dutch777
dutch777's JournalSo if MTG et.al. pull the trigger on motion to vacate...do Dems support Johnson or ???
As much entertainment as I gain from watching Repugs shoot themselves in the foot, repeatedly, I am not sure that another episode of GOP driven House drama serves any good purpose unless perhaps there is some high certainty that Hakeem Jeffries becomes speaker in short order. Perhaps GOP driven drama hurts them in November but there is also much harm to the country and our international standing with this idiocy. Thoughts?
Property insurance affordability crisis-- where does it end?
I just read an article that mentioned that Suze Orman, the finance guru, stated that she has a 2100 square foot condo on the beach somewhere in Florida. Her latest quote for property insurance was like $24,000 a year. The article was not completely explicit but I assume this is just her interior walls and finishes and contents. The rest of that assumption is the the condo association also has property insurance on the common building components-- basic structure, exterior envelope including windows, roof and skin and the site. Ms. Orman noted she thought that number was crazy and given recent trends in FL, if she were to file a claim the insurer would likely deny it. Being in a financial condition to do so, she was choosing to self insure.
So the question is, given FL and CA and other areas where repetitive property risks exist are having more and more insurers flee the markets or raise rates astronomically, where does this logically go? Assuming more rich folks opt to self insure, the insurance payment pool shrinks. With reports that those on the other end of the income spectrum also are opting out at their own risk, the payment pools that make insurance work shrink even more. Given mortgage lenders require property insurance coverage for homes they lend on, makes some very desirable but risky locales only for the rich. Seems like this is going to end badly for many who will find themselves in property they cannot afford to protect with insurance but maybe also can't sell at original value because buyers will be aware of the insurance trap present. And communities after a disaster could be left with heavily damaged properties that the owner will simply walk away from as they cannot afford repairs.
How is it Poland, Ukraine, etc. have excess grains to sell and there are millions starving in Africa?
It is constantly amazing with world bodies like the UN, WHO and others, that we can't figure this out to everyone's benefit. In the midst of Ukraine having to fight the Russians on every democracy's behalf it also has to fight trade battles with Polish, French and other farmers over how much and in what direction it can ship its grain to try and keep afloat financially. Just ludicrous!
Worrisome....seems my AI engine is getting bored. Asked it a straightforward question and it gives me this.
The ask was flight distance from Kyiv to St. Petersburg as I was curious what range the Ukrainian drones must have to be hitting targets that deep inside Russia. After telling me the answer in miles and Kilometers, the AI unprompted adds a paragraph that it would be the distance of 46,449 bananas laid end to end. Not sure I feel comfortable with AI going off on tangents uninvited if it has control of anything dangerous. No wonder people think self driving cars are a threat. I suppose next it will be explaining that banana length is not uniform and can be dependent on how straight or curved the banana is. Sheesh!
Oliver's $1mil/yr offer to Judge Thomas got me thinking. If he doesn't accept, does that mean he has a better offer...
...already in place? Of course, it would not be as crass and out in the open as Oliver's or in writing anywhere anyone could find it. Maybe just the book deal, the key note addresses and other speaking gigs and all expense paid trips all over with Ginni associated therewith. Probably some talking head work too.
Troubling polls. A post primary poll in NH is very worrisome.
I read a report that Reuters Ipsos conducted a poll that showed 67% of voters were "tired of the same candidates" for the Presidency on the ballot. Furthermore, and the part that worries and troubles me the most, is that 18% went on and said if Biden and Trump were the choices in the general election, they would choose to not vote. We had a similar issue in the family back when it was Clinton v. Trump and the brother in law, an airline pilot so not uneducated, noted that he could not pull the lever for either one and would sit it out on the Presidential question. My argument then and my point now is that the somewhat sad part about our or any democracy is that it does not always give us perfect choices BUT we voters, I think, have s duty to look at the possibly imperfect options presented and make the BEST of the choices for the country. My great sadness as a veteran and student of US history, is that the freedoms and democracy so many served, fought for and some died for is taken for granted and so many eligible voters just don't bother. I will always accept the outcomes of free and fair elections whether they go as I would like or not, but PLEASE America, vote!
Just read an article from Wednesday's Forbes about an idea to shore up SS by cutting retirement fund tax deductions
In so far as Forbes is rather RW I get where they are coming from. And to be fair the article clearly notes the downsides to the concept and that some lower income earners may be hurt. What ticks me off is somehow many seem to forget that SS payroll deductions stop for portions of wage earner income above about $168k. That cap, which goes up a bit every year, makes little sense. I wonder what the increased SS collection would be if that was removed? And what if some portion of say large capital gains was also taxed for SS? It still rankles me no end that every SS recipient has there SS payments subject to income tax, federal and some even by states. I would be fine with that for folks with high retirement income but so unfair to the less fortunate. Why not stop sending the Jeff Bezos sorts SS and stop taxing those so much less fortunate on their SS payments? I keep thinking there are some really no brainer fixes to some of these fiscal problems AND they would be highly popular proposals at election time for Dems and yet we don't see many new big ideas along these lines.
Just looked at the new anti climbing border wall prototype. Discouraging some maybe but certainly scalable
Not all folks trying to cross are young and fit so may well keep out the less athletic and those with babes in arms but I think a slightly resourceful 12 year old with some old rubber hose and rope could get over it. And in places where patrols are less I am sure erecting ladders or even scaffolding or tunneling under is not out the question. I really would like to have less illegal and undirected immigration, but I think unless we change the underlying reason people want to leave their home countries, the wall is just a speed bump on the issue.
If this were Russia, Weissellberg would be falling out of an upper window of Trump Tower about now.
Very interested to see how his perjury plea affects the various trials. My deepest conspiracy gene says maybe this was the "plan" to further help delay consequences. Hard to believe W would fall on a sword that hard for beloved Donnie but Trump World is bizzaro. Could be some secret Donnie promise to watch out for the wife and kids while he is away.
Wish I were independently wealthy to "buy" Melania out of her contract with Donnie.
There must be a $ number that would get her to seek her freedom. Then an arranged marriage with someone like Gavin Newsom or similar to make Donnie's head explode. Once can dream....
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Member since: Sun Dec 15, 2019, 05:48 PMNumber of posts: 3,001