Homer_Rice

Yeah, I could, Jamie. In fact I am currently doing a thing on the differences between the Monroe doctrine and it's intent, and how it was perverted over the years, particularly in the late 19th century. People tend to lump these diverging "intents" together and it's one reason our citizenry is fucked up and really poorly-informed about foreign policy. But let's stay on track for this thread. The war in Southwest Asia just might spread into a regional war, which of course is very dangerous for world peace. Recent readings: Chickens in the Middle East [i] Feb 1 Palestinians demand international inquiry after mass grave found in Gaza Feb 1 - oops! Message of Yemenis to Europeans Jan 28 - government statement Biden-Backed Bipartisan Senate Bill Targets Key Humanitarian Aid For Palestinians Feb 5 - defunding UNRWA AIPAC of Lies Feb 6 - nothing new years, been going on for decades Asymmetries Feb 6 - regional war? Chris Hedges: Let Them Eat Dirt Feb 8 - starvation False Alternative Feb 8 - internal Israeli politics

As a former resident of CT, I like this move. However, there is nothing new about the approach--only that this is being done with state money (which in itself is a grant.) Here is what is happening. The debt being bought has already been sold off to collection agencies. The grant money will buy the debt at a discount--as is normal practice in the collection industry and a lot of people will not have bloodsucker collection agencies making their life miserable. Everyone benefits, as far is it goes. NGOs have being doing this for years. The problem is that it doesn't go very far. Everyone knows there are serious systematic problems with the health care industry. This country ought to have a form of universal health care. And CT state government isn't ever going to be a forerunner for that, seeing as how a lot of the insurance industry is homed in CT. I'll offer two anecdotes of my own, and I'm sure that a lot of people on this board have their own, similar tales. Since I got sick, one of the medications I take, at eight week intervals, costs 28,800 dollars per dose. I pay eleven dollars, so the company that makes the medicine is sticking it to Medicare. Secondly, I went down to pick up my Mother's Multaq prescription, which after what little is contributed by insurance, costs her over 800 dollars for a 90 day supple. I was curious, so when I got home, I look up prices for Multaq in the U.S. and abroad. $12.81 per pill here, and a little over $2.00 in Canada and other countries.

America will not survive the stupidity. Taylor Swift, Enemy of the People The Right-Wing Conspiracy Theory That Makes QAnon Look Sane

The Final Word on Russiagate—And Its Consequences in 2024

Disgruntled Eagles fan.

The Idea That the Republicans Can Become “The Party of The Working Class” Is Beyond Absurd A nice deep dive with some nuance. Good read. *** Personally, I won't be voting for either sociopath.

Journey has its roots in S.F. Hometown team and band. I like the Ravens and the Lions.

Thought this was a good read: The River Finally Came for Bill Belichick

Anti-Jupiterite! Crimes By Israel

"I think the evidence is clear."

I love your charts and other analytical breakdowns, but, to me, hating the Colts is sorta like hating your Grandma. And I get that you are in Indiana, so there may be some legit animus you have against the state. But the Colts?

But, but what about Stephen Hawking? Are people really surprised that a significant portion of the elite upperclass are immoral wastrels in their personal lives and who honestly think the rules don't apply to them. It has been ever thus: just ask Caligula. Parties don't matter, what matters is if you have been accepted as part of the "club." "He teed it up this way: I had a choice. I could be an insider or I could be an outsider. Outsiders can say whatever they want. But people on the inside don’t listen to them. Insiders, however, get lots of access and a chance to push their ideas. People — powerful people — listen to what they have to say. But insiders also understand one unbreakable rule: They don’t criticize other insiders. I had been warned."

Goddammit, just because Epstein died under very suspicious circumstances, that doesn't mean that powerful people wanted to rub him out.

My super-duper double-secret insider tells me that Taylor has already given up on the season and is planning to focus on draft picks. Thus, they are going to deliberately lose this week. Apparently, playing the back-end of our roster will ensure a loss because those guys don't care about competition, winning, or any of that other stuff that makes a person dedicate insane hours of hard work to becoming part of an elite. Furthermore, Taylor has hinted that if the Bengals don't get what he considers to be a boffo slot in the draft, he will consider trading injury-prone players for draft picks, including Burrow, Chase, and Higgins. His philosophy: "You can never have enough draft picks."

I root for the teams and the athletes and try not to let the shitbird fans of whatever town affect my appreciation for the sport. Particularly because every town has some portion of asshole fans. I don't like the Stealers because I think they are dirty and have a dirty tradition, otherwise I agree with the idea that you support your division--especially in our case, because it is the toughest division in the NFL, imo.

Yeah, I like the Lions, too, for pretty much the same reasons. Also, I like Goff and thought that the Rams tossed him off too easily.

Well, now that the Bengals are out of it, I'm rooting for the Ravens or Browns to take it all. But not Pittsburg... .

Food for Thought, or, Not All Republicans are Crazy: Learning From Lincoln The Liberal Plot Against Democracy Where is the Party of the Working Class?

The holiday spirit endures! I frequent two topically different forums and both have people bitching back and forth the day after Xmas. "Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got till it's gone..." Win or lose, Bengals forever.

Chris Hedges: The Death of Israel

Sounds like Chase's injury is comparatively mild. I had a severe A/C separation back in 1977 which took two pins to put back into place. It's bothered me ever since and I never regained a full range of motion. It did convince me to start playing slide on guitar, though, so that's a plus! I hope JaMarr recovers well, it would truly suck if such a young talent got limited, a la Greg Cook.

I earlier mentioned that two of my mentors died while I was sick. One of them was Norton Mezvinsky, under whom I studied at Central Connecticut. He co-wrote a classic, Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel, with Israel Shahak. Both were not well-liked (and often slandered) by Jewish fundies, but the book is well-worth a read if you are interested in the historical background of this. Lots of ink devoted to to Goldstein as well as Rabin. It isn't the variety of Abrahamic religion one adopts, it is the fundamentalists across all stripes which are the nut-case, murderous bastards.

Silence is golden. So let's get rich.

Happy Holidays! Of course, it's yours. Dm an address to me. I have to go out to copy some legal docs later this week and there is a UPS store nearby. Is that okay? Anu takers for the doll? If not, I'll give it to a friend to give to his granddaughter... .

Crap! I got so worked up that I forgot why I logged on! Been simplifying the house and going through the stuff that has accumulated over the years. It's amazing how stuff piles up over the course of 50 years. Anyhow, I was out in the garage last week and I came across some older Bengals stuff. A nice coffee cup from the '88/'89 Super Bowl year, a little figurine/doll that my grandmother, who absolutely loved Chris Collinsworth, had, and a nice sweatshirt from the '88/'89 year. I'm keeping the cup, but I'm gonna give away the doll and the sweatshirt. Doll looks kinda like this, except is has a black top and more yarn-y pom poms. Be a nice xmas gift for someone who has a young girl fan. Sweatshirt looks like this. Size is Large, so a nice gift to wear or frame. I never framed it, but I also never wore it. One gift per person. Comment on this thread is you want one. I'll pay to mail it to you. Happy holidays!