse?

Posted by: teh Intertubes at February 06, 2014 08:05 AM (SwHqo)

176 "Do what you love and you'll never feel like you are working" is the biggest lie ever spread.

No one "loves" their work.

Sorry.

Aaron Rodgers makes millions playing a damned game. And I can guarantee you there are days he is like, "another fucking day at the gym? This sucks."

Everyone has those days no matter what.

No. Don't do what you love--do what you are good at, attain achievement/accomplishment.

When you get paid to "do what you love" sooner or later the wages will make it a chore.

What you love should be reserved for leisure, hobbies.

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (VjL9S)

177 If this is going to be like The Jetsons, I want my own Rosie the Robot, but I want her to look like Daryl Hanna from Blade Runner (but not try to kill me).

Posted by: OCBill at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (rFipM)

178 This is not a coincidence. I wonder how they get the green coloring out? Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 12:05 PM (c6N69) If we told you, we'd have to kill you.

Posted by: NC ABC Board at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (0FSuD)

179 Posted by: Ben at February 06, 2014 11:33 AM (5T9I9) Maybe Ace can do a twitter smack down while he's out running errands.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (LIZx2)

180 From the side bar regarding Pussy Riot:

The women, who were jailed for speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin and because, as they put it, they Â“sang a fun song in a church,Â”

-

The fun song they sang had a chorus of "This is God shit." The church they trespassed on to sing their fun song was a church torn down by Stalin and rebuilt with the contributions of the people and is Russia's most holy spot. They intended to offend, not to enlighten. Their Russian Code Pink.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (XUKZU)

181 polynikes at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (m2CN7)

I really enjoy these.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (6TB1Z)

182 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art.

Or hang out at AoS like I do.

Posted by: Vic[/i] at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (T2V/1)

183

Valu rite will not freeze. It will get thick, but it is 40% alcohol. About the same as your radiator.

This is not a coincidence. I wonder how they get the green coloring out?

Bleach

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:06 AM (UeKaD)

184 Pfffff.... You just need access to some quality lab equipment. I've frozen more powerful stuff. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 12:05 PM (GaqMa) Well, shit Nitrogen would freeze my blue steel throbber, but you're not going to try.

Posted by: Good ole Bill Clinton at February 06, 2014 08:07 AM (0FSuD)

185 If this is going to be like The Jetsons, I want my own Rosie the Robot, but I want her to look like Daryl Hanna from Blade Runner (but not try to kill me).

Posted by: OCBill at February 06, 2014 12:06 PM (rFipM

I want a Cherry 2000.

Posted by: polynikes at February 06, 2014 08:07 AM (m2CN7)

186 Nip Sip:Valu rite will not freeze. It will get thick, but it is 40% alcohol. About the same as your radiator. This is not a coincidence. I wonder how they get the green coloring out? Pour it through a loaf of bread.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 08:07 AM (p9JxP)

187
I am not pleased.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 12:01 PM (0FSuD)

Ugh. Sometimes things can change. I would not be pleased, either. But sometimes you have to hold your nose to keep your son. One side of my septum collapsed doing this in the past (but now, so far, he is in a relationship with someone who, at least, is successful while her voting is probably Dem due to her parental influence. Apparently there is some concern with me, a redneck, meeting her father eventually, who sounds like a cross between Archie Bunker and other barking mad Dems. I plan to meet him with a glass of gin half full and not rise to his bait, should he start anything. I guess just hearing I was from Mississippi set him on a rampage. Fun times ahead!

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 08:07 AM (baL2B)

188 171 Sea Turtles, Mate.

Posted by: Captain Jack Sparrow at February 06, 2014 08:08 AM (6bMeY)

189
OLD AND BUSTED: Socialism is the best way to create jobs extend economic prosperity to the most people.

NEW HOTNESS: People will be happier in their poverty if theyre not working.

Im assuming that all the progressives adopting this "happiness" drivel is an admission their leftist economic "planning" has failed.

Posted by: fixerupper at February 06, 2014 08:09 AM (nELVU)

190 teh intertubes:

It was earlier than ten years ago. The Comintern subsidized the Frankfort School's effort at replacing Academia with communists.

The communists in Academia then trained the people working in media.

Long after the Russians ran from communism in horror, the Communist Zombie continues to lurch through America, infecting everything it bites.

The putrid thing just started bearing its fruit in the last decade, is all.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:09 AM (c6N69)

191 Nevertheless, I suppose someone has to help educate those who will survive the collapse and reignite the virtues. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really! Sarah Conner?

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 08:09 AM (/BP38)

192 A Liberal walks into a bar and orders a Cosmopolitan and says to the bartender, " I bet you hate this menial, no where to go job and are working just for the healthbenefits. Am I right?" The bartender says, " yep , making Cosmos for condescending douchenozzles is about the worst job you can have, but at least I have health insurance. Posted by: polynikes at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (m2CN7) Bartender to Liberal: What's the difference between a proctologist and a bartender? Liberal: I dunno. Bartender to Liberal: A proctologist only deals with one asshole at a time.

Posted by: Lace Wigs at February 06, 2014 08:09 AM (mETGQ)

193

Abraham Lincoln said, in the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Â“It is the eternal struggle between these two principles Â— right and wrong Â— throughout the world. They are the two principles that have stood face to face from the beginning of time; and will ever continue to struggle. The one is the common right of humanity, and the other the divine right of kings. It is the same principle in whatever shape it develops itself. It is the same spirit that says, "You toil and work and earn bread, and I'll eat it." No matter in what shape it comes, whether from the mouth of a king who seeks to bestride the people of his own nation and live by the fruit of their labor, or from one race of men as an apology for enslaving another race, it is the same tyrannical principle.Â”

Seems appropriate.

Posted by: troyriser at February 06, 2014 08:10 AM (V9ol4)

194 Well said, Monty!

Posted by: CanaDave at February 06, 2014 08:10 AM (kPpHE)

195 VDOT has been living in a post labor Utopia for several decades.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:10 AM (6bMeY)

196 If you really want to be disllusioned, read about why he moved to Sri Lanka Posted by: 18-1 -------------------------- Ceylon. I use that to annoy the politically correct whenever I reference Sri Lanka. Same with Burma and Siam. It annoys the hell out of them. Peking is another favorite. When they condescendingly point out my 'mistake', I explain to them that I call a place name for my own convenience, rather than someone else's.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:10 AM (aDwsi)

197 from the lyricsof Me and Obammee:

Freedom's just another word for I lost my job.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 08:10 AM (XUKZU)

198 Sarah Conner? Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 12:09 PM (/BP3 Heh, well played. However, I'm heavily influenced by MacIntyre. I don't think the MacIntyrian groups that recede from society have it quite right, but I do think we need to be preparing for a new dark ages.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:11 AM (GaqMa)

199 Finest post I've read in quite some time

Posted by: NativeNH at February 06, 2014 08:11 AM (zqs8O)

200 The Left wants to abolish any tendency for self reliance born of achievement. Crushing The Middle Class, a central marxist goal requires that. The DESIRE to work comes only from an inner need for self respect and is the driving force powering upwardly mobile aspirations, and Central Planners just fucking hate that shit.

Posted by: ontherocks at February 06, 2014 08:11 AM (MfPfh)

201
Interesting thing about some of those Katrina refugees. They found jobs and new lives. More than one of them has said, "I did not know that we didn't have to live like that."

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 12:05 PM (kXoT0)

Good! I was mainly referring to those who stayed and waited for help vs getting on the dang bus and getting out of NOLA. As you stated, many knew no difference as that was how they were raised vs thinking for themselves faced with disaster and late bus evacuations to wherever. Nagin and Blanco, dimwitted idiots, were the main blame for the entire fiasco, yet it remains President Bush's problem.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Duchess of Something at February 06, 2014 08:11 AM (baL2B)

202 @187 All great points. I actually like the woman. She is from our home town and was very kind to my father in law when he was dying. Joint ceremony. Dyke Episcopal Priest and Southern Baptist pastor. How's that going to work out?

Posted by: Good ole Bill Clinton at February 06, 2014 08:11 AM (0FSuD)

203 164 Yeah. I was early to BBS's- 1980-- but late to the web- 1999. My path as well. DC had a great BBS Scene for a while there as technology allowed multi-line BBSes...then we got AOL and etc.

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (QvAgz)

204 anyone else find it hilarious the discussion with Hoskinen the new irs commissioner (C-Span)and the union irs workers being funded by taxpayers to go to union activities and facilitate unions while irs workers are harrasing 501 -4 groups for political participation by "others"?

Posted by: willow at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (nqBYe)

205 The real laugh is when these douchenozzles get 'touched personally' by teh one.

MyRA is just the beginning. Once teh One and crew realize the pool of money can ALSO include trust funds and other vehicles, Katie bar the door.

Then, watch the croc tears flow. And, good for the sorry bastards, whom failed to stand when needed, and its hitting their bottom line now.

Drown, drones... your time has come

Posted by: fred zeppelin at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (zL/eJ)

206 I'm back, bitches!

Posted by: Funemployment at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (xvtYZ)

207 My brother continues to buy a little above Valu-Rite quality and then runs the bottle through his Brita a few times.

Insists its much better and better than paying for the higher quality stuff.

I haven't gotten around to debunking yet.

Posted by: H Badger at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (n/0Nw)

208 They don't keep score in Little League. Next they won't keep score in life. We will all get an equal stipend.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:12 AM (6bMeY)

209 Off clinton sock

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:13 AM (0FSuD)

210 of course there is no mention of IRS workers being union partisans while harassing 501 4 groups.

