Ouch

My apologies … | The Zingularity:

"Yesterday morning I was wakeboarding with some friends on a gorgeous, empty lake, planted the nose on a 180 like a noob, and planted my face into the water an instant later. It happened so fast there wasn’t time to blink. any wake-boarder has done their share of face-plants, eye baths, etc., and I’m no different, gallons of water have been pasted on my face. But this particular fall was different.

By a freakish accident of physics the fall was unusually symmetrical, and instead of partly slicing into the water with one shoulder or another, the perfect belly-buster hyper-extended my back violently for a split second and SNAP, I felt something give in my lower spine. I didn’t know what had happened for sure at the time, but it seemed prudent to assume the worst. Later I learned the bottom right rib cracked where it articulates with the spine at the lumbar-thoracic symphysis, plus tore some muscles including part of the diaphragm."

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Nikki Haley Might not be A Lying Sack Of Shit

Daily Kos: Why Nikki Haley needs drug testing:

"Jim Giusti, a spokesman for the Department of Energy, which owns the River Site, told HuffPost he had no idea what Haley was talking about with regard to applicants flunking a drug test.
"Half the people who applied for a job last year or year 2009 did not fail the drug test," Giusti said. "At the peak of hiring under the Recovery Act we had less than 1 percent of those hired test positive."

The River Site doesn't even test applicants. "We only test them when they have been accepted," Giusti said."

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She might just be high.

Eric Cantor Might Not Be An Evil Shitbag

On Eve Of 9/11 Anniversary, Cantor Insists On Massive Cuts To First Responders In Exchange For Emergency Disaster Aid | ThinkProgress:

"Yesterday, President Obama requested $5.1 billion to provide disaster relief to communities struggling to recover from recent hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and wildfires. The request includes $500 million in emergency funds FEMA needs to continue to operate effectively through the end of September.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, whose home state of Virginia was hit by an earthquake and Hurricane Irene, is demanding more partisan spending cuts in exchange for approving the request."

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On the other hand ...

On Nap Time

Child care center owner accused of doping milk to make kids sleepy | wcsh6.com:

"VAN ALSTYNE, Tex. (NBC) -- The owner of a Texas day care has been accused of putting antihistimines in children's food so they would fall asleep after lunch.
"
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h/t to Bon The Geek over at Zandar's place.

I got yer bipartisanship right here

Hullabaloo:

Average Democratic Senate support for Bush: 45.5 percent.
Average Democratic House support for Bush: 36.8 percent.
Average combined Democratic support for Bush: 41.1 percent.
Average Republican Senate support for Obama: 8.8 percent.
Average Republican House support for Obama: 2.7 percent.
Average combined Republican support for Obama: 5.75 percent.

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Sad News From My Alma Mater

Student dies after drinking binge - Front - TheChronicleHerald.ca: "A first-year Acadia University student, who was sent to hospital early Tuesday morning after a drinking binge, has died.
"

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Breaking News! Peyton Manning Announces Retirement

Naw, he didn't ... I just want to see how many people fall for it.

Why I mostly stopped reading FDL in a nutshell

The American Jobs Act, Summarized | FDL News Desk:

"The Obama Robs Act–Lord Obama, what he giveth with one hand, he taketh away (and more ) with the other. On Medicaid? Please just go away or preferably die. Old women on Social Security and Medicare? Just stop living so fucking long! We can’t afford it. More trade agreements, PLEEZE ’cause we so liked what NAFTA did for American workers. Businesses, please, pretty please hire someone, anyone and we’ll give you more tax breaks. Payroll tax, we don’t need no stinking payroll tax! Social Security will operate on Hope. Infrastructure, teachers, tax cuts: it will all be paid for by more than 1.5 trillion in cuts, but from where? The Defense Department? Nope. Wall Street. Nope. The Banksters. Nope. Can’t you guess? After all, the US runs just like a family budget. Go to hell, O.

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How this idiot read the same speech that I did fucking escapes me. I thought that we on the left were supposed to be the reality based ones.

On Marmite

Is it a coincidence that it rhymes with shite?
I think not.

