POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

Gold-mine Sachs: are bonuses being paid in part on our nickels?

With quarterly earning reports coming in from many Wall Street firms, some are surprised by Goldman Sachs reporting their second best quarterly earnings ever, which also puts the firm on track to paying some of the highest bonuses ever.  This was all explained away by GS CFO David Viniar as being a result of the firms extraordinary ability to "focus".

He held back what most people at Goldman are thinking: "We really just don't care."

Why should they? The government, with its massive bailout and subsidization of Wall Street, has sent the message that public money will c over [sic] private losses if you happen to be a very large bank or traverse the right circle of powerbrokers.

Some folks are very skeptical of Goldman paying out large bonuses, especially in view of the back-stopping they enjoyed from the Federal Reserve during this tumultuous time.  While there are others, Matt Taibbi being one, that believe they had a much greater hand in this crisis, and may have engineered it for their profit.  So what is it, are these folks just playah-haters?  Should Goldman Sachs have shown a little more restraint, or at least discretion, in paying bonuses on this years "harvest"?  Or are they as crooked as Taibbi's reportage leads one to believe..?

We rport, you decide.

Rocketman

Pass the dutchie from the left hand side…

The DOJ is issuing new guidelines today telling federal prosecuters and agents that they should no longer go after people who either use or distribute medical marijuana in strict accordance with their particular state's guidlines. 

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.

A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

So it seems like this is one campaign promise by Obama that didn 't come with an expiration date.  One that will make both medical marijuana advocates happy as well as those who see the enforcement of anti-drug laws to be inherently racist.  I personally don't know what to make of it.

For me it satisfies the need to respect state's rights as well as lifting what many libertarians feel is a useless prohibition against a soft narcotic that they feel is no more dangerous than alcohol.  And, in the states listed it may go a long way to stemming in part criminals profiting off of it's sale.  On the other hand, it has already been demonstrated that the law has been twisted gratuitously in California, where folks can easily get a doctor to write them prescriptions based on complaints of "migraine headaches" and other minor maladies.  Also, there has also been documented cases of people addicted to harder drugs procuring a prescription, as selling "nickel bags" to young people in order to underwrite the habits.  It is a vexing question.

About all I can say is that based on the list of the states permitting it's use, I shouldn't have been so quick to move away from Maryland.  After all, I'm sure I feel a migraine coming on...

UPDATE: Dr. Reynolds weighs in on his out-of-the-ordinary agreement with Glenn Greenwald on this matter, and wonders whether the support of state's rights will be honored by liberals on other issues.  Also, from Gallup, support for legalization of marijuana is at an all time high !  I can hear Bob Marley's melifluous voice; "Legalize it, don' criticize it..."

Rocketman

PeonCare for You

Via Gateway Pundit (at his new location), from Townhall:

Personal doctors on call 24/7. Coverage that knows no caps. No exemptions for pre-existing conditions.

Those are the sorts of benefits members of Congress currently enjoy on the taxpayer’s dime, and the kinds of benefits Americans on a government-run public health care plan will never see if Obamacare passes.

“One thing is certain: Congress will exempt itself from whatever lousy health care system it forces on we little people,” said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute. “Congress will get better insurance than you do because politicians always get a better deal under government-run health care.”

And about the NHS:

THE National Health Service has spent £1.5m paying for hundreds of its staff to have private health treatment so they can leapfrog their own waiting lists.

More than 3,000 staff, including doctors and nurses, have gone private at the taxpayers' expense in the past three years because the queues at the clinics and hospitals where they work are too long.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information act show that NHS administrative staff, paramedics and ambulance drivers have also been given free private healthcare. This has covered physiotherapy, osteopathy, psychiatric care and counselling - all widely available on the NHS. [....]

So, you know . . . suck it.

Politicians don't claim their assets? Let them refile. Hell, let them keep their chairs. Get sweetheart deals on their mortgages? Who needs investigations? They're above the law; why would you expect them to have the same kind of health care coverage as is good enough for you?

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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The Enormous Emptiness

For Enoch, it's the gaping hole left by his friend, James. See below. And the news came in this weekend that there's yet another death in that particular saga. All of the published accounts contain the statement that Ray's attorneys are cooperating fully with the investigation, though Ray himself chose not to give a statement to police at the time of James Shore and Kirby Brown's deaths.

Then there was the Balloon Boy story that dominated so much of the news at the end of the week, and has been held up as a metaphor for the inanity of the news. There's something to that, too.

