Top Diaries

Nice to see that somebody besides someone is reading the Europe section in the Salon. :-)

Now I have to head out again, still two yoga classes to teach.

by Fran on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 11:21:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I think the Salon has many readers, Fran. I, for one, always read it.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:12:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I too read it pretty regularly, but I just feel less qualified to comment there. Thanks for your efforts, Fran.

Capitalism searches out the darkest corners of human potential, and mainlines them.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:35:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Me too - mostly daily, and always a catch up at the weekend. The Salon is crucial to ET.

With many news items there is nothing to add in situ, but they are very useful to have in the daily RW. And some leak out of the Salon into a thread.

Absolutely selfishly, I'd prefer the categorized news in Salon to be with as few comments as possible, so one can read the news faster!

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:38:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You could use a "dynamic" comment display setting and read only the top-level comments.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:40:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yep, thanks.

But then I'd miss the comments ;-)

It is unfair to ask for a tailored newsread. And yet Fran delivers one every day.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:04:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 7)

Sven Triloqvist:

Absolutely selfishly, I'd prefer the categorized news in Salon to be with as few comments as possible, so one can read the news faster!

oh no!

they're the gravy. the headlines are too dry with it.

the only way i'd improve the salon would be to make the different 'rooms' linkable through their titles at the beginning, it would make for less scrolling when looking for where to post.

cheers to fran for such good work.

OT, lol, al jazeera just said that the shoe-throwing protester had been practicing a month to get his aim right, and what triggered his action was bush's 'icy smile'.

he knew a sociopath when he saw one!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:29:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 6)

I like to leave my mark, so to speak, when reading new stories in the Salon. That is, I tip a 4 for the effort of every single new clipping posted. (or intend to, if I miss some, no offence intended.) For follow up comments on the news I rate on a regular scale. Just a bit of a thanks to those (in particular Fran) who spend the time everyday doing the round up. And perchance a good way for those posting the Salon to know it is being read? (hint, hint...)

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:54:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yes Fran, i used to do the same. as i no longer use Firefox, giving 4s is a much more juidicious affair, without TribExt. My solution was simply to stop, so that i still had time to go through the always read Salon. Repeat, the always read Salon.

Many times in the past i've even commented in klatsch how valuable this was, or simply given thanks. The thankfulness hasn't changed simply because i no longer say it so often. I've especially tried to recognize when other FPers have taken the time/responsibility.

From another angle, i've actually been able to limit my search of other news, freeing some valuable time, on the theory "If it ain't hit ET, it ain't news." (which of course included commenters bringing their own views of important stuff, Melancthon comes to mind, with beginning the respect list.)

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

by Crazy Horse on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:19:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks for your support, there are days a really appreciate seeing your tips, they keep me going. :-)

by Fran on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:48:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I used to do the same, but my tipping system is broken :-(

So, everytime you post a comment in the Salon, just think I'm giving you a 4....

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:27:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 6)

Oh, we're reading it. The news these days is more likely to make me scream obscenities than post interesting comments though.

Maybe you need to do a good-news week!

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:38:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, I can try and do a good-news day - don't know about a whole week.

by Fran on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:47:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

News gathering can become a grind. I wonder the same thing -- are people reading this? -- when I put together the Four at Four at Docudharma, but whenever I ask, people do reply yes. You're wonderful to keep at the Salon news gathering so doggedly. I appreciate ET's Salon very much. Thank you Fran.

by Magnifico on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:02:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The two things I do read every day are the Salon and the Open thread. and am always in awe of the ammount of daily effort that must go into skimming the gold that makes the salon from the dross of the general news.

Thanks for the heavy lifting.

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

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:13:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Salon is essential reading.

by paving on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:46:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Absolutely, it's my one-stop shop for euronews. Fran, the hard work you and others put in is greatly appreciated!

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm (m<-at->sturmbaum.net) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:12:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

addicted |əˈdiktid|
adjective

physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects
enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing or activity

I wish I had as many excuses to do my work as I do for closely reading every post of every section of the Salon. I'm surprised I don't wake up at 3AM to make certain that something hasn't slipped by me.

It seems a miracle how beyond good it is every day. There is not one person who I don't mention it to as the place to go for an intelligent departure for digesting the news of the day.

Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.

Frank Delaney ~ Ireland

by siegestate (siegestate or beyondwarispeace.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:36:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

thanks to all of you - even though I am mostly self-motivated it does feel good to get some feedback once in a while. This should hold for a while. :-)

doing the Salon on a almost daily basis can become a rut and then it is nice to get some motivation from the outside.

by Fran on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:46:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 1)

Actually, there have been Czech politicians supportive of the idea of abolishing the Benes decrees if the German government were to pass a law that would give up all rights to compensation. The compromise would be reasonable but a combination of nationalist ressentiment in both countries, and the German courts' rulings that such a move by the federal government would make it liable for compensation claims have blocked any resolution.

by MarekNYC on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:23:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 7)

The alleged conspirators in the assassination of Anna Politkvoskya have been found not guilty today.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 09:31:50 AM EST

http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1636911.html

California, with the world's 10th largest economy, seems to be moving towards resolving its budget crisis...

Lawmakers had been at a five-day impasse until Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders Thursday agreed to give Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, major changes he demanded in exchange for providing a crucial 27th vote for the state budget.
...initially hit a snag as four Democrats refused to vote for Maldonado's proposal to have an open primary system in California elections. Intended to reduce party influence in elections, the open primary system would have the top two candidates in a primary face off in the subsequent general election.

by asdf on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 09:52:54 AM EST

California's democracy is dysfunctional. The state needs to revise its constitution, end this silly 2/3rds majority rule for the budget, and end the possibility to set de facto constitutional rules through simple majorities in referenda.

