Archive for 2011

COMING: A WEINER PULL-OUT? Report: Rep. Weiner May Resign. “A source close to the congressman told the Daily News that Weiner had been adamant about keeping his seat – even as the Democratic leadership urged him to quit amid daily new revelations of reckless sexting. But the unrelenting media coverage, the demands he step down from his party’s leadership, and the appearance of more humiliating photos made Weiner realize he may not be able to bull through the crisis after all, the source said.”

EMPTY TRASH. BUY MILK. Forge History. I like this bit:

One of the lists Dennison looked at came about when the owners of the estate became suspicious of the amount of clothing their serfs owned. A decree was issued, which accused the serfs of having, as Dennison put it, “several changes of the nicest clothing while at the same time being in arrears on their taxes.” An inventory of all the serfs’ clothing was established and new rules enacted that put strict limits on the number of headscarves, coats, etc. that any family could have if they had not paid their taxes in full.

Expect a similar proposal from the Obama Administration any day now . . . .

UPDATE: A reader emails: “So how many head scarves does Tim Geithner have?” Heh. I’ve noticed a few dollar bills with his signature in the last couple of days, but so far none had “TAX CHEAT” written above it.

ANOTHER UPDATE: A reader emails: “Your post about serf taxes prompted me to look at the cash I had. I found three $1 bills and a $20 bill signed by Geithner. None of them had tax cheat on them. They do now.”

If Geithner were a Republican, people would already be writing dissertations about grassroots resistance and speaking truth to power.

ANOTHER KNOXVILLE PHOTO, in response to reader Sam Hung’s request. This is from the Farmer’s Market on Market Square.

A VEGETARIAN: So I Started Eating Meat Again. “A vegetarian’s choice to avoid meat for ethical or environmental reasons is truly noble. They are willing to sacrifice their own health in order to mete out as little harm as possible. I bow down to these people in deep and profound respect. But that said, vegetarians should not claim that their diet is optimal—because many of them do. The avoidance of meat protein and animal fats, plus the heavy reliance on soy and carbohydrates, is far from ideal.”

VIDEO: Allan McNish’s terrifying Audi R18 TDi Le Mans crash. “The R18 got airborne in the gravel, and slammed into a tire wall sideways, spraying photographers and spectators with wheels, suspension pieces and large chunks of carbon fiber monocoque. Despite the severity of the crash, McNish was able to walk away under his own power after marshals righted the remains of his diesel prototype.”

KENNETH ANDERSON: “It does strike me as a telling small detail on contemporary cultural life that student loans — specifically student debt — has managed to become an au courant device for an erotic bondage-and-discipline girl-enslaved novel.”

UPDATE: Here’s the book.

CHINA NOT SO HAPPY with North Korean leadership. “It’s not just the ruling Kim family (who are quite odd, but so are many politicians), but the whole paranoid, dysfunctional, unpredictable atmosphere in the north. China is most upset with the unpredictability, and is demanding more discipline and, to put it bluntly, obedience. Lacking that, there will be consequences.”

Plus this: “The North Korean prison camps are expanding, which can be seen from satellite photos. Relatives of prisoners or those released bring with them horrific details of life in the camps. More people are being arrested for economic crimes (black market) and espionage (using a cell phone or listening to foreign radio news). About one percent of the North Korean population is in these labor camps, and 5-10 percent do not survive their time there.”

IS FERRIS BUELLER overrated?

REMEMBER: Leave Guns To The Experts: “Another abysmal example of gun handling by a member of the law enforcement community. . . . Never mind the extreme fail displayed by playing with your gun in the can. Have you ever pulled the trigger on a gun – loaded or not – with your hand in front of it? Me neither. Which begs the question, why the hell would you?”

I.R.S. REVOKES NONPROFIT STATUS FOR 275,000 ORGANIZATIONS — including the University of Michigan and George Washington University? “In the case of George Washington, for example, officials think the IRS meant to list a student group, says Candace Smith, a university spokeswoman. She noted that the IRS gave a federal employer identification number that did not match the university’s. . . . The University of Michigan’s identification number also did not match, another sign of a mistake.”

THIS WEEK IN THE FUTURE.