Shepard Fairey has come out and admitted that the AP were correct all along regarding the origins of his iconic Obama image, and that, further, he destroyed and covered up evidence as part of his campaign seeking damages from the AP. There's nothing new about this, either. Al Sharpton is demanding a retraction from Rush Limbaugh for libels he claims have been aimed at him. That's rich. But the fabrication of the empty sign that is O cannot be performed without the participation of vacuous morons such as these. And the proximate source of the racist libels attributed to Limbaugh cannot reveal his sources at the advice of legal counsel, though we now know that the IP responsible for the tactical dissemination of the quotes on the web is assigned to a sports law firm with strong liberal connections operating out of NYC. The reaction in many quarters, such as at LGF, has been to invoke the empty sign of "false but accurate."

David Thompson cites an especially egregious example of the philosophical idea that perception is everything:

Like McIntosh and Butler, Elliott’s formulation of guilt is presumptive, unilateral and based on a conviction that “white ignorance is the problem.” (A problem that “we white folks have now managed to export… all over the world.”) Thus, guilt is framed as a collective phenomenon and effectively a function of a person’s pigmentation. So no racism there, clearly. Bearing in mind how “perception is everything” and what that entails, it seems unlikely that realistic argument will be encouraged or looked on kindly. And those who happen to have pale skin and who are unfortunate enough to fall within Elliott’s influence may not wish to be held hostage by any passing opportunist or liar with a grudge.

That seems to be the game that the administration played with Fox News Channel today, yet again, as it dispatched Rahm Emanuel (made wealthy by sitting on Fannie Mae board of directors during financial scandal) and Astroturf King Axelrod to the Sunday chat shows to opine that, because it has a perspective, Fox doesn't report news. One might say that in an administration where a spokesperson feels comfortable nominating Mao as one of her favorite political philosophers, there is a variety of bias as well.

Meanwhile, Roger Ailes appears to have said, in effect, "You fight your war, and I'll fight mine." I think he got that from Lee Atwater.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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James Arthur Ray vs Enoch “the Avenger” Root

James Arthur Ray has never had the pleasure of meeting me. But he will come to know my name quite well.

I am known by many names among those who have had the distinct displeasure of tasting the sting of my blade. And none has bested me to date.

On October 8th of this year James Arthur Ray and I made a date for destiny. Due to his negligence, my very best friend, childhood companion, and business partner - my spiritual companion and brother on this Pilgrim's Road, lost his life.  Due to his negligence, Alyssa lost her soul mate. Due to his negligence, James's three children lost their father. Due to his negligence, my second mother, Jane, lost her middle son and the surviving siblings lost their brother.

Now that James' memorial service has passed - it was a beautiful send-off - attended by 300 or so of James and Alyssa's closest friends - I will turn my attention toward Justice.

Mr. Ray will find that I am a very adept tactician. He will find that I am relentless in my insistence on Justice. He will find that he will be no match for me. He will find that the harder he resists restoring cosmic equilibrium as it relates to the lives he has altered, the more painful will be the recompense exacted.

I can tell you that James Shore had no fear. I have no fear. And I can tell you that among the facets of yours truly that James Shore found most endearing is my tenacity. And my insistence on Justice. Where others may shy from going into battle, I rather savor it. And, the nastier the foe, the better.

James Shore was a loving and reasonable man. He was a peaceful man - who desired peace. But he was no hippie. He was no push over. And he never knuckled down to anyone. And when push came to shove, he was as nasty a brawler as I have ever met. Now he is not at my shoulder. He is not at my side as enemy lines approach. He is not standing at the threshold of his family's home - nor is he at their hearth. He is not here to comfort his mother. He is not here to attend family gatherings. He is not here on the other end of the phone for his sister and brother. He is not here as the Godfather of my youngest, Declan. He is not here to encourage friends. He is not here to raise a glass. He is not here with his snarky comments, his incredible laugh, his smirk, his Wisdom.

James Arthur Ray does not know my name yet. But he will. And he would be better to check himself in to the nearest cloister than to remain in this ring with me. James Arthur Ray will be called upon to reestablish the equilibrium he has upset. He will be called upon to make my brother's family whole. And he will be called upon to face himself. And he will be called to account. To atone for the damage his negligence has caused.

James Arthur Ray - I am your worst fucking nightmare.

Yours,

Enoch

Enoch_Root

AKA. Bobby Donn Brubaker (the most popular man in Mesa, AZ), the Umbrella of Terror, Jack Ketch.

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More Blegging

But before I do, a big thanks to the following:

Thor
Tim Collins
Darcy
Mr. Bingley
Stephen Nelson
Laura Nicholson

Now, then. Because I haven't been able to rent the space we've got here, and because I'm no longer working for St. Michael's College, though I am working for The B-Cast, I really fell behind in payments to a number of folks. I know that this is an increasingly common story, but with regard to my landlords, it's a problem, because I don't want to move out of here, particularly at this time of year, and I don't want to freeze to death, either.