Something similar should be done in the US Senate. I understand that it is a requirement by simple law to have a 2/3rd majority for budget measures that add to debt. So this law should be changed. Democrats ought to threaten to use the nuclear option if the Repubs try to filibuster that.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 10:24:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The state needs to revise its constitution, end this silly 2/3rds majority rule

But that's the whole point of the 2/3 rule - to strangulage the state :-)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 10:28:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The question is why the state legislature goes along with these silly rules. I do not understand the legal basis, since California can just amend its constitution with a simple majority (like the US Senate can end the filibuster any time it pleases by simple majority). It causes a kind of dissonance in my head. Constitutions and constitutional traditions should have some kind of functioning order. Seeing these kinds of absurdities makes my head hurt.

But maybe it's all theater, as paving says, and a big share of California Democrats are just fine with the existing disorder.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:29:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

California can just amend its constitution with a simple majority

Source?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:39:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's true. Crazy but true.

To eliminate that damnable 2/3 rule, which has strangled our politics for years, the Legislature either has to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot (an act also requiring a 2/3 rule) or we have to collect nearly 700,000 signatures to do it.

Democratic legislators and grassroots activists, myself included, are working together on making this happen. Unfortunately the soonest it could occur is June 2010.

That would set up a kind of political triple witching hour in June 2010 - a vote on the 2/3 rule; the expiration of the current budget deal; and the Republican and Democratic primaries for the governor's office (Arnold is termed out in 2010).

And the world will live as one

by Montereyan (robert at calitics dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 07:23:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's true. Crazy but true.

That would be a confirmation if nanne said "California can't just amend its constitution with a simple majority" :-)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Feb 21st, 2009 at 02:50:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Montereyan failed to appreciate my misunderstanding of the issue and thought that this simple majority referred to a simple majority in a referendum (I think). Crazy enough in and by itself.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sat Feb 21st, 2009 at 09:29:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

My flawed memory.

Now you forced me to read up on this... So, California had its Constitution changed by a proposition in the late seventies that set a requirement of a two thirds majority for tax increases.

The Californian Constitution apparently foresees that major changes to it 'revisions' need to be approved by a two thirds majority in the legislature as well as a simple majority in a referendum. Amendments, though, can be passed by a simple majority in a referendum.

Now I'd say that any change that sets requirements upon the size of majorities in the legislature should be a revision, but apparently the California justices (who are subject to election and recall and were ruling on an initiative that passed with 64%) disagreed with that.

I'm a big fan of direct democracy. But it has to be anchored in a strong constitutional system in order to be in accordance with the rule of law.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 07:31:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

an initiative that passed with 64%

I'm not sure which one you mean among those referred to in the linked article.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Feb 21st, 2009 at 03:08:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Proposition 13

To excerpt some pieces from the SanFran Chronicle piece with liberal bolding:

Since California voters adopted the initiative process in 1911, they have been allowed to amend their Constitution by submitting a certain number of signatures and approving the change by a majority vote. A constitutional revision, on the other hand, can be placed on the ballot only by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature or a new constitutional convention, both unlikely routes for a future Prop. 8.
Historically, the odds are against the challengers of Prop. 8's constitutionality. The court has allowed some ground-breaking constitutional changes to become law by initiative - the Proposition 13 tax limitations, restoration of the death penalty, legislative term limits and a pro-prosecution overhaul of evidence rules - and declared only two measures to be constitutional revisions.
The last such ruling was in 1991, when the justices invalidated provisions of an initiative that would have required California courts to follow federal standards on criminal defendants' rights rather than relying on the state Constitution to grant broader rights.
Such a change "unduly restricts judicial power ... in a way which severely limits the independent force and effect of the California Constitution," then-Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas said in a unanimous ruling.
The other time was in 1948, when the court removed from the ballot an initiative that would have changed 15 of the 21 sections of the state Constitution, covering topics that included pensions, gambling, mining and legal sales of oleomargarine.
Other state Supreme Court rulings have cited both those cases for the principle that a revision is defined either by its breadth, as in 1948, or by the importance of the change it proposes, as in 1991.
A revision, the justices said in the Prop. 13 case, must be something fundamental, a "drastic and far-reaching change in the nature and operation of our governmental structure."

Cowards only interested in their own power.

But this is a logical outcome of the Californian system, which is a tyranny of the majority only held in check by the fact that it is embedded in a larger democracy with better provisions for the rule of law.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sat Feb 21st, 2009 at 09:23:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hm, three decades, a bit too long to assume the same behaviour.

The last such ruling was in 1991, when the justices invalidated provisions of an initiative that would have required California courts to follow federal standards on criminal defendants' rights rather than relying on the state Constitution to grant broader rights.
Such a change "unduly restricts judicial power ... in a way which severely limits the independent force and effect of the California Constitution," then-Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas said in a unanimous ruling.

I find this was Proposition 115 of June 1990, approved by 57.3 per cent, called the Crime Victims Justice Reform Act; a nasty law-and-order package that, among else, admitted hearsay before court. The passage struck down was:

"certain enumerated criminal law rights shall be construed consistently with the United States Constitution, and shall not be construed to afford greater rights to criminal or juvenile defendants than afforded by the federal Constitution."

Though the justices indeed defended their colleagues' right:

...would vest all judicial interpretive power, as to fundamental criminal defense rights, in the United States Supreme Court. From a qualitative standpoint, the effect of Proposition 115 is devastating. ...California courts in criminal cases would no longer have authority to interpret the state Constitution in a manner more protective of defendants' rights than extended by the federal Constitution, as construed by the United States Supreme Court. ...Proposition 115 not only unduly restricts judicial power, but it does so in a way which severely limits the independent force and effect of the California Constitution.

...they at least do so in the interest of defendants, contrary to the public will. And, more importantly, using the qualitative rather than quantitative argument.

Also, the 1978 ruling says on revisions:

...an enactment which is so extensive in its provisions as to change directly the `substantial entirety' of the Constitution by the deletion or alteration of numerous existing provisions may well constitute a revision thereof. However, even a relatively simple enactment may accomplish such far reaching changes in the nature of our basic governmental plan as to amount to a revision also.

