Wednesday Open Thread

by dvx Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 11:30:59 AM EST

Isn't there a holiday going on somewhere?

Wednesday Open Thread | 42 comments (42 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Oh, now I remember: (none / 0)

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 11:33:28 AM EST

Re: Oh, now I remember: (none / 0)

We built you up from nothing and this is the thanks we get

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 12:18:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Noch Eins (none / 0)

Dave Alvin, Los Lobos, y Flaco Jimenez

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 12:30:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Isn't there a holiday going on somewhere?

You mean Garibaldi's birthday? They don't seem to take much notice of it here in Italy. Maybe somewhere else.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 12:33:34 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

The UK has quite forgotten 4th July, for a change.

We're all busy being outraged at former Barclay-yank Bob Diamond, and his endless 'I love Barclays' statements at the enquiry.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 12:36:10 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Couple of USian beer fests happening in W London, one sponsored by the US embassy. So I shall visit tomorrow.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 01:00:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Bud lite???

by ElaineinNM on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 01:06:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Ha, more interesting stuff than that. US has a lot of good microbrews, it's nice to get 'em over here on draught (sorry, draft if we're discussing USian) rather than just the bottled ones.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 01:20:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

EITB: Spain to unveil new package of spending cuts and tax hikes soon (04/07/2012)

Spain's government is putting finishing touches to an up to 30 billion euro ($38 billion) package of spending cuts and tax hikes to help it meet this year's deficit targets, sources with knowledge of the matter said.
Running over several years, the programme could involve raising Spain's main consumer tax, a new energy levy, reforms to the pension system, pay cuts for civil servants, new motorway tolls and another drastic reduction in ministry and regional spending, the sources said.
Some measures may be announced next week, when the EU is likely to grant the government an extra year to cut its deficit below 3 percent of output, and others could be presented over the summer and included in a multi-year budget plan due to be prepared in August.

Rajoy should get the Ig Nobel prize for economics, for his experimental investigation of how many times one can cut government spending by 3% of GDP in a single year before crashing the economy.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 12:48:27 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

See it on Reuters.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 02:48:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Spain's highly-indebted regions and banks badly hit by a property crash four years ago have put the country firmly in the sights of investors who fear that, given its size, it could derail the entire single currency project if its economy collapses.

So to be proactive the Spanish government will take steps that insure the collapse of its economy. Spain is not Greece.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 10:45:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

THE WRONG MEDICINE?
Spain is negotiating an up to 100-billion-euro European rescue for its banks and pressing for an EU intervention on its bond market to cut soaring borrowing costs.
But it is unclear if the new austerity plan will be well received by markets wary that too much belt-tightening would choke off any hope of economic recovery.
...
"The market does not need to be convinced that (Prime Minister Mariano) Rajoy's government is serious about fiscal retrenchment. While there are serious doubts about the government's ability to enforce discipline in the regions, the real worry is the lack of growth," he said.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:10:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

21st Century Schizoid Markets (again).

Or more probably, schizoid commentary on the markets.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:37:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Eric Sykes R.I.P. (none / 0)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 01:44:58 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

http://ridiculouslyinteresting.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/hidden-mothers-in-victorian-portraits/

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 02:55:29 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

So, why do European traditionalists want to ban the burqa?

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 02:58:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

When the image was developed they could see somebody or some thing touching their child!

Straight out of a horror movie...

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 03:14:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

In the comments I found an explanation. Remember how many old pictures were presented as an oval with the rest covered. Look closely at this spooky one and you will see ovals surrounding the child. Imagine this is the only thing you see and it is less apparent that it is a parent in the background.

So the covered mother is a step in 19th century cropping.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 04:50:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

A lugubrious comment also suggested these photos were, in some cases, meant to perpetuate the memory of a deceased child.

Having a photograph taken, at the time, was a very solemn matter.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:18:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Jingoistically, Usionians celebrated the Fourth of July.

(After all the crap issued forth o'er the airwaves regarding Andy Griffith yesterday I'm manfully restraining my gag reflex.)