Posted by: willow at February 06, 2014 08:14 AM (nqBYe)

211 I haven't gotten around to debunking yet.

Do you know for a fact that this doesn't work? Sounds like a killer Mythbusters.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:14 AM (6TB1Z)

212 Boss Moss - They don't keep score in Little League. Next they won't keep score in life. We will all get an equal stipend.

Ours changed this year - bringing back competition and sport back to the sport...

I cannot wait

Posted by: fred zeppelin at February 06, 2014 08:14 AM (zL/eJ)

213 There was a Star Trec: TNG where they put holo-visors on menial workers.

They explained, "sure, to you it looks like that guy is just painting a wall. To him, he is painting a beautiful painting."

I was quite younger then, and I was like, "holy shit, that is stupid."

Only someone who has never painted a wall, never met a painter would think that a painter wishes he was painting fine art instead.

But, perfect distillation of leftist thought: they are too fucking stupid to imagine anyone could think or feel different from them.

(Quit calling them liberals--there is not one damned thing "liberal" about them. They are fucking leftist: Whole-hog subscribers to the entire far-left of totalitarian forms of government. Their only distinction is a difference of opinion as to how soon the government should kill off those who disagree.)

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 06, 2014 08:14 AM (VjL9S)

214 166 @155 Valu rite will not freeze. It will get thick, but it is 40% alcohol. About the same as your radiator. Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (0FSuD) I have lots of liquid N2 and some liquid helium to play with ...

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:14 AM (6aI1M)

215 tsrblke, I have a two year old little boy and so far it's looking like he will be really smart. I hope I can teach him the real value of work and especially of liberty. Also to shoot well.

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (/BP38)

216 fred zeppellin:

Which is why I cashed out my IRA, and took the tax hit.

Buy gold and silver coins with cash. Fuck them all.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (c6N69)

217 In the end you will all have jobs. Slaves in Obama's salt mines.

Posted by: burt at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (1+kJ5)

218 "Danielle Kurtzleben is an associate editor covering business and economics for U.S. News & World Report."

She looks about 24.

I would expect her to write something so stupid.

Posted by: Jay in PA at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (3LaGb)

219 202? Well, for my 1984 wedding to the late Miss Emily she insisted her former Lutheran Pastor co-officiate with her Episcopal Priest- "just to make certain it took." It worked out well.

Tips bush hat heavenward
Spins- pretty good for a beat-up old guy
And walks into the twilight....

Posted by: backhoe at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (ULH4o)

220 From the side bar regarding Pussy Riot: The women, who were jailed for speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin... THIS Putin? http://www.poynter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/economist-putin.jpg

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (IXrOn)

221 Wait? Is this going to be about the Grasshopper and the Ant all over again? Can you imagine Walt Disney making this NOW? http://tinyurl.com/7lwgaqx

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (0FSuD)

222 I think this mind-set goes right along with the "smart growth" and "sustainable development" that is currently in vogue. Moving everyone into high rise apartments (surrounded by green space, of course) and limiting travel to public transit goes hand in hand with "funemployment" and a "post-labor" America. After all, if you do not have a job, what do you need to travel for? Whenever I see stupid ideas like this, it always reminds me of the spaceship in the movie "Wall-E"

Posted by: DaveinNC at February 06, 2014 08:15 AM (boNGU)

223 Once teh One and crew realize the pool of money can ALSO include trust funds and other vehicles, Katie bar the door.

The people who design the heist will not steal their own trust funds.

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 08:16 AM (ZKzrr)

224 Do you know for a fact that this doesn't work? Sounds like a killer Mythbusters. Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 12:14 PM (6TB1Z) They did that. They ran vodka through various numbers of times and hired a professional taster who ranked blinded samples. He got them right (highest to lowest) but insisted the difference between the top shelf and the most filtered one was highly detectable. Meanwhile they had Kari rank them and she was highly off. They then ran them through a IR spec which found no chemical difference between any of the vodkas.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:16 AM (GaqMa)

225 They intended to offend, not to enlighten. Last time I checked, that should not be a jailable offense.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 06, 2014 08:16 AM (659DL)

226 >an enormous amount of harm to the very people you're claiming to want to help Silly you. It's the claim of helping people, not the actual helping, that's important.

Posted by: suitably adequate at February 06, 2014 08:16 AM (SM5M0)

227 heh. they played Rush on Justified?

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 08:16 AM (IXrOn)

228 You just need access to some quality lab equipment. I've frozen more powerful stuff. Posted by: tsrblke ----------- Liquid hydrogen. Works every time.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (aDwsi)

229 They explained, "sure, to you it looks like that guy is just painting a wall. To him, he is painting a beautiful painting."

I was quite younger then, and I was like, "holy shit, that is stupid."

This is why I liked it when DS9 exposed Roddenberry's 60s liberal utopia as being essentially a military dictatorship.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (B/VB5)

230 They jail people for Trespassing.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (6bMeY)

231 Liberal love for the working class: http://cart.mn/1btX3ve

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (DmNpO)

232 Labor is for suckers.

Posted by: Barry S. at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (0f2U3)

233 Speaking of radiators, why are engines so hot? Shouldn't they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (6aI1M)

234 And yet, SOMEBODY will need to work to pay for the health care of all those who are being freed from the burden of gainful work and responsibility by the Benevolent Overlords of government. At least until society collapses and the Burning Times begin.

People will work to get what they want out of life, one way or another. If they can't find steady, profitable employment in a stable civil society under the rule of law...they WILL still work to improve their circumstances. But that work will take ugly forms that the Benevolent Overlords never seem to be able to foresee -- like, say, drug-peddling gangs in inner cities that have been "freed" by decades of government "assistance" programs.

Posted by: Stu-22 at February 06, 2014 08:17 AM (AiYlm)

235 The people who design the heist will not steal their own trust funds. Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 12:16 PM (ZKzrr) And this is why higher taxes always hit the middle class. The rich know how to avoid the take.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:18 AM (GaqMa)

236 There are times that I worry it's morally wrong to want to bring a child into this world. Nevertheless, I suppose someone has to help educate those who will survive the collapse and reignite the virtues. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (GaqMa) Demographics is Destiny. I note the Orthodox are slowly taking over New York. There are consequences to liberal beliefs that manifest themselves in subsequent generations. (or the lack thereof.)

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 08:18 AM (bb5+k)

237 How did this 'loss of your job is liberating' meme make the rounds so quickly? Posted by: Tami at February 06, 2014 11:37 AM (bCEmE) In parallel with JOB LOCK.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 08:18 AM (IXrOn)

238 >>She looks about 24. I would expect her to write something so stupid. Posted by: Jay in PA at February 06, 2014 12:15 PM (3LaGb) Â…Â….had the same reaction to the her pic and simplistic assertions, but I was guessing more like 15-16.

Posted by: ontherocks at February 06, 2014 08:18 AM (MfPfh)

239 Is everybody HAPPY!!!

Posted by: dananjcon at February 06, 2014 08:19 AM (NpXoL)

240 229 They explained, "sure, to you it looks like that guy is just painting a wall. To him, he is painting a beautiful painting." I was quite younger then, and I was like, "holy shit, that is stupid." Did the guy who built the wall think it was beautiful?

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:19 AM (6aI1M)

241 As a little kid my parents gave me a small allowance, very small. If I wanted more to buy useless crap, I had to work for it. Shoveling snow for neighbors in the winter, mowing lawns in the summer, or that damned paper route. When I got my drivers license they said they'd pay for my insurance, but everything else like gas, I had to pay for it. So I got a job. Hated it at first, then loved it. Today they would probably get arrested for child abuse, but I don't have, and never will have the LIV and FSA attitude. Thanks MnD.

Posted by: ExSnipe at February 06, 2014 08:19 AM (LKJt3)

242 227

heh.
they played Rush on Justified?

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 12:16 PM (IXrOn)

-----------

That was pretty awesome. Gold star for fellow moron and International Star of Television and Film, Nick Searcy.

I'm sure that some idiot TV critic somewhere will emit gibberish because of it.

Posted by: Stu-22 at February 06, 2014 08:20 AM (AiYlm)

243 If we had only listed to Curtis LeMay and nuked a few more people, we could have backed off that investment for decades. Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (6aI1M) Curtis LeMay's plan was still the most sensible thing to have done. Sure, there were benefits to be had by taking the more foolish course, but several times we damned near lost that wager.

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 08:20 AM (bb5+k)

244 Speaking of radiators, why are engines so hot? Shouldn't
they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat.

It turns out that exploding gasoline makes a lot of heat, and for maximizing the energy released in a given amount of space it's tough to beat an explosion.

Shorter version: They *are* engineered that way.

Posted by: Ian S. at February 06, 2014 08:20 AM (B/VB5)

245 If we apply for some of that sweet, sweet Koch think-tank money, does that mean we have to put on pants? And tone down the "salacious topics in popular culture?" (to quote Wiki)

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:20 AM (7ObY1)

246 I wonder what Libs will do when their policies drive workers to put in fewer hours & they suddenly look around and there's nobody to mow the lawn or scrub the toilets.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:20 AM (DmNpO)

247 fred zeppelin: They tried, in Portland OR, declaring any kids soccer team that beat the other team by 5 an automatic forfeit for the high scoring team.