That is, their hilarious rejection that this is a constitutional revision did not rest on the quantity of changed passages. It rested on the silly argument that only the tax system is significantly altered, not the constitution. (Probably the applicants made a mistake, too, by focusing on the financial consequences of Prop 13.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 at 02:18:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You are right of course that there is a time difference. All the same, I find it funny that the court only sprung to the defence of the constitution when this related to its own power, even as I agree on the merits in that particular case.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 at 03:02:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

most state spending is locked in. the annual fight over the budget is over the small percentage that is discretionary. it is almost entirely political theatre.

california is a state with a solid 55% left-of-center population and a 35% population of hardcore, free market right wing. the old money kind. Reagan's people.

Every opportunity is taken to make CA a proving ground for some ideological idea or another and every year there is a big show. In previous years they have payed state employees with IOU's for months. This "budget crisis" isn't even close to the worst one I've seen here.

It's all a sham, just look away and you'll miss nothing.

by paving on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:50:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The deal is now done. The four Dems were convinced to reverse their opposition. The "open primary" - which is a misnomer; in fact it would be a Louisiana-style top-two, will go before voters in June 2010.

And the world will live as one

by Montereyan (robert at calitics dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 07:24:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Oh, and I should add that Abel Maldonado represents my district in the State Senate. The only reason he got reelected in November 2008 was the previous leader of the Senate Democrats, Don Perata, cut a deal with Maldonado in August 2007. Then as now his vote was needed to meet the 2/3 mark. Perata made Maldonado a promise - that Perata would not support a Democratic challenger to Maldonado in 2008. Perata went so far as to say "I'll knock on doors for Abel."

In California politics, the party leaders in each chamber (Assembly and Senate) control the funding for campaigns for election to that chamber. You want money to get elected to the Senate as a Democrat? Go see Perata. Perata dissuaded numerous solid challengers from taking on Maldonado by saying he'd refuse to fund them.

And the worst part of it is that this district, the 15th, has a clear majority of Democrats. (The district goes from the San Jose suburbs down the coastline through Monterey and San Luis Obispo to Santa Maria.) In the Obama wave, Maldonado would have had no hope of getting reelected.

Perata was himself termed out last year, and the new leadership in Sacramento is much more aggressive about building the majority.

And the world will live as one

by Montereyan (robert at calitics dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 07:30:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Back in Cologne just in time for Weiberfastnacht.

I guess I'm not as resilient as I used to be...

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 Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 10:59:37 AM EST

Re: I'll stay away from the CA comments but (none / 0)

Obama and the Canadian PM are having a Joint News Conference today. Is that GREAT or what? My generation has finally come to power. The 2 of them will stand there at the podium, together, take hits off of joints, pass them back and forth, maybe hand one to one of the reporters, all of that smoke. YES!

Obama can say something like, "God, that's good shit. Does anybody have some potato chips?" Bloodshot eyes. The works.

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:07:10 PM EST

Re: I'll stay away from the CA comments but (none / 0)

That took a few seconds for me to get.

Ha!

by Zwackus on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 11:09:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Barely remarkable ... | Independent | 19 Feb 2009

The Bank of England is to start `printing' new money for the first time in 30 years as it runs out of options to kick-start the economy. The Governor of the Bank of England will write to the Chancellor within days to get permission for the unprecedented action.
The Bank will create the money by buying government and corporate bonds from financial institutions for new supplies of sterling. Termed "quantitative easing", it is the modern equivalent of printing money. It is designed to put more cash into the economy, creating more money for companies to spend and for banks to lend. ...
The minutes of this month's Monetary Policy Committee meeting, released yesterday, showed a unanimous vote to request the go-ahead from the Chancellor. Alistair Darling is expected to reply immediately to the Governor's letter in an exchange that will cap urgent work at the Bank and the Treasury to allow purchases to start as soon as possible. ...
Charles Bean, the deputy governor for monetary policy, said on Monday the aim was to boost the supply of money and credit to achieve the Bank's 2 per cent inflation target and not to finance a government budget deficit as happens in corrupt regimes.

BTDT. USA! USA! USA!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:11:48 PM EST

How is this different from normal open market operations?

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:33:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

MarketTrustee:

Charles Bean, the deputy governor for monetary policy, said on Monday the aim was to boost the supply of money and credit to achieve the Bank's 2 per cent inflation target and not to finance a government budget deficit as happens in corrupt regimes.

LOL

What does this mean in practice? Does the New Money still go to the banks, or will it be handed out directly to the public at special street festivals?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:07:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Presumably that they want to give the money to the gamblers, instead of putting it to productive use.

After all, if it were put to productive use, it would not be inflationary, in the long term.

That they seem to have confused long and short term appears to be par for the course for neolibs.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:15:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I missed that on a first reading.

So giving money for free to private banks is "boosting the supply of money", but giving money to the government is "financing its budget deficit like it happens in corrupt regimes".

As this is done by buying Treasury bonds in the secondary market, we have the situation where

Treasury issues bonds which are bought by the Central Bank with newly created money is "typical of corrupt regimes"
Treasury issues bonds which are bought by private banks who then sell them to the Central Bank is "expanding the money supply"

The wonders of neoliberal ideology.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:39:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No time for rhetoric : Article : Nature

'quantitive easing' sounds like a creative new orwellianism for 'we'll do it so gently you won't even notice'

right...

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:17:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sarkozy et la recherche (4.00 / 4)

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:30:38 PM EST

Can't speak to the content, (4.00 / 3)

since I don't speak French. But I think I get the gist of it (Sarko wants to dismantle the Humboltian university, like every other two-bit neolib crook in Europe, the clippers put in some data points to counter his bullshit - does that sound more or less correct). Very nice graph they have at 0:53, though.

Does Sarko's body language always look like that of a Hollywood mafia crook, or is it just that this clip catches him from a bad angle?

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:43:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can't speak to the content, (4.00 / 3)

Does Sarko's body language always look like that of a Hollywood mafia crook

He is not much different from when he was drunk. He is even worse than Dubya. I wonder: how did his court media edit tapes to make him appear differently before he was elected?...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:47:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can't speak to the content, (4.00 / 2)

His body language is that of a total asshole. It's amazing.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:05:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can't speak to the content, (4.00 / 1)

he always looks like that

when evaluating political candidates i have a system that works for local council races as well as presidential races: Would you buy a used car from this person?

if the answer is no, as would obviously be the case with someone like Sarko, you should definitely not elect them to office.

by paving on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:13:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can't speak to the content, (none / 1)

Would you buy a used car from this person?

