Howard and Bernie are quite onely. I sent Bernie a tenner. "No act of resistance is wasted."
Anybody hear any news from Renee and Demetrius? I see where Ohio got clobbered by a blizzard.
Thought I was going to have to go to court in Oroville tomorrow (a solid four hours' drive each way in good weather, and it is probably raining all the way. I won't be needed, though. Yesterday (it's still Tuesday here) I helped a vocational nurse who *was* driving (not badly to speak of) while sleep deprived but was being tried for driving under the influence of drugs. (The cop pulled her over for obeying the speed limit, and she was obviously drowsy.) The prosecutor and the criminalist from the state Department of "Justice" laboratory were doing their best to railroad her, but the jury didn't buy it. Yes, she *was* taking several medicines as directed by her doctors and a couple of over the counter remedies, but there was zero evidence that she was abusing them. The DOJ lab did not serve the prosecutor (or anyone else) well, but that is hardly news. How do such people sleep at night? I did have a "first:" when the prosecutor asked me how much I was being paid and I didn't give him a big amount he went on about how experts typically charged much more and vociferously challenged my sworn testimony about my compensation, accusing me in not quite so many words of perjury. First time my integrity has been challenged in court for billing too little! Made me feel like a mensch, it did. But the guy was getting awfully desperate; the case should never have been brought. NOT GUILTY.
Here's a sweet story about my friend Barbara welcoming her daughter home from Afghanistan! http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=13674809
Barbara and her husband Charlie are both ordained pastors. Barbara is semi-retired now, having survived cancer in 2009. This family has been through sooo much, and they are all graceful, sweet people.
Renee was on facebook sayin' what she *really* wanted for Christmas was a heated steering wheel cover, so I'm guessin' they're not snowed in. . .
We got about twenty degrees today, and snow is predicted for tomorrow. Hence, my trip to the store today. Had a hard time getting into the car: that freezing rain that I never saw is my guess. Windshield wipers got stuck half way for more than half the trip. I thought maybe I'd blown a fuse, so happy that's not the case.
I learned from a blog post on Prairie State Blue today that the Social Security thing in the tax bill isn't as terrible as I'd thought. The "holiday" is not for the entire 15.6%, as brief newspaper reports seemed to imply, but only for 2% of earnings. And the Treasury will repay the Social Security Trust Fund for the shortfall. But it's still not good, because it introduces the idea that you can jiggle the Social Security Trust Fund around for short-term needs. I breaches the firewall between Social Security and general revenues. The Make Work Pay program that it replaces was much better.
No, Bill, it really is as bad as you think. The fact that they'll be taking money out of the Treasury allows them to classify Social Security as part of the deficit, which they never really could before. Your alarm is fully justified. Obama and the Republicans are maneuvering to get rid of Social Security. And Obama IS in on it.
Well, I still don't see my earlier note to Alan, so here's an attempt at recreating it:
Hurrah for the nurse and the jury and for your integrity that made it possible for you to take a stand on the stand! You are no mensch, Alan. Rats usually sew the seeds of their own destruction, though it's all the nicer when they do it as quickly as that prosecutor did. I love it when justice happens. Well done, Alan!
I'm glad you didn't have to make the drive today, too.
Classifying Social Security as part of the deficit actually goes back to the Combined Budget Act of the 1980s. But it's true that this breach in the firewall makes it harder to show just how absurd that act is. (One example of the absurdity: we supposedly had a surplus under Clinton even though the national debt continued to climb.)
Thanks, listener. I have this quaint idea that justice should not only be for the wealthy. I work on a sliding scale, from pro bono for the occasional individual, and sliding right up to the top (well, my top) for insurance companies. I would also rather have three jobs at one third what others charge than none for top dollar. Another quaint idea, eh?
Howard and Bernie are quite onely. I sent Bernie a tenner. "No act of resistance is wasted."
ReplyDeleteAnybody hear any news from Renee and Demetrius? I see where Ohio got clobbered by a blizzard.