The day that rule went into effect, the best team in the league was playing one of the worst. That team was coached by a friend of mine, and he put into effect a plan we both cooked up the day before.

His team deliberately scored 5 own-goals on themselves, makingt the score 0-5 against themselves, and won the game.

Watching the other side realize what was happening, and then trying desperately to stop it, was pure comedy gold.

That league repealed that rule change the next day.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:21 AM (c6N69)

248 Demographics is Destiny. I note the Orthodox are slowly taking over New York.

There are consequences to liberal beliefs that manifest themselves in subsequent generations. (or the lack thereof.)

If the left imports new voters, it doesn't matter.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:21 AM (6TB1Z)

249 I think escaping the world wide confiscation of assets will be much harder now. The Feds have closed down all secret accounts. Think how the Jews in the 1930's would feel today. That's how YOU are going to feel when they come for your shit.

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:21 AM (0FSuD)

250

A guy walks into a bar in Sochi and orders a glass of vodka.

The bartender starts to grab the bottle of val-u-rite to pour when the guy says, " No, I want the top shelf vodka"

The bartender says, " Okay" and walks over to his Brita filter with the bottle of val-u-rite.

Posted by: polynikes at February 06, 2014 08:21 AM (m2CN7)

251 Well stated. I still think the Horde should form a think tank and apply for that sweet sweet Koch cash. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 11:52 AM (GaqMa) I saw you get Rawls on me on twitter. Don't think that I didn't. Okay, Horde, shall I pull out the give me back my life first rant?

Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 08:22 AM (VtjlW)

252 Oh, and let's not forget that, according to Jay Carney, the security one finds through social welfare programs and social security increases the entrepreneurial spirit.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:22 AM (DmNpO)

253 Monty, ...and in the end? chaos

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 08:22 AM (MhA4j)

254 44 My two cents. 1. People who fantasize about the life of the mind probably haven't made a serious attempt to live it. Writing books, composing symphonies, doing scientific research - things like that are all very hard work, if you're doing it right. I feel sorry for those people stuck in awful bureaucratic jobs - multicultural training facilitators, mid-level civil servants, powerpoint editors - because the actual 'work' is stressful precisely because it's not difficult. But to imagine a life where you're doing meaningful stuff without working your ass off is just the obverse of the 'move to Tahiti and live on the beach' fantasy. Posted by: Marcopohlo at February 06, 2014 11:41 AM (7d90h) Very true. As a (psuedo

) scientist mindworker, I can attest to the fact that it is hard work. Fun, at times frustrating, but hard, deliberate work.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:22 AM (r+7wo)

255 Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 12:21 PM (c6N69) LOL I love that! Awesome idea. That made my day.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:23 AM (7ObY1)

256 Okay, Horde, shall I pull out the give me back my life first rant? Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 12:22 PM (VtjlW) Yes, well I wanted you to see that

. You do so much a better job of undercutting it than I do.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:23 AM (GaqMa)

257 I wonder what Libs will do when their policies drive workers to put in fewer hours & they suddenly look around and there's nobody to mow the lawn or scrub the toilets.

I don't. MOAR UNSKILLD IMMIGRASHUNZ.

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 08:23 AM (ZKzrr)

258 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet porn, or commit crimes.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

What do you mean "or"? Haven't you heard of multitasking?

Posted by: RoadRunner at February 06, 2014 08:23 AM (XrGnJ)

259 252 Oh, and let's not forget that, according to Jay Carney, the security one finds through social welfare programs and social security increases the entrepreneurial spirit. Sure it does. WSJ, maybe firewalled. http://tinyurl.com/nzbxtk7

Posted by: Nip Sip at February 06, 2014 08:23 AM (0FSuD)

260 So, Obama is doing people a favor by having hours and paychecks cut by Obamacare. My sister, who is a teachers' aide, had her hours cut to just under 30. The ingrate isn't showing proper appreciation.

Posted by: nerdygirl at February 06, 2014 08:24 AM (Qr7/Z)

261 Very true. As a (pseudo) scientist mindworker, I can attest to the fact that it is hard work. Fun, at times frustrating, but hard, deliberate work. Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 12:22 PM (r+7wo) Meh the easy access to 95% EtOH makes it so much easier

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 08:24 AM (GaqMa)

262 Speaking of radiators, why are engines so hot? Shouldn't they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat. Posted by: Jean ----------------------- I assume you speak of conventional internal combustion engines. They are of a general class of "hot-air" engines. Which is to say that they depend upon the expansion of gas when heated. They get hot because of the heat of combustion, once the gas is expanded, has no where to go. Some is captured in the cooling system, and exhausted to surrounding air, and some is simply radiated from the metal of the engine block. A large quantity is exhausted through the tailpipe. They are inefficient as hell, but work extremely well. Every engineer since Watt has understood the inefficiencies, and striven to improve things. That is one reason that turbochargers have become popular, they extract the energy from hot exhaust gases.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (aDwsi)

263 "People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet porn, or commit crimes."

**

Hey Monty!! have you been following me around for the last 10years? You just described a week in the life of ME!!! And I work 55 hours a week!! I must be one them over-achievers!

Posted by: dananjcon at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (NpXoL)

264 If I had a son, I wouldn't want him cursed with a job.

Posted by: Barky O at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (FcR7P)

265 hammer the doj IRS investigation is a scam the JEF is a liar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhNv_PnNUg

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (IXrOn)

266 Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 12:21 PM (c6N69) Genius!

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (r+7wo)

267 According to this philosophy, everybody on welfare and medicaid should be ecstatic.

Posted by: West at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (1Rgee)

268 tsrblke, I have a two year old little boy and so far it's looking like he will be really smart. I hope I can teach him the real value of work and especially of liberty. Also to shoot well.

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 12:15 PM (/BP3

The one thing that is true little boys is that they want to be like Dad, Grandpa, the Uncles, Cousins, the MEN of the family. If the guys in a boy's life respect work, it will all fall into place. If there is one guy who is a lazy bum--let's call him Uncle Bobo, try and talk with your son about how Uncle Bobo hurts his family by his actions.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, think mink. at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (kXoT0)

269 I remember when 5% unemployment when GW Bush was president was a supposed to be a horrible thing.

Posted by: Dang at February 06, 2014 08:25 AM (MNq6o)

270 Dallas/Ft. Worth is shutting down at noon due to 1" of snow. My Fortune 500 company NEVER closes early. Yep. Noon. Weather people blew it. Called for much less, so road crews were not ready. Everyone caught with pants around ankles.

Posted by: rickb223 at February 06, 2014 08:26 AM (p9JxP)

271 Tom Sizemore admits he made up Liz HurleyÂ—Bill Clinton affair story after suffering 'severe drug problem'

Phew.

*pencils Liz back in*

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 06, 2014 08:26 AM (hBNxo)

272 All prior generations of my family had blue collar jobs, raised families, built homes, and were proud of their work. My great grandfather was a blacksmith. My grandfather drove milk trucks. My father drove liquor trucks. They worked long, hard hours and there was nothing glamorous about what they did... but again, they were PROUD of it and thought that the pansies that are now allegedly our leaders were worthless (and they were right). They taught me to be always to the best job that I was able to, no matter what I did, so that I could also be proud of my work. Their work ethic and labor got me from driving trucks also to a corner office. My dad is proud of me (unlike the usual white collar idiots) because I earned my spot by doing stuff, not by degrees in 18th Century Wimmenz Studies or a bunch of made up certificates or credentials. Now, people are proud of made up credentials and have no concept of truly accomplishing or producing anything. We're gone full circle to the next version of a feudal society... where a bunch of panty wastes and sycophants that are incapable of even pulling on their own pants congratulate themselves on their made up titles... but would starve to death inside a of a month if the labor they look down on were to simply quit working for them and just go off and take care of themselves. Go ahead, assholes. "Save" people from working. Enjoy starvation and plague. At least you'll have crappy music and poetry or other such nonsense from the untalented idiots that you "liberate" to enjoy while you drown in your own feces (because the plumber that hates his job is now watching internet porn all day).

Posted by: Damiano at February 06, 2014 08:26 AM (j0wOO)

273

Speaking of radiators, why are engines so hot? Shouldn't
they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat.

All you would need is zero friction lubricants

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:26 AM (UeKaD)

274 Unshackled non-workers are all over our urban landscape. When they aren't shooting at each other or innocent bystanders, they are self-actualizing.

Posted by: Roy at February 06, 2014 08:27 AM (VndSC)

275 269 Only 5% of people had time to pursue cowboy poetry.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:27 AM (6bMeY)

276 and especially of liberty. Also to shoot well. Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 12:15 PM (/BP3

It would seem that one is the consequence of the other.

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 08:27 AM (bb5+k)

277 You do so much a better job of undercutting it than I do. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at February 06, 2014 12:23 PM (GaqMa) I'm not quite sure how fuck you you fucking nihilistic fuckstick of an anti-intellectual twat, you fucking jackhole is a better job. I mean, it's way more gratifying but I wouldn't say better.

Posted by: alexthechick - Come to us, oh mighty SMOD at February 06, 2014 08:27 AM (VtjlW)

278 Hey Monty, on behalf of all"gringo" kids, fuck you asshole! You're just as fucking bigoted as those blue-blood liberals, you shithead.Fucking assholes like you, who fucking hire illegals because you think somehow because they come from some tbird world dungheap that makes them superior workers to people like me who spent their whole lives in construction trades, only to see the Labour market flooded with fucking illegals so now I struggle to find work. Just go fuck yourself Monty, you pussy-ass bitch. Not all whites are beta male no-nothings who can't change a lightbulb, like you, fucking cocksucking asshole. Fuck you.

Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 08:28 AM (Z+3xG)

279 Ah don evah git in-vitted to dose tink tanks edder. Ah caint magine howcom?

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 08:28 AM (xWW96)

280 So we haven't had raises since 2008. Today, the company is installing automatic soap, paper towel and toilet paper dispensers in all bathrooms and every sink in the labs. Because we didn't want raises. And we certainly were incapable of continuing to use the manual ones. But mostly, we didn't want raises. I am so over this day.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her Sanity Prod (tm) at February 06, 2014 08:28 AM (LP0Fj)

281 Sure it does. WSJ, maybe firewalled. http://tinyurl.com/nzbxtk7 *** Ahem. Nancy Pelosi ‏@NancyPelosi 21h 21 years after we passed FMLA, thereÂ’s still more to do to make sure we empower AmericaÂ’s hardworking women: http://goo.gl/j9pAsV #FMLA21

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:28 AM (DmNpO)

282 According to this philosophy, everybody on welfare and medicaid should be ecstatic.

Instead their only enjoyment in life is the knockout game against the people who are paying their bills.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 08:28 AM (XUKZU)

283 If we had only listed to Curtis LeMay and nuked a few more people, we could have backed off that investment for decades. Posted by: Jean ----------------------- Roosevelt made a very, *very* bad decision in over-assisting the Russians during WWII. It has cost dearly.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:29 AM (aDwsi)

284 People without meaningful work and copious free time don't write
symphonies or create great works of art. They don't live a life of the
mind. They drink too much, or get in fights, or watch a lot of internet
porn, or commit crimes

I've been home sick all week. Much of it I was so sick I couldn't do much besides watch daytime TV. I'm convinced it's a plot by the FSA. Nobody with a functioning synapse can watch that stuff and so runs back to work as soon as they are physically able, thus keeping the gravy train going.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:29 AM (6TB1Z)

285 My father was a skilled trade factory worker. He and his fellow employees always TRIED to get overtime. He never acted as if he hated the work he was doing. Then again he was raised on a farm, so working indoors constructing ducts wasn't terribly burdensome.

Posted by: nerdygirl at February 06, 2014 08:29 AM (Qr7/Z)

286 44 My two cents.

1. People who fantasize about the life of the mind probably haven't made a serious attempt to live it. Writing books, composing symphonies, doing scientific research - things like that are all very hard work, if you're doing it right. I feel sorry for those people stuck in awful bureaucratic jobs - multicultural training facilitators, mid-level civil servants, powerpoint editors - because the actual 'work' is stressful precisely because it's not difficult. But to imagine a life where you're doing meaningful stuff without working your ass off is just the obverse of the 'move to Tahiti and live on the beach' fantasy.

2. This being said, I suspect that those stuck in soul-destroying jobs are actually envious of those who mow lawns and paint houses for a living.
============
Don't laugh. But, being a lawyer is that mind-work as well. And it ain't no fun, happy, joy time all day long. A lot of lawyers commit suicide. Higher than the general population.

That's why, to #2, I like--LIKE--mowing my lawn, fixing and improving stuff around the house, building, and constantly modifying, my outdoor landscape. Because for a few moments, I am DOING something and I can see real-time results.

My thought: If you are not doing some sort of regular physical labor, something with your hands, in your life, eventually you're going to get bored with life.

Posted by: RoyalOil at February 06, 2014 08:29 AM (VjL9S)

287 Excellent article, Monty.

Posted by: Null at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (xjpRj)

288

Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:28 PM (Z+3xG)

-------------

Calm down, have some dip.

Posted by: @JohnTant at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (eytER)

289 Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:28 PM (Z+3xG) Taking it a little personal there, aren't we?

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (r+7wo)

290 For some insane reason, Demotards always think everyone aspires to become a worthless blood sucking parasite stuck firmly to the asscheek of society.

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (xWW96)

291

Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:28 PM (Z+3xG)

Just spitballing here, but I'm thinking you're finding it hard to find work because you're none-too-bright, not good with people, and blame all of your shortcomings on others.

Posted by: troyriser at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (V9ol4)

292 Tom Sizemore admits he made up Liz HurleyÂ—Bill Clinton affair story after suffering 'severe drug problem' *** did you read the conversation he attributed to Clinton? Of course he was lying! He pulled out every bad movie cliche' imaginable to such a point that he was just stringing together bad lines and calling them a conversation.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (DmNpO)

293 His team deliberately scored 5 own-goals on themselves A foolproof plan because you always get the kickoff when you 'suffer' a goal.

Posted by: t-bird at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (FcR7P)

294 Mike, ok. Why isn't the turbo charging function of extracting more energy from the combustion in the cylinder, later in the cycle from the initial combustion event. Is the "spike" better then a slower combustion event that would ramp pressure longer?

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (6aI1M)

295 Joe seems upset.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (bCEmE)

296 Shouldn't they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat. Posted by: Jean Calling carnot v Krebs

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 08:30 AM (/BP38)

297 If the left imports new voters, it doesn't matter. Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 12:21 PM (6TB1Z) Agreed. That is a hill we should die on.

Posted by: D-Lamp at February 06, 2014 08:31 AM (bb5+k)

298 Roosevelt made a very, *very* bad decision in over-assisting the Russians during WWII. It has cost dearly.

----

Well .... for us anyway.

For Theodore.... Im sure he saw Stalin a some kinda kindred spirit.

Posted by: fixerupper at February 06, 2014 08:31 AM (nELVU)

299 277 fuckstick of an anti-intellectual twat I think that Allen guy can perhaps set you up with a blog...

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:31 AM (QvAgz)

300 Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:28 PM (Z+3xG) Now that's some authentic frontier gibberish.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:31 AM (7ObY1)

301 empower AmericaÂ’s hardworking women

Who expect their cow-orkers to do their jobs for them for for four months while they persue a personal project, then get upset when those cow-orkers advance faster than they do.

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 08:31 AM (ZKzrr)

302 Where I live you have to sort your trash. Which doesn't mean anything until you are told you have to wash your empty cans, bottles, and glass containers, sort your paper, plastic, cardboard, metal. The 'garbage collectors' only take clean empty containers because recycle. There are no organics in my trash. My trash isn't feculent or festering. Where does that guy live?

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 11:50 AM (lNxW4)
==========

Sheesh! After all that I submit that what you're putting out for collection is not "trash" at all, but rather a commodity which they should have to pay YOU for.

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 06, 2014 08:32 AM (OtQXp)

303 It's as though some of these people have never read "I, Pencil".

Posted by: Countrysquire at February 06, 2014 08:32 AM (LSJmV)

304 Now that's some authentic frontier gibberish.

Canadian frontier, did you catch the superfluous U in "Labor"?

Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 08:32 AM (ZKzrr)

305 For Theodore.... Im sure he saw Stalin a some kinda kindred spirit. Theodore? WWII?

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:32 AM (7ObY1)

306 >>"To try and embitter people about that, to make them feel that the natural order of things is unfair, is just to do an enormous amout of harm to the very people you're claiming to want to help." Though you were making a great point there Monty, you could also have been channeling LBJ making a quip, while laughing his ass off.

Posted by: ontherocks at February 06, 2014 08:32 AM (MfPfh)

307 Canadian frontier, did you catch the superfluous U in "Labor"? Heh, no I hadn't. On my honour.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (7ObY1)

308 283 If we had only listed to Curtis LeMay and nuked a few more people, we could have backed off that investment for decades. Posted by: Jean ----------------------- Roosevelt made a very, *very* bad decision in over-assisting the Russians during WWII. It has cost dearly. Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 12:29 PM (aDwsi) Truman should have hanged Harry Dexter White, and the rest of the fellow travelers, the day after they buried Roosevelt.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (6aI1M)

309

joe walks into a mother fucking bar and fucking orders a bitch ass motherfucking beer after a fucking motherfuck hard day at his motherfucking blue collar fucking job.

Posted by: polynikes at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (m2CN7)

310 Alvin Roosevelt always got into trouble.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (hBNxo)

311 I remember when 5% unemployment when GW Bush was president was a supposed to be a horrible thing. Think of all those poor slobs who had to go to work because the meanie govt' wouldn't pay their bills.

Posted by: t-bird at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (FcR7P)

312

#175 - the intertubes

Failure on my part. I picked "10 years ago" somewhat out of the air. My point was that obviously, even offensively (to many) ridiculous nonsense like these orwellian attempts to praise economic damage from a govt. policy would, at one time, have immediately brought scorn and a bit of ostracism on someone like a WH CEA member.

Most of the people I referenced as in my social sphere were little better 10 years ago - they were almost all, already, products of the degradation and dumbing down that has ravaged the civic culture.

But just for fun, 10 years ago. The 2002 mid-terms were the last time the Dems paid any price for their unbelievable, irresponsible, outrageous behavior. Even my Dem Hill staffer friends were agog when the Dems basically took post-9/11 initiatives hostage for unionization reasons. People were still leery of white powder in the mail, tanker trucks were guarded like nuke shipments, and everyone was waiting for "the next shoe to drop". But the Dems were holding changes hostage to fucking unionization moves (TSA, DHS, both? can't recall).