Do you really have a choice? Don't all used car dealers look skeezy? At least that's my impression from pop culture.

by MarekNYC on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:16:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can't speak to the content, (none / 1)

I can't picture Sarko as a used-car salesman. I can picture him at Bailey, Banks and Biddle being an asshole.

Mitt Romney. Now there's a used-car salesman.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:38:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sarkozy et la recherche (4.00 / 5)

Field medalist Wendelin Werner's op-ed in Le Monde today was about as violent as you can be while remaining polite.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:45:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sarkozy et la recherche (4.00 / 4)

In this op-ed, Wendelin Werner is also referring to an article from Nature:

Nicolas Sarkozy must engage with French researchers if his much-needed science reforms are to succeed.
In a speech on 22 January, as he set out his plans for a national strategy on science and innovation, French president Nicolas Sarkozy lambasted the country's university system as "infantilizing" and "paralysing for creativity and innovation". Sarkozy implied that French researchers were fainéants (layabouts) with cushy jobs, and no match for their supposedly more industrious British counterparts.
The speech was a typically melodramatic example of la méthode Sarkozy and, if it contained some home truths, it was largely a caricature.
[snip]
As things stand now, even top researchers who support the broad thrust of the reforms complain that their advice is being ignored, and that many changes seem as though they are being imposed by technocrats seeking grandiose institutional rearrangements as ends in themselves.

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:31:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sarkozy et la recherche (4.00 / 8)

LOL, if a bit of gallows humor.

I recently followed a link to an old FT article on Summers and his disastrous tenure at Harvard. It turned out to be one of the few mainstream media pieces which accurately described what happened - i.e. that the primary reason he was pushed out by the faculty wasn't 'political correctness' (in the mainstream media meaning of 'people objecting to blatant sexism or racism), but rather the fact that he was an utterly incompetent manager. He was hired with the mission of, among other things, dealing with serious problems in the hiring and tenuring process - e.g. Harvard's notorious reputation for being a horrible place for younger researchers and the related tendency to rely on lateral hires of older stars rather than up and coming innovative ones. Instead of trying to reform the process, he simply tried to micromanage decisions, ones where the criteria (research excellence in their fields) where he simply didn't have the knowledge to be able to have an informed opinion. He also made it clear that he found pure research without clear real world applications useless. Add in his tendency to gratuitously insult everyone, and over time, even those faculty who were initially supportive turned against him, as did donors.

by MarekNYC on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:42:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sarkozy et la recherche (4.00 / 3)

Which is essentially how Sarko wants every university president to behave like...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:32:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Occupation or ol' skool sit-in Take Back NYU | 18 Feb 2009 or so

And in not-MSM news about US insurrection ...

Our demands are as follows:
1. Amnesty for all parties involved.
2. Full compensation for all employees whose jobs were disrupted during the course of the occupation.
3. Public release of NYU's annual budget and endowment.
4. Allow student workers (including T.A.'s) to collectively bargain.
5. A fair labor contract for all NYU employees at home and abroad.
6. A Socially Responsible Finance Committee that will immediately investigate war profiteers and the lifting of the Coke ban.
7. Annual scholarships be provided for thirteen Palestinian students.
8. That the university donates all excess supplies and materials in an effort to rebuild the University of Gaza.
9. Tuition stabilization for all students, beginning with the class of 2012. Tuition rates for each successive year will not exceed the rate of inflation. The university shall meet 100% of government-calculated student financial need.
10. That student groups have priority when reserving space in the buildings owned or leased by New York University, including, and especially, the Kimmel Center.
11. That the general public have access to Bobst Library [protocol*].

* "In the Archives of New York University is a collection of special value: The Derrick Bell Papers. ... The first tenured African American member of the Harvard Law School faculty, he has long been a Visiting Professor at NYU, a position he took up in protest of Harvard's hiring practices. He is an icon [sic] of the Critical Race Theory** movement in legal scholarship. ...To enter Bobst Library, you must first visit the Permissions window to the left as you enter the lobby. The rules for library access for non-NYU students and faculty are here. Apart from autobiographical documentation, the papers hold epistemological value culminating in the argument against procedural "Rules of Racial Standing."

**Critical Race Theory, practicum, wiki

Happy Black History Month!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 12:37:19 PM EST

This is the experience of any "Out" group. For African-Americans it's exacerbated by hundreds of years of slavery, racism, and systemic oppression (overt and covert.)

But now that President Obama is ... uh ... president, racism is no longer a factor in US society, culture, economics, and politics. </snark>

OT:

MT, have you noticed this?

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:10:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Oh, yes, I read a pull-quote from it a few days ago during some interboobz reconn. mmm hmm, it's not as ridiculous as one might imagine. I'll testify to the irradiating glow of approvals from my neighbors who had never had time of day to speak or hold an elevator. It dissipated a few weeks after the election... into a kinda pre-inaugural, low-grade fever.

I've decided to adopt, permanently, an inscrutable public persona. Until this thing blows over, ya know.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 08:19:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Man's Got a Point. Here. | Mish | 20 Feb 2009

LOL

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 09:33:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 6)

Ponzi Financing
Borrowers have to pay interest on the amount borrowed. However, the interest and the debt cannot possibly be paid back except by an ever expanding Ponzi scheme of lending. That scheme can last only as long as everyone believes the debt can be paid back and the market value of that debt keeps rising.
It's a faith based system in which banks extend loans and hold the credit on the books (or in many cases off the books in various structured instruments). The banks are thought of as being well capitalized as long as the value of credit on the books in relation to their reserves meets some ridiculously low minimum set by the Fed.
This is how the system works, using the term "works" loosely.

Leaving one to wonder, if yer fer or agin axiomatic bubba uniparty policy, if interboobz chatter about MSM dicta will ever penetrate and denounce mo' bettah credit spreadders engineered by the PWG. And if not, what political changes to organization of republican government follow?

