Ruminations – 13feb17 (updated 14feb17)

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Ruminations – 13feb17 (updated 14feb17)

13 February 2017

George Rebane

Americans have always been told to keep their powder dry; well, the Democrats want you to let government take over that job.

Systemic unemployment, in conjunction with the Singularity a much discussed issue on these pages over the years, is now beginning to draw the attention of more and more analysts, commentators, and media outlets. A reader and correspondent picked up this piece from PJ Media that acknowledges (here) that the disappearing jobs (even for the middle class) will not be replaced by new jobs to re-employ the growing cohort of the permanently redundant.

[update] Mr George Boardman, our intrepid columnist in The Union, today echoes (here) the liberal line that longtime school choice advocate and now SecEd Betsy DeVos is “unqualified” for her new job; so unqualified in fact that progressive punks physically denied her access to a school she was scheduled to visit. But the real question for Mr Boardman is ‘If DeVos is an unqualified SecEd, what did all her qualified predecessors accomplish for America’s public education during the preceding decades?’ Take your time.

[14feb17 update] A passing note on retired Gen Flynn’s resignation. He did the right thing to resign. And he did the right thing to talk to his Russian contacts as a member of the duly elected incoming president’s team – such a conversation was neither a first in our history nor a violation of the Logan Act. And he was unbelievably foolish to lie to VP Pence about the affair; it was for that that he had to go.

Posted in Critical Thinking & Numeracy, Our World, Singularity Signposts

184 responses to “Ruminations – 13feb17 (updated 14feb17)”

Gregory

13 February 2017

Teacher’s salaries comes to mind. Here’s the top ten states for average salaries… from today’s Education Week.
The 10 states where teachers get paid the most:
1. Alaska: $77,843
2. New York: $76,593
3. Connecticut: $75,867
4. California: $72,050
5. Massachusetts: $71,587
6. New Jersey: $70,700
7. Rhode Island: $67,533
8. Maryland: $65,257
9. Illinois: $65,153
10. Virginia: $63,493

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Michael R. Kesti

13 February 2017

I can find no justification for a federal Department of Education.

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George Rebane

13 February 2017

MichaelK 200pm – Mr Kesti, clearly you are not trying hard enough. If all else fails, consult your friendly neighborhood progressive s/he’ll explain the matter to you 😉

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Don Bessee

13 February 2017

Hey Kesti, we agree! I saw that one of the guys arrested for obstructing her vehicle was an Afghan refugee. 😉

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Todd Juvinall

13 February 2017

DonB he was doing a job Americans don’t want to do.

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Todd Juvinall

13 February 2017

Trump plus 4.

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Scott Obermuller

14 February 2017

Systemic unemployment is something few wish to even mention.
It’s a lot like the coming freight train of under and un-funded govt and social liabilities. There is no happy cure and the results down the road will be disastrous for modern society as we know it.
A guaranteed income will probably be phased in as it is just a simplification of what we are doing already. The perverse twist to employing that sort of scheme is that it will cause even more unemployment in the social service sector. And once the permanent unemployment era begins to set in, it will feed on its self and cause a rapidly accelerating downward cycle. Less folks going to work mean less need for transportation, car sales, car repair, child care, uniforms and wardrobes for one’s job, etc. Anyone who thinks a large segment of the permanently unemployed (we need a modern acronym – PU is already taken) will blossom into creative flowers has a poor understanding of human nature. Sloth, crime and a general debasement of society will take hold.
On top of all of that cheery news, we have this to deal with as well:
https://www.rt.com/business/377307-jim-rogers-currency-control-cash/
Jim is hardly the first to predict this but this article is a nice summation for those not familiar with something that is already being implemented bit by bit. (unintended pun)
Once you ponder this future, it brings into focus quite sharply how idiotic most govt programs are. They cost billions or trillions and prepare for a future that will never be.
The only action by our govt that I’ve heard of that addresses this bright and sunny future is news that the military is shifting its focus more towards urban warfare and general unrest.
Cheers!

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George Rebane

14 February 2017

Re Flynn’s resignation etc – liberals really do have bad luck when they try to think. On this topic in the last Sandbox they keep getting the various orthogonal factors dealing with Flynn’s ‘resignation’ and Yates firing all mixed up. Flynn resigned because he lost the confidence of POTUS and VPOTUS. Yates was fired because she disobeyed a direct order from her boss. The subsequent factors are not established and will be revealed pursuant to ongoing investigations and planned litigation. Passing judgment on the direct precursors to these departures in no way implies the acceptance or rejection of any of the other TBD factors of the cases. Capice?