Even with the collapsed press, and the dumbed down electorate, THAT was too much for people, and the typical mid-term loss for the "party in power" was reversed, for I believe the 2nd time in 50 years. (leave aside how idiotic the TSA and DHS initiatives were - this was no part of the clumsy Dem efforts - they simply were holding out for AFSCME et al to get their leeches' cut of the action).

Like I said - last time the Dems appeared to pay any price. Oh, there was 2010. But by then, there really wasn't either a serious broader electorate or a serious opposition party, which explains why the results from that 2nd greatest partisan earthquake in national history were ..... almost invisible.

Posted by: non-purist at February 06, 2014 08:33 AM (afQnV)

313 Who expect their cow-orkers to do their jobs for them for for four months while they persue a personal project, then get upset when those cow-orkers advance faster than they do. *** HTF are companies supposed to pay for two full-time staffs: One who works and the other who is not? Because, basically, that's what it comes down to.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (DmNpO)

314 A. I don't get this compli-mockment that liberals are all white bread cocktail parties and faculty lounges. When you get down to it, their base is The Wire and Big Day Labor...and Big Lazy Union. B. It's so cute that Ace thinks that the Sun King, Barack the Lightbringer worries about things like "revenue" or "budgets". It's obvious that Obamanomics is simply a matter of printing more money to make up any budget deficits...or having the Fed buy local bonds to make up for overpaid local public sector union thugs.

Posted by: oeJay44incday endorses Cotton Mather's Night Rider Puritan Holy War on Strumpets and Wastrels at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (QxSug)

315 heodore? WWII?

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 12:32 PM (7ObY1)

----

Fuck.

FRANKLIN...... brain fart.....

My bad. Thats ALMOST worth a barreling.

Posted by: fixerupper at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (nELVU)

316 I saw Anti-Intellectual Twat open for the Anti-Nowhere League. The show got negative reviews.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (7ObY1)

317 I don't believe Canada has a legitimate claim to any territories in North America.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (6bMeY)

318 I watched a clip of that UK documentary "Benefits Street" on people stuck in poverty and welfare for generations. A little girl, probably less than ten, sole and burning ambition was to have a job. No one she knew had one but she wanted one. I wanted to go get that kid before the ambition and common sense is kicked out of her.

Posted by: Lester at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (2UPXV)

319 Everybody's working for the weekend!!!!

Posted by: Loverboy at February 06, 2014 08:34 AM (8g9qq)

320 Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 12:31 PM (ZKzrr) Nancy P says she wants to "empower" women. In reality, she wants to infantilize women so they can be just as smart as she is.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:35 AM (r+7wo)

321

Where I live you have to sort your trash.

I would move

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:35 AM (UeKaD)

322 There must be something about the trust fund thing - this idiot lefty on twitter the other day says this: ‏@DavidOAtkins Feb 4 If people who were just working to keep health insurance don't have to work anymore, that's a GOOD thing. to which I reply this: ‏@votermom Feb 4 Trust fund baby extols virtue of forced unemployment -> @DavidOAtkins and he got all indignant - sent mea bunch of sputtering tweets. I LOLed. What an idjit.

Posted by: votermom at February 06, 2014 08:35 AM (GSIDW)

323 OT; The sidebar post: (Snicker)

"'Feminism is the words Â‘I Want!Â’ in the mouths of three or more women, provided theyÂ’re the right kind of women.'"

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 08:36 AM (XUKZU)

324 Saudi Britain has a Labour Party. Does that mean that some of them still have jobs?

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:36 AM (6bMeY)

325 The fun song they sang had a chorus of "This is God shit." The church they trespassed on to sing their fun song was a church torn down by Stalin and rebuilt with the contributions of the people and is Russia's most holy spot. They intended to offend, not to enlighten. Their Russian Code Pink.

Also, the incident involving one of them fucking a chicken in a supermarket.

No, I'm not joking.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at February 06, 2014 08:36 AM (SY2Kh)

326 I'm soooooo ready....

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (GjPnA)

327 321 Just drop it off in a parking lot or a stream.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (6bMeY)

328 At the risk of provoking the wrath of the PTB, did EoJ take a permanent hike from this blog?

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (6TB1Z)

329 Apropos of nothing, my new favorite German word is "Nachtfahrt" Turns out it means "night drive." I would have thought it had something to do with what happens when you go to bed after eating Tex-Mex. But it's still a great word.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (7ObY1)

330 I'm way late to the conversation.

I do think it's curious in this age of simply existing, one of the more popular forms of entertainment are MMORPGs (increasingly free-to-play) which in many aspects mimic the (liberal idea of) mindless repetition.

Now, I must get back to LotRO...

Posted by: Methos at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (hO9ad)

331 Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:28 PM (Z+3xG)

**

Francis!! Is that you!?

Posted by: dananjcon at February 06, 2014 08:37 AM (NpXoL)

332 328 At the risk of provoking the wrath of the PTB, did EoJ take a permanent hike from this blog? Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 12:37 PM (6TB1Z) I was please to see him, albeit briefly, on the dump thread this morning.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 08:38 AM (bCEmE)

333 HTF are companies supposed to pay for two full-time staffs: One who works and the other who is not? Because, basically, that's what it comes down to. Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 12:34 PM (DmNpO) Because woman power, feminism, War on Women and stuff. At least we don't mandate 9-month paternity leave AND 1 or 2 year maternity leave (don't remember which) like Sweden. Yet.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:38 AM (r+7wo)

334 Where I live you have to sort your trash. - I would move *** I think it was Stossel (IIRC) who conducted an experiment to see how far people would go in order to squash their ridiculous guilt over not recycling. By the time the experiment was over there were something like 6 or 7 different types of recycling and waste bins on the curb before folks finally said "Enough!".

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:38 AM (DmNpO)

335 I'm pretty sure my very young neighbors are dealing something. Either that, or they have lots of friends that only want to visit for a few minutes at a time. The libertarian capitalist in me says, "at least they have some ambition." The homeowner/father in me says...well I don't know exactly what that guy says yet but it's something along the lines of get off my lawn.

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 08:38 AM (/BP38)

336 Desecrating a fresh chicken in Soviet Russia would have gotten you lynched by a mob of babushkas.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:38 AM (6aI1M)

337 334 I think that was Penn and Teller.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:39 AM (6bMeY)

338 317 I don't believe Canada has a legitimate claim to any territories in North America. I bet if we go back far enough, we can find a legit Limey claim on NYC, right? Surely there must be one somewhere. Let's make it happen. For the children. We'll even throw in Detroit. And Seattle.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:39 AM (7ObY1)

339 After Sheilia Jackson Lee's Revenge yesterday,
I've had to delete several comments before posting them.

after a lifetime of working too hard for too little I can sympathize with 'joe'. Been there felt that way before, seen it happen. Suffer from it myself from time to time.

I really don't know how you set that anger aside, but you have to find someway, somehow, and find another line of work.

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 08:39 AM (lNxW4)

340

Plenty of liberals are missing the bigger point - in order for people to work less, we have to subsidize them. In order to subsidize them, the producers have to work harder and longer hours.

I. Did. Not. Sign. Up. For. This. Shit.

Posted by: Matt at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (vDEpI)

341 >>BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes on immigration legislation, saying: 'There's widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws and it's going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes.' http://tinyurl.com/kj7lhae

Posted by: JackStraw at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (g1DWB)

342
I think it was Stossel (IIRC) who conducted an experiment to see how far people would go in order to squash their ridiculous guilt over not recycling. By the time the experiment was over there were something like 6 or 7 different types of recycling and waste bins on the curb before folks finally said "Enough!".

-

Penn (imagine ampersand here) Teller did that on Bullshit! It was hilarious.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (XUKZU)

343

At the risk of provoking the wrath of the PTB, did EoJ take a permanent hike from this blog?

Maybe he hasn't gotten the memo on how wonderful it is to not work.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (UeKaD)

344 votermom, let's play a game: ‏@DavidOAtkins Feb 4 If people who were just working to ~~keep health insurance~~ eat and provide for themselves don't have to work anymore, that's a GOOD thing. I hope those fortunate souls confiscate Mr. Atkins' wealth and possessions to sustain themselves.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (r+7wo)

345 I worked on assembly lines summers when I was in college. It is a little tough the first couple weeks, think the "I Love Lucy" candy factory episode. After a short time it is easy but boring. You cut the boredom by chatting and joking with your co-workers and there is almost zero stress. That neurosurgeon is under a lot of stress. If he makes a slight mistake someone can die. Everything in life is a trade-off.

Posted by: nerdygirl at February 06, 2014 08:40 AM (Qr7/Z)

346 JOB LOCK SLAVERY CAPITALISM IS EVIL

Posted by: TODAY'S DEM TALKING POINT at February 06, 2014 08:41 AM (IXrOn)

347 "Nancy P says she wants to "empower" women. In reality, she wants to infantilize women so they can be just as smart as she is.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 12:35 PM (r+7wo) "

Heh.