So, if you can kick something in, it would be much appreciated. And while I'm on the subject, although James is gone, SunAnt.com remains. So, if you know anybody who needs web hosting--and their services are both thorough and reasonably priced--please do let us know.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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Sorry If I Rub You The Wrong Way

I'm a massage therapist. I went to school for it. I took a national exam to get certified even though not all states require certification. I decided to become a massage therapist after receiving the most horrible, painful massage of my life. Wyoming doesn't require anything to do massage, which I didn't know at the time. But I figured I would learn how to do it right, give the best massages ever, and as a result have tons of clients, make tons of money, and be super happy!

I learned how to do massage properly. I give the best massage ever (humbly speaking). I still don't have clients and I'm broke.

I never anticipated that people might enjoy horrible massages.

Whenever I get a new client, before we begin the massage I tell them that nothing I do should be painful or uncomfortable so they need to tell me if something is. To date, no one has had to speak up. I've had several people fall asleep on the table. I've had some clients tell me that was the most relaxing thing they've ever experienced. And not to toot my own horn, but a very experienced massage recipient flat out told me, "That was the best massage I've ever had."

However, I also had a client, still drowsy from her massage, tell me, "You just don't hurt me enough." I told her that massage isn't supposed to hurt but she apparently didn't believe me.  I had a client who said, "Oh, I only go to two massage therapists in town. You and ---. I go to her when I want something a little harder on my neck." I was speechless-the woman has fusions in her neck and low back. But I guess pushing really hard on a client's fused cervical vertebra makes perfect sense. Another lady comes in for "deep tissue", which I don't do and she still enjoys the massage, so I'm wondering if she actually knows what deep tissue is. She has osteopenia and I worry about the day she requests a deep tissue massage from someone who actually does it. I had a classmate who was a deep tissue fan and he left bruises on people; not to exaggerate but someone like that could break this woman's bones.

I thought maybe it was just a small-town thing. Maybe years of having uneducated therapists just conditioned everyone to painful, detrimental massages and my style would be appreciated elsewhere. So I went to a neighboring state and was offered a "practical interview" which just means I had to give the owner a massage. I was excited about this particular job because the place had a great reputation and was also the only place in the state to accept insurance; I figured if many of the clients were rehabbing from injuries, my non-painful massage would be just what they were looking for.

A few minutes into the massage, the owner said, "Can you go any harder?" I said, "Um, I suppose..." She said, "Because our clients would be like, 'What the heck is this?'" I was offended and almost asked if she wanted me to just end the interview right there, but I hate being broke so I continued. She started telling me about her multiple back surgeries and the rods in her back. And the herniated disks in her neck-"I just haven't gotten around to doing anything about them." I finished the interview but decided I didn't want to work for a woman who wanted me to push harder on areas of injury.

I'll admit, some days I've wondered if maybe I don't know what I'm doing. Maybe pain is where it's at. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this. But the last time I thought maybe I should give up, I worked on a client who was visiting town and had received massages all over the country. She told me, "Whatever you do, don't quit. You have a gift and it would be such a waste to throw that away."

So that's my story. It's not that exciting but it's true. So if you're ever through Wyoming and you want the best massage everâ„¢ just let me know.

...and no, no happy endings. But that's a post for another time.

Falahime

Falahime Blah blah blah, Wyoming, blah blah, massage therapist, details cars, used to sell beer, blah blah, hunts big game. That’s about all there is to me; I’m pretty simple.

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Speaking of Bubbles . . .

I hear heads exploding:

The role of the FHA is particularly difficult to fit into the narrative that the left has been selling. While it might be argued that Fannie and Freddie and insured banks were profit-seekers because they were shareholder-owned, what can explain the fact that the FHA—a government agency—was guaranteeing the same bad mortgages that the unregulated mortgage brokers were supposedly creating through predatory lending?

The answer, of course, is that it was government policy for these poor quality loans to be made. Since the early 1990s, the government has been attempting to expand home ownership in full disregard of the prudent lending principles that had previously governed the U.S. mortgage market. Now the motives of the GSEs fall into place. Fannie and Freddie were subject to "affordable housing" regulations, issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which required them to buy mortgages made to home buyers who were at or below the median income. This quota began at 30% of all purchases in the early 1990s, and was gradually ratcheted up until it called for 55% of all mortgage purchases to be "affordable" in 2007, including 25% that had to be made to low-income home buyers.