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

Paul Emery, sorry you are wrong on Logan. Ut is called “transition” and there were many people involved and many were talking to other countries leaders . Hit the job running. You are foolish to keep yapping your position.

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Just published by the New York Times 12 minutes ago. My goodness this is getting close
“WASHINGTON — Phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, according to four current and former American officials.
American law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time that they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, three of the officials said……….. ”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Carlos Slims NYT, Madam liar liar pantsuits on fires NYT. You must be transparent about these things, right PE? 😉

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Can you explain what you’re trying to say Don?

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rjohansonn

14 February 2017

The countdown to Trump’s impeachment has begun. 2 years max. The orange idiot is losing at every turn now and he’s flustered and not in control.
This is going to be fun to watch.

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

There is a gusher of leaks coming out of Washington right now Trump must think somebody upstairs doesn’t like him Just remember Nixon was brought down by FBI weeks specifically deep throat That was a trickle compared to this Fasten your seatbelt it’s going to be a rocky ride

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

That’s FBI leaks…….

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

That dementia must be acting up tonight eh PE @ 652? Carlos Slims NYT used to be known as the grey lady, now its known as madam liar liar pantsuits on onfire’s whore. No cred with real people anymore, its just a tool of the DNC that caters to safe space seeking snowflakes and anarchists. No wonder it has hemorrhaged advertising and had massive layoffs.
@655- Oh boy, comic stylings, it must be open mic night on RR! One handed claps all around. 😉

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

The NYT is almost as credible as a NOAA global warming report! 😉

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Don what you have is a major breakdown in security Information is gushing out of Washington don’t Underestimate the power of the press Trump doesn’t have many friends anywhere not even within fox news with the exception of Hannity and a couple of the other night time yappers
The implication of Trump campaign l staff communicating and working with Russian intelligence during the election is huge

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

I don’t have a breakdown in security, its your 0 dead ender zombies who are ripping out the drapes and carpet on the way out. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! cry the losers. Innuendo and BS are driving your teams last minutes in federal positons soon to be purged and downsized.
For a real topic, who heard about Secretary Tillerson’s comments at the Netanyahu dinner? Two state solution is not the solution to peace in the middle east. My God, someone who is willing to admit that the ‘palestinians’ refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist has got to end. 😉

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Well, if there was any question to as if there is a shadow government, that question has been answered. Somebody in the NSA tapping the Prez’s phone, leaking classified Intel to the press. Very coup like. Interesting, but all in all a slow news day.

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Bill
How can you be so naive. You were sure Flynn was not going to be dumped a couple of days ago.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Do not forget that the DOJ was under 0’s proxy control until they fired the insubordinate biatch which means FBI, NSA etc. all full of dead enders with axes to grind. 😉

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George Rebane

14 February 2017

rjohansonn 655pm – Does that mean that the president will be impeached by a Republican House? And then what, tried and found guilty by a Republican Senate?

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

Hey Paul Emery, are we at war with Russia? Were we at war last year? The year before?

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

Paul Emery, what are the laws governing the allegations you say the NYT makes?

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

Reading that “stellar” NYT story, all the people making the claims are anonymous. My goodness Paul Emery have you no shame. But here is the conclusion of these anonymous sources. Read the last line. So just more liberal media bullshit.
“American law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, three of the officials said. The intelligence agencies then sought to learn whether the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians on the hacking or other efforts to influence the election.
The officials interviewed in recent weeks said that, so far, they had seen no evidence of such cooperation.”

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

He’s not likely to be impeached George. Most likely he’ll quit. Word is he hates the job and he has very thin skin and has no skills to deal with the craft of government. He doesn’t have a clue what’s coming after him George, much like what Hillary warned Obama about in “07. I mean Trump didn’t even tell his VP Pense that Flynn lied to him for three weeks after he knew. That does not inspire loyalty and instead indicates chaos within the white House.
What we have is the beginning of a coup much like what happened with Nixon when he was left slowly twisting in the wind by his own party. His popular support is dropping at an alarming rate.
He’ll be out within two years that will give Pense time to solidify his position as a true Conservative President. In the Repubs favor is the total disarray of the Dems making them a very weak opposition party.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

MARK THE TAPE!