Meanwhile, Paul Roberts is feeling much better. Props, gk.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:09:16 PM EST

You are two steps ahead of the mainstream here but certainly on the right track. The recognition that the economy has been fundamentally altered is only beginning to be public. The recognition of how the governance will change in response is not even on most people's radars in the US. I imagine in Europe, with the more tumultuous recent history, will be ahead on that mark.

by paving on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:18:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's hardly fair to Chris Cook not to point out that he's been saying that here for ages.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:07:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

MarketTrustee:

It's a faith based system in which banks extend loans and hold the credit on the books (or in many cases off the books in various structured instruments). The banks are thought of as being well capitalized as long as the value of credit on the books in relation to their reserves meets some ridiculously low minimum set by the Fed.

Yes, but the Fed can always issue more cash while at the same time raising the reserve requirement.

Even if loans were at 0% you could still have fractional reserve banking. In that case you wouldn't need an ever-expanding mountain of debt but you would still have the same "faith-based system" problem with fiat money.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:41:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

and isn't it amusing to find agreement where one might least expect? (a rhetorical question)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Feb 21st, 2009 at 07:30:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

One for the paradoxicans (4.00 / 6)

Mirror: Monks make buddhist temple out of beer bottles

Temple of a Million Bottles - Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew.
Buddhist monks have recycled over one million used bottles to build their temple in Khun Han, Thailand near the Cambodian border. There are 20 buildings in the complex, all of which are made of green Heineken, brown Chang beer, various soft drinks, and Thai Red Bull bottles as a testament to recycling locally found objects.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:28:55 PM EST

Re: One for the paradoxicans (4.00 / 6)

That is beautiful-I strongly recommend clicking on the link to see the pictures.

by Sassafras on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:25:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: One for the paradoxicans (4.00 / 4)

It is incredibly beautiful isn't it?
Great to see you around more too!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:06:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What's happening with Scoop? This is what my 'ratings' page looks like. All those [Hidden Comment]s are from the Salon.
European Tribune - User Ratings

15) Re: World [4.00], by ARGeezer, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/19/2009 04:34:42 AM CET
Rated on 02/19/2009 10:59:00 AM CET
16) [Hidden Comment]
17) [Hidden Comment]
18) Re: World [4.00], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 08:28:42 PM CET
Rated on 02/19/2009 10:57:49 AM CET
19) [Hidden Comment]
20) [Hidden Comment]
21) [Hidden Comment]
22) [Hidden Comment]
23) [Hidden Comment]
24) Re: Economy and Finance [4.00], by marco, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 08:43:14 PM CET
Rated on 02/19/2009 10:55:11 AM CET
25) [Hidden Comment]
26) [Hidden Comment]
27) [Hidden Comment]
28) [Hidden Comment]
29) [Hidden Comment]
30) [Hidden Comment]

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:37:23 PM EST

It takes two+ (4.00 / 3)

I believe this version of scoop needs two people to rate a comment positively for it to not be displayed as a [Hidden Comment]. Daily Kos used to have this quirk a couple years ago.

by Magnifico on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:46:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It takes two+ (none / 0)

Ah, thanks.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:51:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It takes two+ (4.00 / 2)

Let's test this theory. I just gave this comment a 4. It is 'hidden' under ratings. Would someone else please rate it 4, and I'll see if it shows.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:53:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It takes two+ (none / 0)

Now I see it. 'Problem' solved!

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:57:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I don't know...

16) Re: World [4.00], by ARGeezer, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/19/2009 03:34:42 AM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:59:00 AM WET
17) Re: World [], by siegestate, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 08:40:38 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:58:32 AM WET
18) Re: World [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:33:51 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:58:00 AM WET
19) Re: World [4.00], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:28:42 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:57:49 AM WET
20) Re: World [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:27:47 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:57:27 AM WET
21) Re: World [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:30:11 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:57:08 AM WET
22) Re: World [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:27:26 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:57:02 AM WET
23) U.S. Federal Reserve aims to trigger inflation [], by Magnifico, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 11:39:58 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:56:46 AM WET
24) Re: Economy and Finance [], by ceebs, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 08:50:38 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:56:17 AM WET
25) Re: Economy and Finance [4.00], by marco, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:43:14 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:55:11 AM WET
26) Re: Economy and Finance [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:37:39 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:54:46 AM WET
27) Re: Economy and Finance [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:32:38 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:54:40 AM WET
28) Re: Economy and Finance [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:32:18 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:54:23 AM WET
29) Re: Economy and Finance [], by Fran, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/18/2009 07:29:12 PM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:54:15 AM WET
30) Re: Europe [], by Melanchthon, Rated: 4
Posted on 02/19/2009 09:44:49 AM WET
Rated on 02/19/2009 09:54:03 AM WET

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:42:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hmm (none / 0)

I can't remember precisely, but I vaguely recall what a person sees or doesn't has to do with his or her user status.

Bottom line is: I don't recall. :-)

by Magnifico on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:50:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Are you a "trusted user" right now ? i.e. do you have several 4-rated comments in the last month ?

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:55:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

She is.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:00:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Overarching Dismay (4.00 / 10)

Without trying to to take away from the failings of Scoop just posted above, an important issue...

I'm incredibly dismayed by the dust-up elsewhere here. I've long had a theory that the psychological effect of living in the BushCo world, greatly exacerbated by the financial meltdown and global highway robbery, has a real cost to being human, and is greatly underestimated and ignored.

I take the discussion as a data point supporting the theory.

Having read the thread several times, i feel lessened. Among many other things, ET is a public stage, not a private sandbox.

Sadly, i've said too much already.

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

by Crazy Horse on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 01:57:25 PM EST

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (3.00 / 4)

He's rubbing his anal glands on everything. That's enough to get anyone riled up. :)

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:14:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (none / 0)

Aw com'on, 2's again?! No pleasing you people.