On Moving A Battleship

New Home Announced For U.S.S. Iowa - Des Moines News Story - KCCI Des Moines: "I would think we could get a really big tow truck and just move it here. I Dak - That is such a great idea. I wish I would have thought of that!
"

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I Am Not an IP Lawyer But

Google's Already Using Their Motorola Patents to Sue Apple - Technology - The Atlantic Wire:

"HTC then turned around and sued Apple for copyright infringement on all nine patents. "

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Can someone explain to me how you can sue someone for copyright infringement on a patent?

Signs That Patent Reform Bill Is Useless

Patent reform a letdown to some in tech - Michelle Quinn - POLITICO.com:

"Many tech companies support the bill. On Tuesday, a coalition including Adobe, Apple, Cisco, Dell, Google, Intel, Intuit, Micron, Oracle, RIM, SAP and Symantec sent a letter to Sens. Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell saying that it was time for “Congress to send a patent reform bill to the president for signature.”
"
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Any time you can get this group of companies to agree on something about Intellectual Property you can safely assume that it is not a good idea.

I Get Phone Calls

As my faithful readers (all 5 of you) might know, I am an IT consultant. I am fortunate enough to have a set of skills that is in fairly high demand at the moment and so that means I get a couple calls a day from recruiters. Today I got one from a person that will remain nameless at a company that will remain nameless for reasons that will hopefully become apparent in a minute.

The gentleman on the other end of the phone pitched me on a gig that would normally have been interesting but since I am happily engaged in a long term contract I am not available at the moment. His response was "well it is good to see a real American working". When I pointed out that I was actually Canadian he said "Same thing". What he I think he meant was "good to see someone white working" because as a Canadian working on  a TN visa I am "taking an American Job" just as surely as someone from Hyderabad on an H1B is. 

I won't be using that recruiting company.

On Payday Loans

Payday Loans Are Dead! Long Live Payday Loans! « naked capitalism: "The latest sighting, via the Associated Press (hat tip April Charney) is that bigger, more reputable-looking banks are offering payday loans, but predictably calling them something else, in much the way that the term “escort service” is meant to imply something more refined than “prostitution”. From the Clarion Ledger:

"

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And you thought your bank sucked

Courthouse News Service: " JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CN) - A Wells Fargo Bank customer claims the bank refused to fix an error in her account unless she complied with an employee's demand for "phone fun" - that she send him nude pictures of herself. She says she was stranded without money on a business trip due to the bank's mistake, and its worker "clearly implied that he wanted naked photographs in exchange for providing his customer service."
"

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Glibertarianism In A Nutshell

Whither the Post Office? - Megan McArdle - Business - The Atlantic: "I tend to think that universal mail service isn't valuable enough to save as a government function--as Josh Barro says rather more pungently, I don't see much reason that the government should subsidize the decision to live in a remote rural area. But that's going to be a hard sell: the post office has a special place in the American heart, being chartered in the constitution. And it has a very special place in the hearts of a large number of Senators representing rural states.
"

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An Example of Conservative humor

A ‘Progressive’ Economic Glossary « Rhymes With Cars & Girls:

"Just a helpful glossary to aid in understanding ‘progressive’ rhetoric in economic discussions. Many/most of these are obvious but it’s helpful to have them all in one place.

the rich (n.): People whose income comes primarily from salaries earned via full-time jobs, or perhaps a small business, rather than from higher-class sources such as trusts/marriage/consulting/speaking fees/lobbying/investments/political connections in foreign countries/the entertainment industry (cf. Nancy Pelosi, Al Gore, John Kerry, Dianne Feinstein, Matt Damon), and thereby who – absent higher taxes – have enough modest net worth to e.g. qualify for a mortgage to purchase a reasonable house in the suburbs without necessarily getting help from their elderly parents on the down payment, but haven’t figured out how, or aren’t wealthy enough to, shield their income from taxation by means commonly used by ‘progressives’ (e.g. foundations). “We need to raise taxes on the rich”, said George Soros.

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You have to go and read them to understand the true scope of the non-funny but that one gives you a taste.

