What's bugging you? (2007)

[mothershipconnection]

Never used anything but simple math in my life. I sure wish they would have taught me some simple investment stuff during that Calc/Geometry time. I learned it all eventually, but like most, I didn't invest nearly enough when I was 18-25, when it has all that time to compound and grow.

We had business and money management classes in high school in Eau Claire - both were popular electives. The problem is that I took the classes at 16 and 17, and now 10 years later I'll finally have enough money soon to begin investing and have forgotten everything.

[Brian the Automator]

Whistling.

 

Just don't do it. EVER.

[Fatter than Joey]

A couple thoughts on the whole education thing.

 

I went to college for engineering -- the skill I used the most -- writing. It would be nothing to write a 40 page lab report in an evening.

 

My studies were primarily in materials, which uses statistical probability a lot -- you can't count electrons -- however you can calculate the probability they will be at a certain spot, or part of current.

 

It amazes me how little people understand stats, but talk about them all day long. For example, my mother has a friend who has 6 girls and 0 boys, my mom is convinced that the odds of that happening (6 kids the same sex) is like one in a million. -- when in fact the odds are one in 32, (if you treat a birth like a coin flip).

 

I enjoy math, and I think people should have a rudimentary understanding of calculus. My motivation was getting a job which paid well. However, when I was young, I thought learning about wood/metals was useless -- what I found though as I got older in life, is that regardless if I will NEED to use it, I will WANT to use those skills at some point in my life. I am by no means a skilled carpenter, but I do enjoy the fact that I can build some simple things in my garage (shelves e.g.) and do a lot of repairs on my house and car.

 

As I get older, I regret not taking my history classes more seriously -- I read a lot of biographies and the such now in my spare time. -- Do I NEED to know why Roosevelt ran against Taft, no, but its historical significance puts a lot of things into perspective today when I look at the state of affairs of the country in 2007.

 

One of my pet-peeves regarding my inlaws, is when I am over at their house, inevitably we will end up watching Jeopardy or playing Trivial Pursuit, and if I do well I am classified as being a "storehouse of useless information" -- and perhaps thats true to a degree -- I just find it nice to be well-rounded and continually learning.

[hawing]

I am classified as being a "storehouse of useless information"

 

Woo-hoo, FTJ, you could be a librarian. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[splitterpfj]

Watching it snow, while my boss tells me how he spent the whole day in his yard in North Carolina.

[iluvlamp]

SHOOTING ELEPHANTS IN A BARREL by Ann ( you hate me) Coulter. This screed should be read.

March 7, 2007

 

 

Lewis Libby has now been found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice for lies that had absolutely no legal consequence.

 

It was not a crime to reveal Valerie Plame's name because she was not a covert agent. If it had been a crime, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could have wrapped up his investigation with an indictment of the State Department's Richard Armitage on the first day of his investigation since it was Armitage who revealed her name and Fitzgerald knew it.

 

With no crime to investigate, Fitzgerald pursued a pointless investigation into nothing, getting a lot of White House officials to make statements under oath and hoping some of their recollections would end up conflicting with other witness recollections, so he could charge some Republican with "perjury" and enjoy the fawning media attention.

 

As a result, Libby is now a convicted felon for having a faulty memory of the person who first told him that Joe Wilson was a delusional boob who lied about his wife sending him to Niger.

 

This makes it official: It's illegal to be Republican.

 

Since Teddy Kennedy walked away from a dead girl with only a wrist slap (which was knocked down to a mild talking-to, plus time served: zero), Democrats have apparently become a protected class in America, immune from criminal prosecution no matter what they do.

 

As a result, Democrats have run wild, accepting bribes, destroying classified information, lying under oath, molesting interns, driving under the influence, obstructing justice and engaging in sex with underage girls, among other things.

 

Meanwhile, conservatives of any importance constantly have to spend millions of dollars defending themselves from utterly frivolous criminal prosecutions. Everything is illegal, but only Republicans get prosecuted.

 

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh was subjected to a three-year criminal investigation for allegedly buying prescription drugs illegally to treat chronic back pain. Despite the witch-hunt, Democrat prosecutor Barry E. Krischer never turned up a crime.

 

Even if he had, to quote liberal Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz: "Generally, people who illegally buy prescription drugs are not prosecuted." Unless they're Republicans.

 

The vindictive prosecution of Limbaugh finally ended last year with a plea bargain in which Limbaugh did not admit guilt. Gosh, don't you feel safer now? I know I do.

 

In another prescription drug case with a different result, last year, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (Democrat), apparently high as a kite on prescription drugs, crashed a car on Capitol Hill at 3 a.m. That's abuse of prescription drugs plus a DUI offense. Result: no charges whatsoever and one day of press on Fox News Channel.