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:46:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (4.00 / 2)

Sorry, but that was more of a personal attack than a joke...let's not exacerbate an already tense situation. The planet is running out of oil as it is already, no need to pour all of it on the fire here.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm (m<-at->sturmbaum.net) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:03:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (4.00 / 3)

Maybe the best approach would be to step back and carefully consider "What is my contribution to the discussion?" before submitting?

by paving on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:24:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Attn. raters: (none / 0)

For those who gave this comment "Warning" ratings, you should know it was a direct reference to this comment, made by afew, which got a slew of "Excellent" ratings.

I don't understand any of it - it is all bathroom humour to me. Seems a bit odd though, for the exact same comment to get a bunch of 4s and then later a bunch of 2s when the only thing different is the person making it.

Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.

by poemless on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:48:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Attn. raters: (none / 1)

The difference is that between afew making the joke about himself, and twank making the joke about afew.

Just like it's okay for "people of color" to call each other "nigger" but it's not okay for others to use the "n-word".

But you know all this, of course.

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:52:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I don't understand any of it - it is all bathroom humour to me

You do understand it. You read Sven's diary about grizzlies. I made a joking reference to it, in which I was the grizzly impregnating the rub tree with my odour to warn other males off my territory. Which, in a sense, Sven meant slyly to suggest I was.

It's not "bathroom humour", it's life in the wild. Blame Sven.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 02:00:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Attn. raters: (none / 1)

Afew - the diary was not directed at you - honestly. It was a news item of that day that I thought was amusing for ALL males at ET (including myself). If there was any 'hidden intent', it was a plea for AVOIDING fighting.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 03:51:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Attn. raters: (none / 1)

Next time you feel like writing a 'meta' diary, do it openly and without innuendo. The air is vitiated enough for double entendres.

Just my 0.02€

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 04:14:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

OK, if you say so. I didn't take it particularly personally - or rather, I was (and am) quite willing to have a joke at my own expense.

However, there was a context you were aware of, of an exchange about metavision's ratings in a previous thread. In which I expressed frustration that front-pagers (who, contrary to ET folk beliefs subscribed to by some, do not sit evilly plotting in some subterranean bunker council room, but are often hard pressed to read, follow the site, keep the basics ticking over and attempt to garnish the front page) should be called in question when carrying out straightforward moderation tasks, be suspected of tyrannical intentions, have to walk on eggs so as not to set off epidermic reactions in other members, get mega-troll-rated, etc., while those who actually caused trouble seemed able to pass themselves off as victims with consummate ease. I did make an effort (expletive-laden to underline the point) to communicate a real feeling of frustration, which was a form of information - but it was not at all about males defending their territory.

So there may be crossed lines, fair enough. But the circumstances made for a helium-laden atmosphere into which to throw a squib.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:01:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Fortunately, helium is not flammable...

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:44:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Heh, what's more it makes you talk like Mickey Mouse.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:49:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

So, what does a bomb sound like in a Helium atmosphere?

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:50:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Not with a bang, but with an almighty squeak.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:58:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

This is a Berkeleyan question

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 09:03:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Presumably not much different. The noise an explosion makes comes from the shock wave of air expanding faster than the speed of sound. Since helium - being lighter - lowers the speed of sound, the shock wave would probably sound much the same.

Speech sounds funny on helium because it's generated by resonances in a cavity, which makes the wavelength invariant under different atmospheric conditions. Speech recorded in a normal atmosphere and rendered through a loudspeaker (where the resonance is in an electric circuit rather than a gas-filled cavity, which makes frequency invariant) would presumably not be distorted (since our ear measures frequency, not wavelength).

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 10:07:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Sound is actually faster in helium... And a loudspeaker would see its transfer function modified by being in helium, transferring sounds higher pitched than in the air.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 11:17:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Oops. You're right, of course. Squeaky is higher frequency, which means faster speed. Mea culpa.

So the answer is that if the explosion is very close to Mach 1 in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, it might not be an explosion in a helium atmosphere.

But why would the loudspeaker change? The signal is controlled by the electromagnet, right? (You can tell I'm more of a software than a hardware guy...)

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 11:28:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

At one point, the membrane of the loudspeaker has to move gas backward and forward to create the soundwave. Changing the weight of that gas is bound to change something...

No loudspeaker is perfect, i.e. creates the sound as given by the signal ; which is why a hifi system will have bass and twitter speakers, operating at different frequency. Typically the size of the speaker is proportional to the wavelength of the sound it is trying to produce. You can say a loudspeaker is optimal for producing sound at a certain wavelength, not frequency. But if you are changing the wavelength of a pitch of sound by changing the speed of sound - that optimal sound frequency will have to change... some frequencies will end up louder, some weaker.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 07:01:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks for the explanation (none / 0)

Oho. That's funny, I never realised that all those fancy-looking different loudspeakers in a setup had a purpose other than looking cool :-P

Yeah, you can tell I'm not a hardware guy.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 at 06:35:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (none / 1)

C'mon, Twank; please get in tune with the doom and forget the ugly humor.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:23:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's ALL afew's fault! (none / 0)

"get in tune with the doom" ? "forget the "ugly" humor"?

Odder and odder. I might do a study if I get the time. Questions, questions.

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 08:55:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Overarching Dismay (4.00 / 4)

OK, tell me what did I do now. My magic is too powerful. (;

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:17:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bloomberg.com: UBS Sued by U.S. to Disclose Names of Up to 52,000 Holding Secret Accounts

The U.S. government sued UBS AG, Switzerland's largest bank, to try to force disclosure of the identities of as many as 52,000 U.S. customers with secret Swiss accounts.
The lawsuit, filed today in federal court in Miami, alleges that 32,000 accounts contained cash and 20,000 held securities, according to the statement. U.S. customers failed to report and pay U.S. income taxes on income earned in those accounts, which held about $14.8 billion in assets in the mid-2000s, according to a statement from the Justice Department.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:41:56 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 8)

I've been thinking about these flag-of-convenience countries and how to repatriate the money that's been stashed away there.

Seems to me that we might not even need gunboats for it.

After all, what's been stashed away there isn't gold, or factories, or steel - it most probably isn't even the physical tokens we use to represent money. Sure, somewhere there's a lot of suitcases with $ and € bills in them, but the bulk of the money is in bank accounts, not in suitcases.

