This is boatbuilder's Typepad Profile.
Join Typepad and start following boatbuilder's activity
boatbuilder
Recent Activity
As to RG and his "sources:" Quite some time ago he assured all of us repeatedly that James Comey was the white hat guy who was going to make all our 4D dreams come true.
RG is a good guy who means well. His sources suck.
Sunday Afternoon
Spring forward. Carefully.
Thank you for this, TM.
Like all of us I have been thinking a lot about our great good friend "daddy" over the past few days. I know I already miss him terribly.
I had the pleasure of meeting Robert at the Sturbridge JOM met-up at Jane's place. I think I was a little concerned that he would be a blowhard and dominate things--as anybody who has met him knows, I couldn't have been more wrong. In person he was the same engaging and relentlessly upbeat guy we all know from this blog, with a unique gift for actually listening to and being interested in what others have to say. I suppose that is one of the things that made him such a splendid storyteller.
I imagine that his fellow Fedex pilots clamored to have him as a co-pilot on those long flights, when he could fill the hours with fascinating accounts of ancient Sumeria, Indian pro cricket cheerleaders, civil war generals, Alaskan moose adventures and the voyages of The Beagle.
It occurs to me that although this is a political blog and we all know where daddy stood on things, very few of his comments were political--his infectious fascination with the world and with the people he met shines through.
I am truly sorry I never got to do a pub-crawl with him. Although I did share some of his unpronounceable single malt with him at Jane's, I never got the impression that he was a heavy or hard drinker--it seems to me that bars were places to meet and talk with interesting people, and a pint of beer or a nip of whiskey was the means to that end.
Despite his one great character flaw of being a Tar Heel fan, I will remember him always as a true friend. I will cherish forever his optimism, humor and genuine good cheer.
Godspeed, Old Friend.
In Memoriam
JOM Regular "daddy" was at a JOM meet-up in the Greatest City in the World last Saturday. As folks here know, he passed away last week. His final post: Good Evening! Great meet-up yesterday with Peter and the 2 Jim's. Met Peter first at the Strand and really had a ball prowling the stacks with h...
Sales of Confederate flags and MAGA hats must be booming in Crown Heights. Right?
All Hate Matters
As an alternative to denouncing the anti-Semitism in front of them The Democratic Clown Car Convoy denounces all sorts of hateful hate. This dilution of a denunciation of anti-Semitism drew bi-partisan criticism: The resolution states that “whether from the political right, center or left, bigot...
Mad Jack asks that I pass along his heartfelt condolences to daddy's family and all of his good friends here.
The Center-Left Flees The Field
Ross Douthat on the collapse of the center left. He makes a good point: The Rubinomics "center-left" focused on economics issues, such as trade, tax reform and health care but unlike Bill Clinton were silent on cultural issues. Ross barely mentions the great trainwreck of the day, which has also...
RIP old friend.
The Center-Left Flees The Field
Ross Douthat on the collapse of the center left. He makes a good point: The Rubinomics "center-left" focused on economics issues, such as trade, tax reform and health care but unlike Bill Clinton were silent on cultural issues. Ross barely mentions the great trainwreck of the day, which has also...
ThinkProgress published a blog post titled “Why Immigration Is the Hole in Bernie Sanders’ Progressive Agenda.” The senator, it argued, was supporting “the idea that immigrants coming to the U.S. are taking jobs and hurting the economy, a theory that has been proven incorrect.”
The idea that this "theory" could possibly be proven incorrect is one of the many problems with the "science" of economics (or maybe just the practice of "journalism") today. Either immigrants are getting jobs (and therefore taking jobs) or they are not (and therefore they are burdening our social support system). It is possible (and seems likely in the current Trump economy) that at times there are enough new job opportunities being created by the economy and filled by immigrants to create a net benefit to the overall economy, but unless everybody who has a job is in no danger of losing it or not getting a raise or not getting the better job that they would like to have, the "theory" is pretty much a statement of an obvious truth.
The Center-Left Flees The Field
Ross Douthat on the collapse of the center left. He makes a good point: The Rubinomics "center-left" focused on economics issues, such as trade, tax reform and health care but unlike Bill Clinton were silent on cultural issues. Ross barely mentions the great trainwreck of the day, which has also...
I would like to compliment DaveinMA on his "repurposing" of the Crafty Beaver hardware outfit as a moniker for the subject of TM's current post.
Which Ethnic Stereotypes Are Acceptable?
Kamala Harris joked about her Jamaican heritage when asked about marijuana legalization in a recent interview. Progressives did NOT pounce. Conservatives pounced on her drug-induced time travel, since she seemed to claim she was listening to music released in the early 90's while in college in t...