Lauren Bush Lauren - No, Really

CLICK: People-watching in Washington - POLITICO.com:

"Lauren Bush, niece of former President George W. Bush and granddaughter of George H.W., married David Lauren, son of fashion designer Ralph Lauren, on Sunday. The excited bride, who has taken the name Lauren Bush Lauren, tweeted on the morning of her big day, “Good morning world... I'm getting married today! Yay! Xo.”"

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It is hard to try to be funny when the real world offers up stuff like this

And A pony

OUR Walmart:

"We envision a future in which our company treats us, the Associates of Walmart, withrespect. We envision a world where we succeed in our careers, our company succeeds in business, our customers receive great service and value, and Walmart and Associates share all of these goals.

"

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Just One Wrong Paragraph out of many

Obama, Hitler, And Exploding The Biggest Lie In History - Forbes:

"In Argentina, everyone acknowledges that fascism, state capitalism, corporatism – whatever – reflects very leftwing ideology. Eva Peron remains a liberal icon. President Obama’s Fabian policies (Keynesian economics) promise similar ends. His proposed infrastructure bank is just the latest gyration of corporatism. Why then are fascists consistently portrayed as conservatives?"

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No serious person would toss that paragraph together and think that it makes sense. You really should go read the entire article to get the full experience of someone that manages to make Jonah Goldberg sound coherent.

QR Code Costume for Halloween

QR Code Costume: "But when I realized I could make a QR costume with just a giant white board and black paint, I had to try it.

"

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On The Upcoming Ontario Election Campaign

I have a sneaking suspicion it is going to be a nasty one.

Scott Lemieux on The result of a primary challenge to Obama

What’s the Point? : Lawyers, Guns & Money: "Let’s leave aside the specious Cleveland/Obama comparison and consider the strategy. OK, so following the analogy, if the primary challenge “works” according to plan we would get upwards of four decades of Rick Perrys, interrupted in the middle by a Democrat who makes Obama look like Olof Palme, and maybe one Republican warmonger who’s slightly less awful on domestic issues. And then in 36 years we’ll finally win with a president whose campaign has strikingly little in common with the candidate who won the primary challenge. I’d sure hate to see the downside of that self-refuting plan.

"

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On Self-Hating Workers

Balloon Juice » I believe in America: "I know where this self-hatred all comes from, it’s Galtian propaganda in defense of outsourcing and importing, and gutting unions and social programs. It’s depressing how
widely accepted this propaganda has become."

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What It Takes To Cover The IAAF World Championships

The IAAF 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea – How we won the story | Photographers: "Reuters team of 9 photographers, 3 editors, 5 processors and supporting technical staff are ready for the IAAF 2011 World Championships starting on August 27 in Daegu, South Korea. We will update this blog every day with the fresh selection of our TOP pictures and some interesting information about the Reuters Pictures operation at this event.

"

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Rahm How We Miss Thee

It's Past Time For Bill Daley To Step Down | Crooks and Liars: "With friends like Daley, who needs enemies? It's time for President Obama to admit that his strategy of trying to co-opt the right-wing with a pro-business Republican type like Daley was a mistake, ask for his resignation, and put someone in there who will at least manage to get some liberal messaging out of the White House. We don't have time to wait. The election may well hang on what Bill Daley's next failure is.

"

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John Cole on USPS

Balloon Juice » Paradigm Shift: "Folks, it is time for a paradigm shift. We need to stop thinking of those as losses, but the cost of a service. I have no idea why people have decided the Post Office needs to run like a business, with profits each year or be damned, but it is insane. This is a basic service that government can and should provide. And it is an amazing service. For the price of half a soda, you can mail anything you want, and in a day or two it gets there. EVEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. You can drop a letter in the mailbox in New York, get in the car and drive nonstop to California, and odds are the letter will beat you. I know we’re all in the age of the internet and expect everything instantly, but that’s still pretty amazing.

"

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Six habits of highly ineffective people - The Globe and Mail

Six habits of highly ineffective people - The Globe and Mail: ""It is strange how much you can get done when you aren't interrupted every fifth minute or have the opportunity to procrastinate by checking your inbox or Facebook," Mr. Edberg notes."