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 08:41 AM (xWW96)

348 I had a link to The Grasshopper and the Ants at The American Spectator but they have deleted the article now.

So I will have to go with the original Aesop

http://www.umass.edu/aesop/content.php?n=0&i=1

Posted by: Vic[/i] at February 06, 2014 08:41 AM (T2V/1)

349 Penn and Teller and it was 12 different colored trash cans.

Posted by: Boss Moss at February 06, 2014 08:41 AM (6bMeY)

350 Wow, the CBP Union guy is not going to get many cocktail party invites for the next few months.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:42 AM (6aI1M)

351 >BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes on immigration legislation

Oh, sure- NOW you tell us that it isn't happening, Jack.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at February 06, 2014 08:42 AM (SY2Kh)

352 BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes on immigration legislation, saying: 'There's widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws and it's going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes.' **** wow

Posted by: oeJay44incday endorses Cotton Mather's Night Rider Puritan Holy War on Strumpets and Wastrels at February 06, 2014 08:42 AM (QxSug)

353 Also, the incident involving one of them fucking a chicken in a supermarket.

No, I'm not joking.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at February 06, 2014 12:36 PM (SY2Kh)

The Russian Orthodox Church is closely allied with Putin's gangster government in an arrangement similar to the one they enjoyed under the czars. While I don't condone church desecration (or chicken molesting--yikes!) I can't fault Pussy Riot for calling out the church for cozying up to Putin.

Posted by: troyriser at February 06, 2014 08:42 AM (V9ol4)

354 Penn (imagine ampersand here) Teller did that on Bullshit! It was hilarious.

Posted by: WalrusRex at February 06, 2014 12:40 PM (XUKZU)

----

We have a trash pickup and a recycle pickup.

One of the trash guys told me they both end up at the same sorter.

Posted by: fixerupper at February 06, 2014 08:42 AM (nELVU)

355 Mike, ok. Why isn't the turbo charging function of extracting more energy from the combustion in the cylinder, later in the cycle from the initial combustion event. Is the "spike" better then a slower combustion event that would ramp pressure longer? Posted by: Jean -------------------------- If I get your question right, you are indirectly (perhaps without knowing?) asking why we do not use gas turbine engines rather than reciprocating piston engines. As you suspect, the answer is that turbine engines do not lend themselves to stop and go operation. That actually is a problem with turbocharged engines too. Although it has been somewhat overcome, there is the issue of 'turbo lag'. When you throttle up a conventional engine, it takes the turbocharger a little while to spool up, and thus there is a finite delay in it's effect. Bear in mind that the function of a turbocharger is to pump more air into the engine than normal atmospheric pressure does. That is to say, the turbo is not mechanically linked to the drive system, it merely crams additional air into the engine.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (aDwsi)

356 301 empower AmericaÂ’s hardworking women Who expect their cow-orkers to do their jobs for them for for four months while they persue a personal project, then get upset when those cow-orkers advance faster than they do. Posted by: HR at February 06, 2014 12:31 PM (ZKzrr) When I hear the word 'empower', I reach for my revolver.

Posted by: model_1066 at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (LIQGY)

357 >BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes....

**

A moment of clarity in an otherwise whiskey addled, spray tan-fogged fantasy.

Posted by: dananjcon at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (NpXoL)

358 Actually, I shouldn't make fun of Joe. His anger is misplaced at Monty but I can understand it. I mean, we all scream about the GOP pushing amnesty while so many people are out of work and that's really the basis of Joe's complaint. Sorry Joe...but maybe next time take a few breaths before you post.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (bCEmE)

359 335 I'm pretty sure my very young neighbors are dealing something. Either that, or they have lots of friends that only want to visit for a few minutes at a time. Ugh. Been there several times, it's no fun. Lots of very quick visitors, especially in the middle of the night. The last ones I had to deal with thought they were clever by going down to the curb to do business. They must have had their customers text or call when they pulled up. Like the whole building didn't notice them tramping up and down 3 sets of stairs all night, every night. One night I had had enough. After getting in a shouting match with them in the hallway over the noise, I told them I would just have to speak to the local Judge, who is my Godfather, my Mom, a police dispatcher, and my close friend's brother, the local Police Chief (all of that is true.) When they stared at me agape, I added "still wanna live across the hall from someone like me? Think this will last for long?" They moved out two weeks later, never to be seen again.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (7ObY1)

360 It never ends.

Posted by: The Chicken at February 06, 2014 08:43 AM (6bMeY)

361 "I would move" NDH says.

The climate sucks, but it's rural enough to not be too crowded. I don't generate enough trash to make it much of a nuisance. But where would it be better?
Do a rigorous threat assessment, earthquake, nuclear fall out, zombie hordes, hurricane, tornado, wild fire, all the political factors.

This was the best I could do at the time, and now I'm stuck until the fires start or a blood clot blocks an artery.

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 08:45 AM (lNxW4)

362 These paper and plastic materials that are set out in the recycle bins, who's paying for the transport and sorting of them?

Posted by: Countrysquire at February 06, 2014 08:45 AM (LSJmV)

363 Mike, "As you suspect, the answer is that turbine engines do not lend themselves to stop and go operation." Can't you fix that with a fly wheel or an big cap electric assist?

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:45 AM (6aI1M)

364 During the age of zero, the Chicken has slid several light years up and down the collective whanger.

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 08:45 AM (xWW96)

365 I think that was Penn and Teller. *** Yes! Thank you! It was a terrific piece. Here it is: http://bit.ly/1euFuAR

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:46 AM (DmNpO)

366 Re: Boehner: Obviously, the phone lines melting down and being outraised 4 to 1 by tea party groups has had a slight impact.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:46 AM (UeKaD)

367 341 There's widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws and it's going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes. There's a lot of room to negotiate from a position like that. All sorts of stuff can later be conceded and what-not. Still, damn. Impressive statement.

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:46 AM (QvAgz)

368 "I would move" NDH says. *** No I didn't. Read the comment again.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:46 AM (DmNpO)

369 A moment of clarity in an otherwise whiskey addled, spray tan-fogged fantasy.

The prospect of a good hanging has that effect.

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:47 AM (6TB1Z)

370 Here comes the next executive order, the one which will demand impeachment. Full time work defined as any kind of time per week, even one minute. Out with that thirty hour thing. Out!

Posted by: the littl shyning man at February 06, 2014 08:47 AM (tmFlQ)

371 The difference twixt Boner and Botox is probably less than 2 inches.

Posted by: maddogg at February 06, 2014 08:47 AM (xWW96)

372 >>BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes on immigration legislation, saying: 'There's widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws and it's going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes.' http://tinyurl.com/kj7lhae Posted by: JackStraw at February 06, 2014 12:40 PM (g1DWB) I am glad he's finally coming to his senses. Maybe it was 11-dimensional chess. Or maybe everyone from NR to, well, everywhere yelling at them and telling them how imbecilic bringing up immigration at this very moment is had an impact. Now I hope they focus on the travesty that is Obamacare and bring home to people, yes, including the LIVs, how destructive it is being, and just wait till they finally implement the employer mandate.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:47 AM (r+7wo)

373 We have a trash pickup and a recycle pickup.One of the trash guys told me they both end up at the same sorter. Here at work we have two different trash can types. One is "recycle" and one is "landfill". I've stayed late a few times when the janitorial staff are rushing though. They dump both into one can.

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:47 AM (2hTlI)

374 open thread up

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 06, 2014 08:48 AM (DmNpO)

375 There's a lot of room to negotiate from a position like that. All sorts of stuff can later be conceded and what-not. Still, damn. Impressive statement.

----

Ooooh.... unfortunately.... Im sure he and Mitch will kiss and make up.

Posted by: fixerupper at February 06, 2014 08:48 AM (nELVU)

376 This is just Marxist utopianism. As I have forseen: http://tinyurl.com/ku6upab

Posted by: The Political Hat at February 06, 2014 08:48 AM (XvHmy)

377 Hey Joe:

Try reading Monty's post carefully. You are engaging in friendly fire here.

Monty would dearly like to see all of the illegals marched back across the border at gunpoint, and all of the leftists douches forced to get a fucking job, instead of mooching.

The only people in favor of illegal amnesty are Democrats hoping for more socialist voters, and Eastern Republican fuckwits, who want more cheap illegal labor for their short-sighted corporate paymasters.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:48 AM (c6N69)

378 There's a lot of room to negotiate from a position like that.

I'm not so sure. Can you imagine him saying sometime in the next 3 years that Obama has become trustworthy?

Posted by: pep at February 06, 2014 08:49 AM (6TB1Z)

379 "Monty would dearly like to see all of the illegals marched back across the border at gunpoint, and all of the leftists douches forced to get a fucking job, instead of mooching" I would actual prefer a trade, keep the illegals and march the lefty clowns across the border.

Posted by: Jean at February 06, 2014 08:50 AM (6aI1M)

380

"I would move" NDH says.

It was me. We have a recycling bin and a trash bin for each house in my area. My recycling bin has never been put out. Nobody has threatened me yet.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at February 06, 2014 08:50 AM (UeKaD)

381 I knew Sizemore was lying, and it was obvious because of the scripted telephone call he came up with. Also, Let's see...Paula Jones, Monica Lewinski, Gennifer Flowers, and Elizabeth Hurley--one of these doesn't belong with the others. Even if he was the Prez, Hurley is way out of President "Is that a roll of quarters on your pocket?" Clinton's league.

Posted by: JoeyBagels at February 06, 2014 08:50 AM (dcDAk)

382 >>BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER is hitting the brakes.... This demonstrates that the nuanced insight that Jugears is a pathological prevaricator and contemptuous of The Constitution has now penetrated even to the median intellects of our 300 million plus countrymen, barrooms and tanning parlors.