Presumably, the flag-of-convenience country banks have lent that money on the global interbank market, rather than kept it as cash reserves (following the same logic that says that the "man with suitcase" delivery method is unlikely).

If that's true, we should see debts from the banks of the countries that the money has been lent to to the banks of the flag-of-convenience countries. Presumably, this is in no small part the countries from which the money has been stolen (because typically, the procedure would be that an individual asks his bank to "move" money to - say - Switzerland, which means that the bank changes its books to say that it now owes the Swiss bank the money, and does not owe the guy anything, and the Swiss bank changes its books to say that it owes the guy money, and the guy's home bank owes it money).

So we could institute a law saying that if a country has been found by a court of law to not cooperate satisfactorily with the tax authorities, according to certain specified criteria (including relaxing bank secrecy in connection with tax fraud investigations), all sovereign debt to said country would be declared void immediately, and all interbank debt to the country would become debt to the government instead.

Then the Swiss banks become insolvent, because they now owe the tax cheats more money than they are in turn owed by the tax cheats' former banks (i.e. more than zero). Even a one or two large economies enforcing such laws - say Germany and Scandinavia+Finland or Germany and France - might cause bank runs in flag-of-convenience countries.

And all of this is accomplished without ever violating any other territory's sovereignty. We only take legal action against banks operating in our own jurisdiction. The fact that there is some - ahem - fallout for certain disreputable countries is both completely intended and in fact the point... and also completely Somebody Else's Problem.

So why can't this work?

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:01:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obama's move is going to be more direct, I think.

Who knows - there might turn out to be one or two famous names on that list.

This is looking like it might lead to the Capone Solution for a number of famous and/or influential people. Which will be fun - because unlike constitutional politics, you can't argue about tax law.

As long as there's some evidence of follow-through, I'm liking this a lot.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:27:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'd be cool with whatever works to get some oligarchs run out of town on a rail, covered in tar and feathers. Preferably in a reasonably legal manner, so as to preclude future el Presidentes reinstating them over technicalities.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:36:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obama to Switzerland: "If our banking system's going down, we're taking you with us."

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:41:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

JakeS:

And all of this is accomplished without ever violating any other territory's sovereignty. We only take legal action against banks operating in our own jurisdiction. The fact that there is some - ahem - fallout for certain disreputable countries is both completely intended and in fact the point... and also completely Somebody Else's Problem.
So why can't this work?

it could.... but for one thing. much banking is international and covert.

patriotic loyalty is subservient to expediency.

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:03:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The physical infrastructure that makes banking possible is still in the hands of sovereign states. I don't expect Danish banks to help the Danish state repatriate funds from Switzerland out of patriotism. I expect them to do it if there's Danish police sitting in their server rooms with wire cutters, electromagnets and a court order.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 10:23:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

JakeS:

I expect them to do it if there's Danish police sitting in their server rooms with wire cutters, electromagnets and a court order.

LOL

there have doubtless been countless golf games, convention schmoozes and palms stroked to counter that possibility, still i'm with you, it should only be a question of time, it is where the beef is, at the end of the day.

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 02:52:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

When we legalise cannabis for private use, there'll be plenty of free prison cells for the palm-greasers...

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 03:05:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

So the right wing media campaigns aboutkeeping the dangerous druggies inside in fear that there might be suddenly space for the finacial page corespondent?

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

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 03:31:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

An interesting hypothesis. Although I think the prison-industrial complex and keeping The People scared (either of all the dangerous loons that have to be locked up, or of being locked up, depending on how perceptive the person in question is) is more compelling as reasons go...

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 at 06:37:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

This whole hunt for a Commerce Secretary is getting a bit extreme, don't you think?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:49:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Swiss reactions (none / 1)

Empörung und Ratlosigkeit in der Schweiz (Outrage and helplessness in Switzerland)

So sprach die SVP von einer «unhaltbaren Aufweichung des Bankgeheimnisses». Es gehe nicht an, dass es jetzt auf internationalen Druck hin aufgeweicht werde, sagte SVP-Sprecher Alain Hauert.

Auch die FDP kritisiert den Druck, den die USA im Steuerstreit mit der UBS aufgesetzt haben, als schlicht inakzeptabel. «Das ist Macht vor Recht», sagte FDP-Sprecher Damien Cottier. FDP und Liberale stünden zum Bankgeheimnis.

Die CVP zeigte sich schockiert. Sie übt vor allem an der Eile Kritik, mit der die Schweizer Finanzmarktaufsicht (Finma) und Finanzminister Hans-Rudolf Merz sich dem Druck der USA gebeugt hätten, wie CVP-Präsident Christophe Darbellay sagte.

Selbst die Sozialdemokraten, bei denen das Bankgeheimnis bisher auf keine grosse Gegenliebe stiess, reagierten zornig. «Mit Wut», sagte SP-Präsident Christian Levrat, habe er die jüngste Entwicklung im Steuerstreit zwischen den USA und der UBS zur Kenntnis genommen. Für den SP-Präsidenten grenzt die Haltung der USA an Erpressung.

(The four parties of the permanent Swiss coalition government)

I have to go out, so I don't have time to translate these.

by MarekNYC on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:51:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Swiss reactions (none / 0)

Methinks "perplexion" would be a better translation here than "helplessness". (Unless I err about the meaning of the latter in English.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:58:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Swiss reactions (none / 1)

You made me worried there for a second, my German being rather far from perfect and quite a bit worse than yours, but in this case...

Collins German-English/English-German Dictionary, Unabridged, 2nd ed. 1991:

Ratlosigkeit: f helplessness, in meiner ~ not knowing what to do..., being at a loss... (thus the secondary definition is basically yours but stronger)

by MarekNYC on Fri Feb 20th, 2009 at 12:30:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Weird thought of the day before (none / 0)

I have to do some tutoring.

WHAT IF .....

McCain had somehow won the election. No Obama.

What would the cabinet look like?
What would "crisis mode" look like?
Palin as VEEP?
McCain's wife as the first lady?

Makes the mind reel, doesn't it? See you later/tomorrow.

