The Off Topic Topic

[Admiral Yi]

Very cool article in the National Geographic about a research place in Russia that has been selectively breeding human-friendly foxes since the Stalin era.  Now they have foxes that are as friendly as Golden Retrievers.  They were trying to prove, and it looks to me like they succeeded, that the propensity to domestication is genetic.

[Admiral Yi]

Also read an article in the NYT Sunday Magazine about the governor of New Jersey and *his* fight with the teachers' unions.  The two things in particular I found interesting were a table on unfunded public employee pension liability per state resident (taxpayer??)--the ones I remember are New Jersey at 35k a head and Iowa at $500--and the way in which bastions of the liberal media seem to be begrudingly accepting that public employee compensation is out of line.  Joe "I'm a whore of the Democratic Party" Klein in Time magazine came out with a similar line this week in an article on Wisconsin, although in fairness he has always written in favor of reforming teacher hiring and firing rules, and he was careful to "balance" his article with many references to the nefarious hidden motivations of the Republicans who are taking on the unions.

[Josquius]

Very cool article in the National Geographic about a research place in Russia that has been selectively breeding human-friendly foxes since the Stalin era.  Now they have foxes that are as friendly as Golden Retrievers.  They were trying to prove, and it looks to me like they succeeded, that the propensity to domestication is genetic.

Horizon had an episode about....dogs IIRC. Where they visited that farm.

[garbon]

Went to the Armory show in New York today. Nice, broad array of artistic talent. Was observed by the artist himself while looking at a few Sal Sirugo pieces -- (he's 90!

[Josephus]

Came back from holidaying in Cuba last week. Was such a great holiday, felt like the last 9 months never happened. 

[Caliga]

I think I'm just gonna not pay my taxes this year.  Don't feel like it.

[Caliga]

The live music at this place is making me VERY ANGRY.

[Admiral Yi]

I think I'm just gonna not pay my taxes this year.  Don't feel like it.

Tell them it's unconstitutional.  I here that works pretty well.

[MadImmortalMan]

Also read an article in the NYT Sunday Magazine about the governor of New Jersey and *his* fight with the teachers' unions.  The two things in particular I found interesting were a table on unfunded public employee pension liability per state resident (taxpayer??)--the ones I remember are New Jersey at 35k a head and Iowa at $500--and the way in which bastions of the liberal media seem to be begrudingly accepting that public employee compensation is out of line.  Joe "I'm a whore of the Democratic Party" Klein in Time magazine came out with a similar line this week in an article on Wisconsin, although in fairness he has always written in favor of reforming teacher hiring and firing rules, and he was careful to "balance" his article with many references to the nefarious hidden motivations of the Republicans who are taking on the unions.

Well, the pension problem isn't really a partisan thing. It's just reality. But busting up the unions along with it, that's political strategy. Just look at the list of political donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A

If the GOP can be successful, it's a real game-changer for them. This is the perfect time for them to do it too. Defending the unions hinders the Dems' ability to capture ground in the center. Meanwhile the New Populism means they have to do all this in a political environment where the unions and government bureaucrats are The Man and the people are rebelling against them. Of course they're swinging the union busting bat. I would do the same in their place.

[Josquius]

I think I'm just gonna not pay my taxes this year.  Don't feel like it.

Tell them it's unconstitutional.  I here that works pretty well.

What happened with that?
I remember hearing about a bunch of people claiming they were going to try it but I missed the news where the government smacked them down.

[Admiral Yi]

Well, the pension problem isn't really a partisan thing. It's just reality. But busting up the unions along with it, that's political strategy. Just look at the list of political donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A

If the GOP can be successful, it's a real game-changer for them. This is the perfect time for them to do it too. Defending the unions hinders the Dems' ability to capture ground in the center. Meanwhile the New Populism means they have to do all this in a political environment where the unions and government bureaucrats are The Man and the people are rebelling against them. Of course they're swinging the union busting bat. I would do the same in their place.

No argument that giving the unions a lethal injection would change the politcal dynamics immensely--even more important than the donations might be the campaign manpower.  But that's not exactly the same as saying it shouldn't be done.  Else who's to say we won't see the exact same cycle of raising compensation and benefits in return for votes, donations, and volunteers the next election and every other one down the road.

Personally I think the cleverest approach would be *not* decertify but to legislate open shops.

[Admiral Yi]

What happened with that?
I remember hearing about a bunch of people claiming they were going to try it but I missed the news where the government smacked them down.

IIRC Congress passed a law imposing a fine ($5k?) on anyone who contests the legality of the income tax.

[Barrister]

I think I'm just gonna not pay my taxes this year.  Don't feel like it.

Tell them it's unconstitutional.  I here that works pretty well.

What happened with that?
I remember hearing about a bunch of people claiming they were going to try it but I missed the news where the government smacked them down.

It happens all the freaking time.  And it fails every single time.  Yet every day some new wingnut comes forward with some goofy theory.

[Caliga]

The fact that I'm still waiting for my fucking dinner is making me EVEN ANGRIER.

[Caliga]

This cover of Sweet Caroline just made me hate Neil Diamond.  FUCK