That Kirsten Powers "apology" was singularly "lacking in grace.
And why the hell bring black teenagers into it? There weren't any black teenagers involved (The behavior of the black "adults" is another issue, I suppose). Is there some recent instance of the entire national media, powerful public figures, and Hollywood condemning and vilifying black teenagers for being insufficiently polite to a strange old man behaving strangely?
Bernie And Bloomberg
Bern, baby Bern is in the Dem 2020 race. Mike Bloomberg may be dialing up his contemplation. As to Bloomberg's prospects, is the nation ready for a brash self-made New York billionaire?
I don't know if this answers your question, Pin. But it seems to be related. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgYbogp1Ha0
Jussie Smollett Meltdown
Not everyone is surprised by this slow trainwreck coming: Police sources: New evidence suggests Jussie Smollett orchestrated attack Unless I've missed an update we are still in the "Sources Say" phase, but it's hard to see how Smollett explains this away. Now, a Frequently Unasked Question: Smol...
Can anyone point me to the last time--hell, to any time--a Democrat was subjected to "hard hitting questions" on "60 Minutes?" They have as much credibility as WaPo.
Did they ask McCabe the Big Question that should have been obvious to anyone following the McCabe odyssey--pro, con, or indifferent: "What was the 'insurance policy' that Page and Strzok discussed in your office?"
If not (and I suspect not, at least on the air) they have no business calling themselves "journalists."
Jussie Smollett Meltdown
Not everyone is surprised by this slow trainwreck coming: Police sources: New evidence suggests Jussie Smollett orchestrated attack Unless I've missed an update we are still in the "Sources Say" phase, but it's hard to see how Smollett explains this away. Now, a Frequently Unasked Question: Smol...
Gillebrand seems a little classier than Kamala.
Damning with very faint praise, indeed.
Jussie Smollett Meltdown
Not everyone is surprised by this slow trainwreck coming: Police sources: New evidence suggests Jussie Smollett orchestrated attack Unless I've missed an update we are still in the "Sources Say" phase, but it's hard to see how Smollett explains this away. Now, a Frequently Unasked Question: Smol...
The idea that whatever it is that Roger Stone is supposed to have done is somehow illegal or even improper in a supposedly free political system, in a country with a First Amendment making freedom of speech the paramount value, is absolutely absurd.
And the fact that he hasn't been charged with "collusion," but is having his life destroyed by being charged with allegedly lying about communications which are not illegal, is a travesty.
And MSNBC and CNN, companies which exist because of the First Amendment, ought to be screaming 24/7 about the travesty instead of cheerleading repression. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. If they had any capacity for shame, which they don't.
Amazon's Now Abandoned Special Deal Not So Special
Amidst the rhetoric around the abandoned Amazon deal do let me note this - most of the incentives and tax breaks Amazon was offered are available to any qualifying company that moves to New York and/or creates jobs there. These were 80's era tax incentive programs intended to boost New York city...
"Nothing to be alarmed about, Lovie dear, but the accountants say we have to move to Switzerland. But only on paper. Since we haven't been to our place in Zurich for a while it works out nicely."
Away We Go
I had high hopes for a real eye-opener on taxing the rich, but it hinges in part on whether you think Bill Gates is even more knowledgeable on this topic than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: For practical reasons, Bill and Melinda Gates don't want lawmakers to get bogged down in arguments about the to...
As they say, Clarice, "read the whole thing."
Howie seldom disappoints. He understands Alinsky-Ridicule is a very powerful weapon. https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/02/09/howie-carr-aoc-aint-a-ok/
Oh, THAT Green New Deal!
Jeff Stein and Journolister David Weigel of the WaPo deliver a hard-hitting apologia for the botched roll-out of the New Green Deal and the accompanying FAQs from Team AOC. All that's missing is "Republican's pounced!" [Thanks to the NY Times, its no longer missing.] Real journalists might have ...
Apparently the grownup Dems have figured out that Ed Markey is the smart one in the Markey/Ocasio-Cortez "Green New Deal" team. That the grownup Dems seem to be correct in their assessment is not comforting.
I have raised guppies smarter than Ed Markey.
Some vintage Howie Carr: "Her co-sponsor on this preposterous attempt to plunge the economy back into the Stone Age is Sen. Ed Markey, “Mr. Frosty,” whose last job in the Dreaded Private Sector was driving an ice-cream truck in Malden in 1968. Of Mr. Frosty, Silber’s pal Billy Bulger used to say, “To a battle of wits, he comes unarmed.”"