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 03:18:25 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

We got my sunshade assembly up on the framework the evening of the 3rd and I unrolled it this morning by 10:00AM. Then I have proceeded to celebrate by taking an extra naproxin and mostly sitting around in air conditioned space with a heating pad on my back. The shade provides noticeable relief from the heat of the sun, and is only about two weeks late, so now I can take things at an easier pace. If the night time lows are not too high my tomatoes may restart setting fruit.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 10:57:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

It rained all night here with stormy heavy rain at dawn. Our problem isn't heat now, it's going to be blight.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:27:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

I prefer your poison to mine. Fans?

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 10:56:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

This dKos diary about LIBOR looks interesting.

Looks like Gillian Tett wanted to write about it 5 years ago (!!!) and City interests got the FT to back off

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 04:18:42 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Come on, anyone who was paying attention knew LIBOR was being manipulated in 2008. I don't know what's more shocking, that it has taken 4 years or that people are shocked now.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 04:46:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

Come on, anyone who was a City professional and knew the ins and outs of how this particular financial markets worked and was paying attention knew LIBOR was being manipulated in 2008.

I've added the bit you missed out. That's actually quite a small number of people, somewhere between 500 and 5000 people. Although that figure included all the major decision makers within the City, it is quite evident that policy makers in Westminster were uninformed by those who knew and were themselves disabled by a lack of expertise from making that judgement on their own. Judging by the reaction I think some of those on the opposition benches are feeling like they were seriously conned

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 04:56:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

No, I just read something in the press about it.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:13:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Yes, but when you have Treasury authorities at your beck and call whom you can ask about it, you tend to believe them, not some grubby journo hack.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 02:48:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Especially when what the authorities tell you is so much more to your liking.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 10:57:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

I've been putting together some compilation CDs of tracks from other albums and the one I've been working on is 70s pop, mostly disco.

I freely admit I had no time for it back then, even tho' I heard an awful lot of it as I spent most saturdays working for my Mum's wedding catering business. So every weekend I had an earful of disco music, willingly or not.

And listening to it now I'm surprised how some of the more popular tracks of the time cause flashbacks. I can smell that sweet mix of cheap perfume, cigarette smoke, spirits, mixers and sliced lemons that basically made up the air I breathed back then.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 04:42:18 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

CERN scientists inexplicably present Higgs boson findings in Comic Sans | The Verge

For many of us, the most shocking revelation to come out of CERN's Higgs boson announcement today was quite unrelated to the science itself. Rather, we were blown away by the fact that a team made up of some of the most undoubtedly brilliant people in the world believe that Comic Sans is an appropriate font for such a historic occasion.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jul 4th, 2012 at 08:43:13 PM EST

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:11:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

They're trying to make the physics friendly to the audience, given that they knew nobody would understand what they were actually saying.

CERN to journalistfolk: "here's some non-threatening physics jargon".

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:12:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

I just heard an AFP Geneva correspondent on France Inter explain the scene entirely in terms of emotional impact. Higgs had tears in his eyes, etc. (Even the boson was somewhat elated).

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:26:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

As I sair yesterday,

Most people will fail to appreciate just how much of an intellectual achievement finding the Higgs is.

So it is important, but not in a Times New Roman kind of way.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:32:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Given the mathematical nature of what is being done at CERN, I imagine they probably employs a large proportion of people who are dyslexic than in a standard population sample, where using comic sans font to aid legibility is simply being polite.

But art fascists don't care about content, they only care about form

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 02:47:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

I saw NOTHING about which to complain in the actual presentation. It is only the name of the typeface to which any could object. Pathetic.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 11:01:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

hehe. Anecdote : I'm involved in a project to deploy Microsoft's software factory (tfs) in a big company, not only for the hundred or so developers doing .Net, but for the two or three times as many doing Java development. It's a good solution, and miles better than anything they currently have.

I'm sure that there are many in the latter group will lie awake at night grinding their teeth, or will point-blank refuse to use the Devil's Tools to do God's Work.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 11:14:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

I have to say that back in 2005 I found Visual Studio and SQL Query Analyser to be outstanding tools. Since I was also running Cygwin on the machine I was happy...

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 11:37:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 1)

Those protesting did not understand the presentation. The only thing they understood was the typeface.

If you are not convinced, try it on someone who has not been entirely debauched by economics. — Piero Sraffa

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 11:29:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Mostly why it was so pathetic.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 01:21:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wednesday Open Thread (none / 0)

Aren't we missing something this morning ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Jul 5th, 2012 at 02:47:47 AM EST

Wednesday Open Thread | 42 comments (42 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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