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Another reason Not to Read USA Today

Math tips for the rest of us | USA WEEKEND | usaweekend.com:

That raise actually might not be as good as it looks. The extra money is nice, but it could very well bump you into the next tax bracket, possibly leaving you with less money than you had before the raise. Better benefits, such as medical, can save you money while keeping you in the same tax bracket.

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Or at least a reason not to rely on them for financial planning advice.

And in case it isn't clear ... Tax brackets are MARGINAL rates which means that you cannot make less money after a raise than before unless there are other things involved. Basic math is a wonderful thing.

On Renting Guns

I drive by this place fairly often because we are addicted to shopping at Garden Ridge. I always thought that the "We Rent Guns" thing was more than just slightly strange and so I finally got up enough curiosity to go see what it was all about.

Turns out that it is just about being able to rent guns to use at the indoor range at the store. No weirder than the folks that go to the desert to shoot machine guns and the like.

Too bad, I was hoping there was some really fun story there.

Maybe Rick Perry Should Look Into this Instead of Prayer

Firing laser beams into the sky could make it rain, say scientists | Science | The Guardian: "That dream has now received a boost after researchers used a powerful laser to produce water droplets in the air, a step that could ultimately help trigger rainfall.

While nothing can produce a downpour from dry air, the technique, called laser-assisted water condensation, might allow some control over where and when rain falls if the atmosphere is sufficiently humid."

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Today's Word is callipygian

On The Basic Problem with CNBC and its brethren

The last Labor Day? - The Washington Post: "But we are now inundated with news (and “news”) about the world of capital. CNBC and the other financial media are for investors what ESPN is for sports junkies. We cheer the markets, learn the obscure language of hedge fund managers and get to know some of the big investors in off-field interviews. Workers are regarded as factors of production. At best, they’re consumers; at worst, they’re “labor costs” cutting into profits and the sacred stock price.

"

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On Matt Stoller's Piece

No More Mister Nice Blog: "But more to the point, what's the end result Stoller seeks? To get people talking seriously again about issues like labor? Why not try to accomplish that by ... talking seriously again about issues like labor? Why build a movement to support candidates who'll focus on issues -- why not just cut out the candidate part and try building a movement directly focused on those issues?
"

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On That Southern Heritage

Whenever I see someone flying a Confederate flag it should be remembered that what is being described in this song is a large part of the "Southern Heritage" that is being celebrated.

Fuck that and fuck you if you have ever used that as an excuse.

Cynical But Hard To Deny

Eschaton: Morning thought: "But if Obama loses, he gets to make speeches to rich people for a pile of money and maybe join the Carlyle Group or one of those other things that you get as a reward for making sure that no one saves your national economy.
"

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Zandar On Our Times

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Last Call: "It would be amusingly tragic if Kafka were sill around to write this play. And we're about to get exactly what we deserve.
"

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On How To Approach Celebrities

Life, Doctor Who & Combom: How Not to Introduce Yourself to Doctor Who's David Tennant, or Any Other Celebrity: "All in all, say hello to your childhood heroes. Greet your favorite actors. Ask them for an autograph—beg, even. Do your best to make an impression, because those will be your fifteen seconds of fame. But the next time you spot a celebrity, do not corner, grab, and harass them before sitting at your computer and recounting your adventure with pride.
"

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On Corn Eating

Personalities: Learn A Lot By Watching Someone Eat… | Bit Rebels: "One night after I ate a bowl of pistachios for dinner, I even created and published a test like this myself. It’s called Nut Personalities – Which Nut Are You? Today; however, it’s all about corn-on-the-cob. Did you know you can tell a lot about someone’s personality by how he or she eats corn? Oh my gosh, I laugh every time I look at this. [Designer: Pleated-Jeans]

"

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Tweet Of The Year - From @Shoq

Twitter / @Shoq: We don't need a revolution ...: "@Shoq
Shoq Value
We don't need a revolution. We need to fucking vote."

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On Apollo 18

Apollo 18 - Page 1 - Movies - New York - Village Voice: "It's a conspiracy theory-pandering film that merely reconfirms that most entries in the "found-footage" horror subgenre should remain lost."

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