Posted by: ontherocks at February 06, 2014 08:50 AM (MfPfh)

383 When I hear the word 'empower', I reach for my revolver. Fairness Justice Cis Change Arsenal Compassion Invest (when said by a leftist) Reasonable (when said by a leftist)

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at February 06, 2014 08:51 AM (2hTlI)

384 Still can't believe that Sizemore was hitting Hurley.

Posted by: JoeyBagels at February 06, 2014 08:51 AM (dcDAk)

385 new one

Posted by: Vic[/i] at February 06, 2014 08:51 AM (T2V/1)

386 NDH
Oh, yes, I see it now.
Thread moves to fast for me to keep up.

Posted by: Joseph OHenry II at February 06, 2014 08:52 AM (lNxW4)

387 Life, liberty, and ~~the pursuit of~~happiness.

Posted by: Marmo at February 06, 2014 08:52 AM (QW+AD)

388 My recycling bin flew away one day in a storm a couple of years ago and I haven't recycled since then. I didn't mind doing it since it left more room in my trash can for other stuff and there was just one recycling container, but who cares.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 08:52 AM (r+7wo)

389 They moved out two weeks later, never to be seen again. Posted by: BlueStateRebel at February 06, 2014 I've talked to them several times. All college kids, looks like just college kids with a hookup selling to other college kids. No sketchy folks yet (they've been there a couple of months). The girlfriend is oh my god. I'm just waiting until warmer weather and smaller clothes. She runs across their front yard, which I like. Bounce bounce bounce

Posted by: traye at February 06, 2014 08:52 AM (/BP38)

390 Stick It To The Man! Lose Your Job And Make Them Suffer!

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 06, 2014 08:52 AM (BAS5M)

391 Bluestaterebel:

Simply making obvious videos of their customers will drive drug dealers off as well.

Worked perfectly when I had a job as a rentacop in a large section 8 housing unit when I was younger.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:53 AM (c6N69)

392
Damn you, Pixie!

Posted by: Marmo at February 06, 2014 08:53 AM (QW+AD)

393

These idiots are certifiable.

If people were quitting their jobs, or voluntarily reducing their hours that would be one thing. But most people working part time jobs are constantly fighting for more hours. Because more hours = more money = more stuff, less stress, etc...

I'm guessing the writer skipped that part of econ.

Posted by: Lea at February 06, 2014 08:54 AM (lIU4e)

394 Jean: Most of those illegals are also lefty fuckwits.

Mexico has been socialist since 1910, longer than Russia. The rot runs deep there.

Posted by: Kristophr at February 06, 2014 08:54 AM (c6N69)

395 DEAR MILLENNIALS AND DOUCHEBAGS WHO ENABLED THEIR MENTALITY: Jobs are not here to make you happy. Yes, sometimes it's not your favorite thing in the world. Sometimes it's a very un-favorite thing. Sometimes you work way more than the next guy. Sometimes things don't go you way.

Which is why somebody is willing to pay you to do it: Because it's ultimately something that they won't do personally - not because they can't, but because they don't want to - which is why they're willing to part with the money they got by doing something else somebody else didn't want to do to have you do it.

Life costs money, it always will. You have two options: Not have money and thus not get anything you want, or do something you don't want to do to get money. That's all you can be guaranteed, if you get more, lucky you. Happiness is a pursuit, not a right.

Posted by: 0302 at February 06, 2014 08:54 AM (hllgx)

396 Or maybe everyone from NR to, well, everywhere yelling at them and telling them how imbecilic bringing up immigration at this very moment is had an impact.

Now I hope they focus on the travesty that is Obamacare and bring home to people, yes, including the LIVs, how destructive it is being, and just wait till they finally implement the employer mandate.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at February 06, 2014 12:47 PM (r+7wo)

Republican's...slow on the uptake since 1854.

Posted by: dananjcon at February 06, 2014 08:57 AM (NpXoL)

397 Posted by: nerdygirl at February 06, 2014 12:40 PM (Qr7/Z) When a the bunch of statisticians from MIT decided to "invent" LEAN, a core element of their "discovery" was that productivity declines consistently because people get bored on assembly lines. They went on to propose that everyone should have a say in what they do. I agree with the idea that people need to feel challenged in what they do and have a sense of accomplishment. Assembly lines removed this (by necessity) by idiot proofing things and breaking processes down to their simplest function. The catch to all this is the 80/20 rule. 80% of people working on assembly lines aren't capable of doing anything else and should be kept as far away from "thinking" as possible. That 80% used to elect the loudest, angriest, and most worthless of their number to be Shop Steward. Fast forward to now and they elect the same loud mouthed, incapable idiot to Congress and the Presidency. The 20%? They're still doing their work and supporting the 80% while struggling more to support themselves while the 80% votes themselves exemptions from working.

Posted by: Damiano at February 06, 2014 08:58 AM (j0wOO)

398 This is liberal elitism at work, believe it or not. The upper-crust Democrats see some guy mowing their lawn in the summer, sweating and grunting as he pushes the mower around the steeply-landscaped back yard. === Elites must be damned cheap. It's bad enough to hire an illegal, but they won't even give them proper equipment to do the job. In my neighborhood, the illegals ride mowers that would have turned my twice-weekly three-hour childhood chore into a five minute job.

Posted by: whoever at February 06, 2014 08:58 AM (kGSN0)

399 252. the security one finds through social welfare programs and social security increases the entrepreneurial spirit. = this last weekend a Noory news-guest wrapped up his edition announcement on Coast to Coast AM program, "If Government keeps spending without cutbacks, and if we pay more taxes, we would not have this financial collapse." Mark another "open minded" radio show management lopping off logic and free speech in order to package PC messaging appropriately. Coast To Coast AM fired John B. Wells* -- the only reason provided in a single sentence, "There's enough right wing news already." Translation: Alex Jones provides "our" right wing news. *Caravan To Midnight, new radio show http://tinyurl.com/ltgpoj6 Further, as things stand, Jones seems to be "chosen" by powers-that-censor to "represent" the right wing as the ugliest extremists. Despite his cries to the contrary, Jones' media success has not been targeted for termination or even constraints by authoritarians. Rather, the airwaves are being cleared making way to augment his voice. (God spare us.) Unwittingly on his part since he'd not like to admit it, Alex is in the pocket of those he denounces.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 08:59 AM (MhA4j)

400 Miss me yet?

Posted by: Ayn Rand at February 06, 2014 09:02 AM (j0wOO)

401 Mike, "As you suspect, the answer is that turbine engines do not lend themselves to stop and go operation." Can't you fix that with a fly wheel or an big cap electric assist? Posted by: Jean ------------ Not with any practicality. Let's separate the topics of turbocharging, and gas turbine engines. Turbocharging is a means of capturing otherwise lost energy in the exhaust of an internal combustion (IC) engine. A gas turbine engine is one where combustion drives the turbine directly. Gas turbines work well in fixed applications under constant load, for instance, an electrical generator. Many aircraft use gas turbine engines also, but as a generality, the engine works at fairly constant speed, and the prop pitch is varied according to load/speed. I'm really generalizing here, and sooner or later some one is going to point that out, but what I have said is the essence of the thing. All of this is not to say that gas turbine automobiles have not been produced. Chrysler tried out a prototype in the early '60s (? that's from memory), but suffered from what I have discussed. Oh, here's info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Turbine_Car And then, there were a couple of gas turbine powered cars run at Indy. I was there one year for that. It was weird to hear them go whooshing by. There have been many attempts to make heat engines more efficient. A good example of that is the Stirling engine. Ford built some prototypes, but they suffered (as all do) a problem with laggy throttle response. There is still plenty of work being done on Stirlings. Whew!

Posted by: Mike Hammer at February 06, 2014 09:03 AM (aDwsi)

402 , they think, and then a light bulb goes on in their heads. I bet they hate that job too! No one would do that job unless they had to! It's an outrage! And then we're off to the races. === I once saw a documentary where the town was trying to get better performance by instilling pride in their workers. It worked. A little guy would swell with pride and declare, "I'm a GARBAGE MAN!" And they worked happily and diligently. We forget that people who do jobs like that are essential to civilization, or we would all die of plague. On the other hand, we would all be better off with far fewer lawyers and wall street types.

Posted by: whoever at February 06, 2014 09:04 AM (kGSN0)

403 A LOT of people are in jobs they don't particularly like or are tired of. I'm one of them. However, it's how life is. You get up, go to work, and put up with massive amounts of bullshit because that's what you have to do to support yourself. It's call a "work ethic."

Posted by: bicentennialguy at February 06, 2014 09:06 AM (vg8iE)

404 In my neighborhood, the illegals ride mowers that would have turned my twice-weekly three-hour childhood chore into a five minute job. Posted by: whoever at February 06, 2014 12:58 PM (kGSN0) I see that, as well. New big pickups hauling trailers filled with the John Deere, et al. with some of the shortest Mexican Indian emigrants you ever saw providing efficient lawn maintenance. I still do ours myself. Granted, the price of water rising, I'll be xeriscaping more native gardens soon enough, limiting what "lawn" is actually turf requiring heavy machinery.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 09:06 AM (MhA4j)

405

Being at a certain place, at a certain time ready to do your job is a skill. It is a very basic skill, but it is a skill every person has to learn. Some learn it at a very early age by watching a parent, some as a teenager working at a burger place and some never learn. But it is usually those trapped in the lower rungs of the economy who need this skill the most, and will never progress from their current situation until they gain it. By discouraging work, we are discouraging people from gaining one of the most basic skills they will need for economic security and a stable life.