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Todd
“DEEP THROAT” was also an anonymous source as well and look what happened to Nixon.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Hey PE, did you hear that ICE is snatching up so called ‘dreamers’ ? What say you my friend? 😉

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Paul @ 7:48 pm.
Well Nancy, there he goes again. Paul, no, no, no! I said yesterday that before I could answer your “Yes or No, Yes or No, Yes or No” silly demand, I needed this story to play out for a couple of days before I could answer a premature “yes or no”. I needed to hear more information and hear two sides of a story, any story.
I was surprised that Flynn resigned last night and the story moved quicker than I anticipated. I also said if Flynn did a bad thing, then he will be gone. Lying is a bad thing, He is gone. Surprised he did not do the “I don’t remember, I do not recall, as best as I can recollect” song and dance that we always heard everytime from anyone close to the previous administration.
Flynn will be remember as the first one assisinated by the shadow government in 2017.
Still, all in all, very slow news day. Like watching the dam lower 3 inches an hour. Yawn.
Dr. Rebane: nice meme about the confused. Looking at Spreading Bull Lizzy, I can only say, “Talk about Cultural Appropriation!”

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Flynn also was interviewed by the FBI early on and denied speaking with the Russians about sanctions.
“Two law enforcement sources confirm that the FBI interviewed National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in the early days of the Trump administration about his conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, CBS News’ Pat Milton and Jeff Pegues.”
If he lied to the FBI all bets are off about what his future may be,

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Now PE is having flashbacks to his middle age in the Nixon admin, that must have been some bad ass LSD PE. 😉

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Is that the same Don Bessee that believed Measure W was going yo easily win?

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Ok, Flynn is gone. Basically, this story simply does not capture my interest. Some things do, other things do not.
What caught by interest a few days ago was every leftist publication (and to be redundant) as well as every MSM was foaming about Bannon and Kellyanne and anyone close to Trump. All of them are in the Alt-Left bedwetters’ sights. Site after site, same story. Even Brad popped over yesterday to repeat the mantra, but included Maddog Mattis to the list. Yo Brad, his new beloved name is The Warrior Monk. Rather spiritual, is it not?
So, I see Flynn as the first to go under the latest stomping of feet, pounding the spoons in the highchair, and chanting “Kill the Beast, Kill the Beast.” Pick ’em off one by one. Trump needs his wingmen to get it done. Much work to do and our President needs his team in place. So, Flynn is of interest, but not for the reason Paul is creaming his jeans over. Yo Paul, you got a few pearls on the corner of your mouth. Best wipe it with a napkin before heading out in public.
What concerns me is leaks that threaten our nation security, all for political gain. Any President should be able to talk with foreign leaders without having his phone bugged. Any and all Presidents. Put Sessions on it. Poor guy Sessions is stretched to the max cleaning up the corruption Obama put in place. This Swamp is huge. Draining it will bring all the knives out. It’s being played out. Still, a slow news day.

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

Yeah slow news day Bill. Tomorrow will be a gusher with little things like the Trump Campaign being in constant contact with Russian intelligence during the campaign. This is unraveling at such an alarming rate that it is hard to keep up with. I was gonna take a couple days off from this blog but the incompetence and arrogance of Trump and the Trumpettes has me working overtime.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

What a lame deflection from your pummeling on the facts, so was it a flashback or just a short term high that muddled you PE? 24 days and the 0 ‘legacy’ is floating down the sewer just like PE’s fantasies. No yo for yo PE. That’s as intellectually effective as yo mama. 😉

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Pace yourself Paul. It will all work out whether we follow the news or not. Taking a couple of days off will not change one thing concerning events we have no say over. Heck, I took a day off today (basically) and did not miss a thing. Felt good to watch my wildflower slope grow in such abundance. It will be a good year for flowers….and weeds. I like growing flowers. It’s kinda gay, but gives me great wonderment and awe at Creation.
Paul, never hurts to stop and smell the roses. Might refresh your fluids. You been putting your nose to the grindstone from dawn to dusk, then on into the night. You deserve a breather.
Oh, more on Flynn. From the Wa-Po
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/02/14/fbi-needs-to-explain-why-michael-flynn-was-recorded-gop-intelligence-chairman-says/?utm_term=.21d30f28b5f9

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Paul Emery

14 February 2017

I guess it was another Bessee that promoted Measure W as a final solution to the MJ problem. If you recall it was a total failure losing 60-40. Very embarrassing to the Sheriff, Board of Supervisors and the other Bessee. Sorry I confused you. I can appreciate how insulted you must feel to be compared to that weak thinker.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Gee Pe you keep teasing and promising to take time off from RR but you keep holding on like a sucker fish. What does doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome mean? 😉