Needless to say, nothing has changed when it comes to Mr. Frosty – or AOC."
Oh, THAT Green New Deal!
Jeff Stein and Journolister David Weigel of the WaPo deliver a hard-hitting apologia for the botched roll-out of the New Green Deal and the accompanying FAQs from Team AOC. All that's missing is "Republican's pounced!" [Thanks to the NY Times, its no longer missing.] Real journalists might have ...
Henry--"bearded Cruz universe." HAH!
Oh, THAT Green New Deal!
Jeff Stein and Journolister David Weigel of the WaPo deliver a hard-hitting apologia for the botched roll-out of the New Green Deal and the accompanying FAQs from Team AOC. All that's missing is "Republican's pounced!" [Thanks to the NY Times, its no longer missing.] Real journalists might have ...
On the subject of the thread:
Section 15 of the Constitution of The State of Connecticut ("The Constitution State") reads, in its entirety, as follows:
"Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms in defense of himself and the state."
No ambiguity. No "militia" language. And yet...
Taxing My Patience And My Practice Time
A Connecticut state legislator has introduced a bill (House Bill (HB) 5700) taxing ammunition, with the goal of reducing gun violence: A Connecticut state representative is proposing a 50-percent tax increase on ammunition, breaking new ground in the gun control debate. ... “Currently ammunition...
Or 3 points...
Super Sunday!
So, did anything happen yesterday? I was watching the press exhibition by embattled Governor Northam and thought I had tuned in to the longest cold open in the history of Saturday Night live. Eugene Volokh is his calm and sensible self on the question of long-past misbehavior. His respondents at...
OK, 6 points.
Super Sunday!
So, did anything happen yesterday? I was watching the press exhibition by embattled Governor Northam and thought I had tuned in to the longest cold open in the history of Saturday Night live. Eugene Volokh is his calm and sensible self on the question of long-past misbehavior. His respondents at...
Anybody predict in September that the Patriots would win the Super Bowl by holding the Rams to 3 points?
Super Sunday!
So, did anything happen yesterday? I was watching the press exhibition by embattled Governor Northam and thought I had tuned in to the longest cold open in the history of Saturday Night live. Eugene Volokh is his calm and sensible self on the question of long-past misbehavior. His respondents at...
Mom2--My heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
Super Sunday!
So, did anything happen yesterday? I was watching the press exhibition by embattled Governor Northam and thought I had tuned in to the longest cold open in the history of Saturday Night live. Eugene Volokh is his calm and sensible self on the question of long-past misbehavior. His respondents at...
What the hell, MM?--it's far from clear that those are the same pants (which were regrettably somewhat popular back in the day) . A photo of somebody wearing plaid pants at another time proves absolutely nothing, and seems like an unfair basis to drag the other guy into this.
Super Sunday!
So, did anything happen yesterday? I was watching the press exhibition by embattled Governor Northam and thought I had tuned in to the longest cold open in the history of Saturday Night live. Eugene Volokh is his calm and sensible self on the question of long-past misbehavior. His respondents at...
Northam is looking for the guys in the photo.
And OJ is still looking for the real killer.
So, Was The Governor of Virginina in Blackface, Or The KKK Robes?
Hard to see Gov. Northam of post-birth abortion fame surviving this blackface/KKK yearbook debacle. Having a nickname of "Coonman" isn't likely to help. If he wants to quietly resign, the Super Bowl is a great distraction. Of course, that means he has to hang on until Sunday evening.
I don’t think there is anything morally wrong with Northam using shoe polish to make himself look like Michael Jackson in the 80’s.
After all, Michael worked pretty hard to make himself look like Ralph Northam.
So, Was The Governor of Virginina in Blackface, Or The KKK Robes?
Hard to see Gov. Northam of post-birth abortion fame surviving this blackface/KKK yearbook debacle. Having a nickname of "Coonman" isn't likely to help. If he wants to quietly resign, the Super Bowl is a great distraction. Of course, that means he has to hang on until Sunday evening.
OK--that is one wild and crazy neighborhood:
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/roger-stone-arrest-witnessed-by-chad-ochocinco-johnson-in-fort-lauderdale-11060667
Top US Marginal Tax Rate Over Time
So what was the top marginal tax rate in the 70s? C'mon, everyone knows that Reagan cut the top tax rate to 50% in 1981! But what I for one did not know was that the Tax Reform Act of 1969, most famous for creating the AMT, lowered the top rate on Earned Income to 50%, leaving it at 70% for divi...
More...
Subscribe to boatbuilder’s Recent Activity