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 02:45:07 PM EST

Windpower Stimulus (4.00 / 4)

Apparently the US stimulus bill has unbelievably huge potential bennies for Windpower. Enough to stimulate the next bubble. There are enough changes to the tax code to mean "huge boost."

It means ObMa's team had truly studied the issue and was prepared to lead. This means my predictionsto bank clients were conservative, eventhough they were completely agains the trend of global analysts

Plus iPhone software always wants to replace global with Obama.

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

by Crazy Horse on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:10:42 PM EST

Re: Windpower Stimulus (none / 0)

i spoke to a good friend with a health food store the other day. in a diving local economy, his profits went up 20% last year.

you hang in there long enough doing what's right, you'll be staying dry in the rain...

as james mcmurtry would sing...'walk between the raindrops'

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 09:19:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

French University Reform (4.00 / 6)

As you may have noticed, there is now an important protest against the University reform proposed by the Sarkozy Gov in France.

This reform has been introduced in two steps: first a law on the University Autonomy, which remained sufficiently blurry to suffer little opposition (apart from the students).

This year, the government has passed a decree which gives more information on the reform. This decree has been widely criticised. Why? The main reason argued is that it gives to the University president a huge power on its fellow researchers. Also criticised is the changes in the standard formation for school teachers, which was until now given in some special institutes called IUFM, and which becomes a special course at the University from now on.

Some Universities have been selected to become the first group of autonomous universities. Some of them have seen in this autonomy the possibility to have a better control on their own resources and expenses. A way to choose a policy for the development of sciences (natural or human sciences), a way to ease procedures for financing the everyday hum drum of small expenses like hotel bookings, car rental and others, or for investment in material/ people for research.

Others have criticised the lack of national equality between universities, the risk of higher tuition fees for students in "renowned" universities, and the difficulties for smaller centers to finance their activities and development.

In january however, Sarkozy made a speech, already posted here by Jerome.

As commented in the video, most of Sarkozy'statements on french scientific research were false. This, and the very offensive way this speech took place, have angered a lot of scientist, even the one who supported the reform in the first place.

The french newspaper Libération is quoting some parts of the president speech. Here they are:

A budget comparable, un chercheur français publie de 30%à 50% en moins qu'un chercheur britannique dans certains secteurs.
Evidement, si l'on ne veut pas voir ça, je vous remercie d'être venus, il y a de la lumière, c'est chauffé

"At similar funding, a french researcher publish between 30% and 50% less than a british one in some fields. Obviously, if one cannot consider this... I thank you for coming, there is light, [the building] is heated..."

Nulle part dans les grands pays, sauf chez nous, on n'observe que des organismes de recherche sont à la fois opérateurs et agences de moyens à la fois, acteurs et évaluateurs de leur propre action. Je vois
que cela peut être confortable. Je pourrais en tirer quelques conclusions pour moi-même. C'est un
système assez génial d'ailleurs, celui qui agit est en même temps celui qui s'évalue.

"Nowhere in any great country apart from home do we observe that the big research organisms are, at the same time, operators and resources providers, actors and controlers of their own actions. I see that this may be comfortable. I could draw some conclusions for myself. It's quite a great system, that were the one who do is also the one who checks."

As anywhere, the french research is globalized, and has to compete for talents with the other countries, to attract the best people. French searchers are often working abroad, especially in the US.

[les nobels] Ne servent-ils pas parfois d'alibi aux conservateurs de tous poils, que l'on trouve à
droite en nombre certain et à gauche en nombres innombrables. Je dis innombrables à gauche car ils
sont plus nombreux.

"[about the Nobel prize a french got last year] Is it not sometimes an alibi for thoses conservatives of all ilk, that we find in certain numbers on the right wing and in huge numbers on the left. I say in huge numbers on the left wing, because they are more numerous there."

And talk about conservative.

Obviously, the reactions from all sides to this speech have been quite strong. Facts are squizzed to fit with the political line, and scientists are usually a bit nervous about facts, curiously.

by Xavier in Paris on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 03:53:00 PM EST

See the youtube video above (4.00 / 3)

And this:

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:04:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: French University Reform (none / 0)

And of course, the "autonomy" that will be provided won't be financial : universities will still depend on the governement to fund them ; an university that won't please the powers that be can expect to see its funding dwindle.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:56:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: French University Reform (none / 0)

well, that would be the point, wouldn't it? The universities that voluntered to be autonomous were betting on increased or stable incomes. And, on that ground, autonomy IS good. What's happening is that the gov is blundering its own reform by reducing the funding at the same time -to please it electoral basis no doubt- the result being the opposition we are seeing now. I'm convinced that if the gov. hadn't cut jobs at the universities in the 2009 budget, they would not have to face such an opposition to their reforms.

by Xavier in Paris on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 06:18:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 1)

TBG, just wanted to let you know that I Can Has Cheezburger apparently has an iPhone app, along with the Fail Blog and others.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:21:53 PM EST

TBG iPhone? (none / 0)

Hah!

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

by Crazy Horse on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:42:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:46:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Holocaust Denier to be Expelled (4.00 / 5)

The Minister of the Interior of Argentina has given ten days notice to Richard Williamson to leave the country penalty of then being expelled by force. Williamson, ordained a bishop in the Lefebvrian Catholic sect, was recently suspended by the Vatican from his diocese in Argentina when he did not retract his controversial statements on the Holocaust. He had previously denied the existence of gas chambers.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 04:32:16 PM EST

Hahaha!... I only wonder why it took so long.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:02:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Holocaust Denier to be Expelled (4.00 / 4)

What would be fascinating is if he were denied entry into a country once he flew out of Argentina. Imagine the Germans or Austrians issuing an international warrant within the next ten days...

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:19:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Can he fly directly to the Vatican state and will they grant sanctuary?

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

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 05:55:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

there is no airport in the vatican.

by Xavier in Paris on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 06:19:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Holocaust Denier to be Expelled (none / 1)

Well of course not! He will be carried there by angels!

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm (m<-at->sturmbaum.net) on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 06:36:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I was thinking more of a subterranean solution

by Xavier in Paris on Thu Feb 19th, 2009 at 07:30:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]