Posted by: Joe at February 06, 2014 09:13 AM (7pOq5)

406 As you suspect, the answer is that turbine engines do not lend themselves to stop and go operation. That actually is a problem with turbocharged engines too. Although it has been somewhat overcome, there is the issue of 'turbo lag'. When you throttle up a conventional engine, it takes the turbocharger a little while to spool up, and thus there is a finite delay in it's effect. And that is why you add a nitrous system with a throttle activator to your turbo car. Punch the throttle, juice some nitrous, and watch all those turbo lag blues disappear! Instant power!

Posted by: Abner "Just Call Me Abbie" Normal [/i] [/b] [/u] [/s] at February 06, 2014 09:20 AM (qlBdX)

407 #46

It turns out those insane IPOs had little to do with enthusiasm for the companies involved. It was just cover for running scams. See David Stockman's 'The Great Deformation' for the details.

Posted by: Epobirs at February 06, 2014 09:21 AM (bPxS6)

408 402. "Sanitation Officer" Good job to have in some Arizona cities, when the neighborhoods are designed with alleys between streets. Alleys (not your front drive) were made for underground utilities and for garbage disposal. And since the 1970s, the job description lets the employee stay comfortably seated in the A/C truck while aligning each lifted disposal mechanically. Good job security when performed well, and benefit package, too.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 09:22 AM (MhA4j)

409 that article is beneath contempt.

Posted by: davem at February 06, 2014 09:26 AM (wmzCM)

410 "Labor is the fate of all humankind. Always has been. We work to live. Work gives shape and meaning to our lives. It's not just the income we derive from it; it's the knowledge that we are able to function as adults in the wider world, and provide for ourselves and our families. It's feeling the satisfaction of having contributed something to the maintenance of civilization, even if it means we haul trash away or keep the grass mowed. It's all honorable work, necessary work, and not something to be ashamed of."

One of my favorite movies is "Babette's Feast". It's a lovely film; at the climax of which, Babette, a Frenchwoman who had been chef at a fancy Parisian restaurant, blows all the money she had won in the lottery by cooking an exquisite feast for the people of the tiny Danish village where she is now a political refugee. When asked why, she replied, "All I want is what every craftsman has ever asked: the opportunity to do my best."

One reason why I love my work as a computer programmer is that it is the last refuge of artisanship. Every line of every program I write is handcrafted, and I try as hard as I can to make it the very best code I can: because each line is, in fact, an opportunity to do my best.

I can't imagine living a life devoid of that. I just can't.

Posted by: Brown Line at February 06, 2014 09:28 AM (VrNoa)

411 And since the 1970s, the job description lets the employee stay comfortably seated in the A/C truck while aligning each lifted disposal mechanically. === Most of the local trash collectors here (all private) use trucks with robotic claws that pick up the can and dump it into the hopper. The driver is alone. One company sends in manual trucks with a driver and crew of three who heft each can by hand into the back, old school. The latter charges less.

Posted by: whoever at February 06, 2014 09:32 AM (kGSN0)

412 By discouraging work, we are discouraging people from gaining one of the most basic skills they will need for economic security and a stable life. Posted by: Joe at February 06, 2014 01:13 PM (7pOq5) It begins officially at school. Kids no longer learn physical coordination of motor skills. Nor do they exercise their brains computing independently of computers/calculators. High school graduates are not required to have passed the entry level standards for a community college academic curriculum, or a trade school, either. Illiteracy and failure in basic arithmetic represents a growing portion of what public education produces. Even the teacher accreditation process eliminates those who would demand a student's own efforts to exercise the lessons taught daily. THAT self determination makes all the difference, being THE most basic skill: trying yourself until you master the challenge correctly. But today, accountability "is" in PC tolerance for the irrational being the rule. Once upon a time, it was only "the opposite game" -- but certainly not "reality".

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 09:33 AM (MhA4j)

413 Didn't read all the comments, so dunno if this is a rerun: Checked up on the ever so clever author of the article in question- this amazing mind possesses a masters in "global communication" (good for speaking with playground balls, one imagines) as well as a Bachelors in English. Her work history- she has worked professionally solely in Capitol City for various magazines as well as the Pew Research Center. Given this entirely relevant and worthy background, we would do well to listen to her every utterance regarding the economy, gdp, etc. Adam Smith was a dope next to this titan of economic knowledge. It is rumored her next article details how sheep's bladders can be utilized to manipulate tech stocks in three easy steps. Huzzah!

Posted by: Bob Plankton, cordial loather of the leftist worldwide giveaway... at February 06, 2014 09:40 AM (QLbhS)

414 #89

That was her on extending unemployment payments for, well, forever. Which meant that it went from being a form of insurance which naturally had to be of a limited span to being yet another entitlement.

Essentially, the left believes everybody should being drawing minimum wage for bothering to have a heartbeat and breathing. They know this is unsustainable but they won't speak of how they this works long term. At some point the subsidized birth control becomes mandatory. Then euthanasia becomes recommended for an ever increasing range of people.

The real question is how many people the left believe are needed to keep thing at the level of comfort they prefer. The eco-fascist arm would happily call for about 95% of the population to go away or even total extinction in some cases. But they are just one branch of the collection of special interests that make up the left.

First, they have to deal with the retiring Boomer bulge. Killing them off or at least the portion that isn't financially self-sustaining is going to set the precedent for all that follows.

Posted by: Epobirs at February 06, 2014 09:40 AM (bPxS6)

415 Seems odd that Liberals never apply these observations to jobs in govt service. I bet the lady at the DMV hates here job too, using that article's thinking. But they never quite get there do they??

Posted by: PissAntinPA at February 06, 2014 09:42 AM (RHBWt)

416 411. Texas is old school with the driver and two guys outside no matter the weather. Our town, for example, used to let each resident purchase their own garbage service. Then, a new mayor decided it would be "better" to make a single service provider, and for that to be the City. OF COURSE the price for service went up a lot, and restrictions on what could be discarded also piled up. The City employees were given the fancy trucks, but rammed the garbage containers with the forks that should have been lifting so frequently, that every street was littered and the containers were gashed open. Eventually, the city decided to quit the responsibility themselves. Once again the garbage service is provided by private services, the work being done by the two men hanging on from the back. And for outsourcing, the cost of "City" service went up again to residents/tax-payers.

Posted by: panzernashorn at February 06, 2014 09:43 AM (MhA4j)

417 #399

They've made it a lot harder to hear several prominent conservative radio hosts in Los Angeles. 1150 AM was formerly an all-liberal lineup and a financial train wreck. So the network owner of that station and several like it elsewhere decided to create an all-conservative station using the same spectrum.

The problem is that this took shows like Limbaugh off of KFI 640, a very powerful and far reaching transmitter, and and put it on a station that I can;t pick up at all at home and not until I've driven several miles south in my car. The coverage map is pathetic compared to KFI.

W T F

Posted by: Epobirs at February 06, 2014 09:52 AM (bPxS6)

418 273
Speaking of radiators, why are engines so hot? Shouldn't
they be engineered to maximize the creation of kinetic energy not heat.
-

Yeah, and then where would you be if you wanted to defrost your windshield?

Engines are designed to throw off extra heat for that very purpose.

Actually, no they're not. If there were extra energy to be had in internal combustion engines that could be easily turned into mechanical energy, do you really think that all the engineers on the planet would be OK with throwing all that away?

Posted by: West at February 06, 2014 10:29 AM (1Rgee)

419 Progressivism can no longer credibly claim to be concerned with making things better; it consists entirely of trying to convince people to love the wreckage it creates.

Posted by: Guvnah at February 06, 2014 10:32 AM (LGmwY)

420 Some folks are badly overestimating the hardship of working merely 40 hours a week. That's a pretty easy schedule. And being unemployed is pretty miserable. I suspect artists and writers and the like are going to do better work if they are exposed to the real world and have something to give their work a little substance.

Posted by: Dustin at February 06, 2014 10:50 AM (0a/7L)

421 Sweet Lord, Can we NOT have acrimonious debate on the Civil War/War Between the States/ War of Northern Aggression and Lincoln's role in it on a thread that has nothing to do with said war? Pretty pleeeeeeeeze? Great essay, by the way.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 06, 2014 12:03 PM (XyM/Y)

422 I can't believe how stupid they think we are. However I think a certain percentage of the sheeple will eat this up, not just because they're dumb, but because they desperately need something to feel hopeful about. Even I am tired of being outraged all the time. I'm getting so much practice.

Posted by: evergreen at February 06, 2014 12:27 PM (5Oqsx)

423 Joe here, apologizing for the vulgarities and dyspepsia. Monty hit a nerve with the gringo crack, that's all. Sorry for the rage-rant, Monty. To my fellow commenters, thank you for the wisecracks and jibes- I needed that.

Posted by: joe at February 06, 2014 12:30 PM (Z+3xG)

424 New rules.

No work? No eat.

Simple, quick, to the point.

No question of meaning, unless it is the "What part of NO did you not understand?"

If you are disabled, not on disability, but actually disabled, I would support helping you out. If you are on disability because you just don't want to work, the new rules apply.

The 'new freedom' to NOT work comes at the imposition of slavery. The fruits of my labor are no longer mine, and that is the definition of slavery. My how the times seem to revolve around that concept. Those who work may be "wage slaves", but those who live off the fruits of others' labor are akin to slave owners, with the government as the overseer making the slaves produce at the point of a gun {IRS}.

Posted by: tomw at February 07, 2014 06:24 AM (kAxsq)

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