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Paul @ 9:39 pm.
Yep, you best take a couple days off. Head to the ocean or up to the snow country. Maybe a nice drive to the desert.
Boy, you are getting cranky. That 9:29 pm of yours was pushing the envelop.
I was worried about you for the last few days as you were really getting more rummythan usual, but I never have seen you cranky. Very uncharacteristic of you, Mr. Emery. Strike that. You got real cranky when they were going to outlaw private parties with live music. Not the large private parties, just that gawd awful live music. Too bad this great area lacks good talent. Oh well. Now stop being cranky. Go play your mouth harp or something and refresh your bodily fluids. You need that break more than you realize. Odd how we are the last to know.

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Don Bessee

14 February 2017

Poor Pee’s memory is so selective now, to remind you PE, in that cycle my crew won in 6 of 7 County and municipal elections on the issue in CA. I do regret that I did not focus enough on my home county. Mea Culpa. That does not change your failures my old friend. 😉

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

Paul. When I’m feeling blue all I have to do is take a look at you, then I’m not so blue. Love ya, buddy. Our thoughts will be with you.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b3kXqlJhGuE

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rjohansonn

14 February 2017

The most important thing to remember is that Trump is losing, and losing bigly. He’s losing at all of him main campaign promises be it immigration or Obamacare. The mental illness he carries with him cannot tolerate that status in his mind. Ryan and McConnell hate him personally so they will bail when they see the Congress going blue. We are within weeks of that. So whether he is impeached or he quits within 2 years, doesn’t really matter. Michael Pence who is a real conservative will be finishing out the first term, that much we know.

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

No he is not losing. But the system alows the democrats to slow things down and golly after 20 days you would think he should have built the space program! The left and his detractors are cracking up. Either Trump is stupid they say or just not a politician or whatever dejour today. Schumer and the democrats are going to lose “big league” not biglee, and the R’s will govern for a generation.

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Todd Juvinall

14 February 2017

Paul Emery, you are cracking up. Imagine if you lefty commies put as much energy into something positive. You would own the country. But you just can’t help yourselves.

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

“that much we know.” Well, the mark the tape. I will put down rjohnansonn down as Trump not finishing the first of his two terms and….get this…”Congress going blue”, ROFLMAO! The Snowflakes are so adorable. This reminds me of a story I read about a young co-ed after Brexit. The young lassie was stunned and confused. She said, ” I have 6,000 friends on Facebook and no one supported Brexit. How did this happen?”
Congress turning blue. Best one of the week! Precious. Can you say “echo chamber” Good, I knew you could..

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Bill Tozer

14 February 2017

O rj., no worries. We hate Paul Ryan more than the voilent hate filled Alt-Left could ever image. And half of us don’t trust McConnell much. At least Mitch grew a pair and stood his ground on Obama’s wacky SOTUS pick. No biggie. Obama figured he would let Hillary fill the vacancy with his handpicked buttboy.. A nice gesture for the Coronated One. How did that work out?
Good job Mitch. You saved your job with that one. The Deplorables were eating chucks of raw meat with their claws and chanting “Ditch Mitch the Bitch, Ditch Mitch the Bitch” before he grew a pair. We ain’t your old fashioned Grand Ole Party. We be Irredeemables and piss on Snowflakes just t o watch them melt. Toodles puddle.
Going blue. Where do they these people, lo

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Gregory

15 February 2017

RJ 1002
Do you know Michael Anderson? He obsesses on some of the same themes.

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Gregory

15 February 2017

Toes 1034
Garland was a very qualified judge and would be a competent high court justice.
The problem the GOP had with him was the same problem Dems had with Bork… The Senate always considers judicial philosophy… which is akin to political philosophy… and they have every right to do so. And Garland would have changed the balance of the court in virtually the same amount as Bork, in the opposite direction.
Reagan ended up nominating Kennedy instead of Bork… A moderate replacement for a retiring moderate justice. Obama missed an opportunity to play chess instead of checkers… had he nominated Gorsuch himself he would have repaired much of the Bork animosities and removedwhat may have been the winning margin of victory from Trump… voters who did not want HRC picking justices.
I think Garland might still make it to the high court, the perfect replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsbergwhich would move to move the same amount and direction as Bork had he been confirmed… but how could dems trash him without being transparently hardball partisan?

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