*******

The significance of the FHA's troubles is that this agency had no profit motive. Yet it dipped into the same pool of subprime and other nontraditional mortgages that the GSEs and Wall Street were fishing in. The left cannot have it both ways, blaming the private sector for subprime lending while absolving the government policies that created the demand for subprime loans. If the financial crisis was caused by subprime mortgages and predatory lending, the government's own policies made it happen.

After the worst quarter for foreclosures ever, some economists are predicting that the foreclosure rate may peak toward the end of 2010, and this morning Bank of America posted losses of $2.4 billion. What's the solution? Expand the CRA, naturally.

While we're on the subject of teh natural, I just thought I'd mention my favorite lake to enunciate, Lake Titicaca.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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H8t3R-Gate/Boobiepalooza/Real or Fake?

WHAT??? What are you looking at? Seriously people. This is just my chest and me at home. Why are you staring? Leave me alone, I'm just having fun. Stalkers. All of ya.

Certain sublimely ridiculous events of this past week have tied themselves together rather miraculously. It's been pretty exciting, not gonna lie. After all, on Tuesday I did promise to talk about this, so here we go.

Sunday: Boob drama.  Someone I follow on Twitter has a lovely avatar (that is very tasteful) featuring a side view of her chest. This happens to be something several people are doing at the moment in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fine, right? No. A brouhaha begins when another female Twitterer starts mocking these faceless girls showing only their breastesses. When all was explained to the mocker, she continued the attacks.

Tuesday: Celebrity boob drama! also, Real or Fake? January Jones is the gorgeous cover feature of GQ this month, and the internetz erupt with speculation! Are they real? Is it just normal magazine photoshopping magic? This is important, they did a study. Oh yeah, there's also this study.

Wednesday: Boobie meltdown! Twitter threats! Big Bazongas! Hump day was a special day for Meghan McCain. Via Twitter, she a) puts down Allahpundit of Hot Air (for like the zillionth time--I could talk about the history here, but that's material for a whoooole other post),  b) decides to have a "spontaneous night in", c) posts a demure picture of said activity, d) is super hurt by strangers' comments about the picture, and e) threatens to cancel her Le Twit account because of the "harassment". I won't go into too much philosophical detail since this has been covered by everyone from MTV to the Christian Science Monitor (Perez Hilton even filed it under "pHOtos"), but I stand by the belief that she got exactly what she wanted. Her publicists and agents are ecstatic, I can assure you. My thoughts are pretty much encapsulated under the photo above, also RS McCain covered it fantastically.

Brief story time: I went to college (a small music conservatory where everyone knew each other pretty intimately) with a girl who kind of reminds me of Meghan. She was childish, bratty, extremely beautiful, and had GIGANTIC breasts on a very small frame. This girl had a small group of protective friends who would comfort her every time she would burst into tears from someone "staring at her chest". Even though she often wore beyond tight, near see-through tops, we weren't supposed to look. No one really said anything to her face, it was simply the act of noticing that would send her into a crying fit. Don't feel too bad for her though. Midway through undergrad she became a stripper and made massive amounts of money. Between the money and the crying, she was pretty much a genius. Crying = attention! Stripping = attention! (and dollars). It was a well-known fact, not something she hid at school or anything. When classmates would "accidentally" show up at the strip club to see her perform, she'd have a fit and make them swear to secrecy they wouldn't tell anyone else what she did outside of school! The memories of her pouty, victim-y face SO reminds me of Ms. McCain.

No Meghan. Cleavage doesn't make you a slut. Sluttiness makes you a slut! Someday, when you and I hang out here in NYC, I can tell you REAL slutty stories. Because I have a lot of them. I think they'd even shock a big-boobied, tattooed, leather-wearing, name-calling Republican young woman like yourself.

WAIIIIT! I can't forget Balloon Boy! He was the Thursday event. Falls into the category of Real or Fake? too. Get it? Fake boobs = balloons? har har har.

And Friday brings us yet another lively tome from our heroine. I am crazy-ultra impressed by her use of the term Sturm und Drang, I must say. It's something we talk about almost every day where I work, and there she goes and uses it to talk about bewbie-dramatics.

Breasts and Balloons shall Unite teh World! As well as awesomely awesome Twitter-feuds that entertain us (though predictably wimp and fizzle out like--- well, like something impotent).

Until next week, here's a parting present: a tribute to "appreciative" men everywhere.

Dahlhalla

Dahlhalla is a professional troublemaker and classical musician living in New York City. Schooled in Seattle (with Liz Mair), and college-d in San Francisco (where she played with the Grateful Dead once, no joke). She truly lives the plots of several telenovellas on a daily basis. Yeah. Just ask any anonymous blogger you know. Currently dating her way through the former Bush Administration, Dahlhalla is gathering enough material to hopefully post more than once every other month. But until then…OMG SHOES.

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