Thought I was going to have to go to court in Oroville tomorrow (a solid four hours' drive each way in good weather, and it is probably raining all the way. I won't be needed, though. Yesterday (it's still Tuesday here) I helped a vocational nurse who *was* driving (not badly to speak of) while sleep deprived but was being tried for driving under the influence of drugs. (The cop pulled her over for obeying the speed limit, and she was obviously drowsy.) The prosecutor and the criminalist from the state Department of "Justice" laboratory were doing their best to railroad her, but the jury didn't buy it. Yes, she *was* taking several medicines as directed by her doctors and a couple of over the counter remedies, but there was zero evidence that she was abusing them. The DOJ lab did not serve the prosecutor (or anyone else) well, but that is hardly news. How do such people sleep at night? I did have a "first:" when the prosecutor asked me how much I was being paid and I didn't give him a big amount he went on about how experts typically charged much more and vociferously challenged my sworn testimony about my compensation, accusing me in not quite so many words of perjury. First time my integrity has been challenged in court for billing too little! Made me feel like a mensch, it did. But the guy was getting awfully desperate; the case should never have been brought. NOT GUILTY.
Here's a sweet story about my friend Barbara welcoming her daughter home from Afghanistan!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=13674809
Barbara and her husband Charlie are both ordained pastors. Barbara is semi-retired now, having survived cancer in 2009. This family has been through sooo much, and they are all graceful, sweet people.
Alan, I wrote a nice reply post awhile ago, lauding your integrity. I hope it reposts itself, but if not I'll try again later.
ReplyDeleteRenee was on facebook sayin' what she *really* wanted for Christmas was a heated steering wheel cover, so I'm guessin' they're not snowed in. . .
ReplyDeleteWe got about twenty degrees today, and snow is predicted for tomorrow. Hence, my trip to the store today. Had a hard time getting into the car: that freezing rain that I never saw is my guess. Windshield wipers got stuck half way for more than half the trip. I thought maybe I'd blown a fuse, so happy that's not the case.
I learned from a blog post on Prairie State Blue today that the Social Security thing in the tax bill isn't as terrible as I'd thought. The "holiday" is not for the entire 15.6%, as brief newspaper reports seemed to imply, but only for 2% of earnings. And the Treasury will repay the Social Security Trust Fund for the shortfall. But it's still not good, because it introduces the idea that you can jiggle the Social Security Trust Fund around for short-term needs. I breaches the firewall between Social Security and general revenues. The Make Work Pay program that it replaces was much better.
ReplyDeleteNo, Bill, it really is as bad as you think. The fact that they'll be taking money out of the Treasury allows them to classify Social Security as part of the deficit, which they never really could before. Your alarm is fully justified. Obama and the Republicans are maneuvering to get rid of Social Security. And Obama IS in on it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I still don't see my earlier note to Alan, so here's an attempt at recreating it:
ReplyDeleteHurrah for the nurse and the jury and for your integrity that made it possible for you to take a stand on the stand! You are no mensch, Alan. Rats usually sew the seeds of their own destruction, though it's all the nicer when they do it as quickly as that prosecutor did. I love it when justice happens. Well done, Alan!
I'm glad you didn't have to make the drive today, too.
We have a word up here for a heated steering wheel cover: gloves. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy wipers got ice on them and became fairly ineffective yesterday, puddle. Turns out they're fairly essential to driving!
Classifying Social Security as part of the deficit actually goes back to the Combined Budget Act of the 1980s. But it's true that this breach in the firewall makes it harder to show just how absurd that act is. (One example of the absurdity: we supposedly had a surplus under Clinton even though the national debt continued to climb.)
ReplyDeleteThanks, listener. I have this quaint idea that justice should not only be for the wealthy. I work on a sliding scale, from pro bono for the occasional individual, and sliding right up to the top (well, my top) for insurance companies. I would also rather have three jobs at one third what others charge than none for top dollar. Another quaint idea, eh?
ReplyDeletemensch n : a decent responsible person
Briefly, I would have said that he IS a mench, lol!
ReplyDelete