 

I suppose one could argue those were different jurisdictions. How about the same jurisdiction?

 

In 2006, Democrat and major Clinton contributor Jeffrey Epstein was nabbed in Palm Beach in a massive police investigation into his hiring of local underage schoolgirls for sex, which I'm told used to be a violation of some kind of statute in the Palm Beach area.

 

The police presented Limbaugh prosecutor Krischer with boatloads of evidence, including the videotaped statements of five of Epstein's alleged victims, the procurer of the girls for Epstein and 16 other witnesses.

 

But the same prosecutor who spent three years maniacally investigating Limbaugh's alleged misuse of back-pain pills refused to bring statutory rape charges against a Clinton contributor. Enraging the police, who had spent months on the investigation, Krischer let Epstein off after a few hours on a single count of solicitation of prostitution. The Clinton supporter walked, and his victims were branded as whores.

 

The Republican former House Whip Tom DeLay is currently under indictment for a minor campaign finance violation. Democratic prosecutor Ronnie Earle had to empanel six grand juries before he could find one to indict DeLay on these pathetic charges -- and this is in Austin, Texas (the Upper West Side with better-looking people).

 

That final grand jury was so eager to indict DeLay that it indicted him on one charge that was not even a crime -- and which has since been tossed out by the courts.

 

After winning his primary despite the indictment, DeLay decided to withdraw from the race rather than campaign under a cloud of suspicion, and Republicans lost one of their strongest champions in Congress.

 

Compare DeLay's case with that of Rep. William "The Refrigerator" Jefferson, Democrat. Two years ago, an FBI investigation caught Jefferson on videotape taking $100,000 in bribe money. When the FBI searched Jefferson's house, they found $90,000 in cash stuffed in his freezer. Two people have already pleaded guilty to paying Jefferson the bribe money.

 

Two years later, Bush's Justice Department still has taken no action against Jefferson. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently put Rep. William Jefferson on the Homeland Security Committee.

 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat, engaged in a complicated land swindle, buying a parcel of land for $400,000 and selling it for over $1 million a few years later. (At least it wasn't cattle futures!)

 

Reid also received more than four times as much money from Jack Abramoff (nearly $70,000) as Tom DeLay ($15,000). DeLay returned the money; Reid refuses to do so. Why should he? He's a Democrat.

 

Former Clinton national security adviser Sandy Berger literally received a sentence of community service for stuffing classified national security documents in his pants and then destroying them -- big, fat federal felonies.

 

But Scooter Libby is facing real prison time for forgetting who told him about some bozo's wife.

 

Bill Clinton was not even prosecuted for obstruction of justice offenses so egregious that the entire Supreme Court staged a historic boycott of his State of the Union address in 2000.

 

By contrast, Linda Tripp, whose only mistake was befriending the office hosebag and then declining to perjure herself, spent millions on lawyers to defend a harassment prosecution based on far-fetched interpretations of state wiretapping laws.

 

Liberal law professors currently warning about the "high price" of pursuing terrorists under the Patriot Act had nothing but blood lust for Tripp one year after Clinton was impeached (Steven Lubet, "Linda Tripp Deserves to be Prosecuted," New York Times, 8/25/99).

 

Criminal prosecution is a surrogate for political warfare, but in this war, Republicans are gutless appeasers.

 

Bush has got to pardon Libby.

[brewers19]

I was too lazy and apathetic to read that whole thing, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it's a bit heavy on the politics.

[iluvlamp]

Summation is some are held to different standards than others.

[whizkid]

Like you with your repeated political posts.

[iluvlamp]

Yeah whiz, I guess. By repeated political posts you mean how many? Probably my _____?

[Jaylyn]

Why did I just read an Ann, in 20 years will be found distraught living in an apartment with 63 cats, Coulter?http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[1992casey]

---

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it's a bit heavy on the politics.

---

I tend to agree.

 

Political talk can be a really tough call around here because some stuff is borderline and because the staff and moderators really do wish to keep threads open. In other words, sometimes it's tough to decide what's crosses the line and what doesn't.

 

I'd submit that when an article or post names politicians' names or names political groups, then rips on them, we're running into something troublesome.

 

Let's move on and talk about other things that bug us.

[mothershipconnection]

A party controlling all branches of the government until 4 months ago and always complaining that they're the persecuted "little guy". That's what's bugging me.

[splitterpfj]

The packaging on CDs and DVDs bugs me....I don't believe it should take 15 minutes to open something I paid for.

[1992casey]

I whined about plastic packaging somewhere in this thread, too.

 

It's not just CDs or DVDs. It's a host of items.

 

I taken to asking someone in the store open packages like this. I'm tired of breaking scissors and knives, not to mention the occasional bloody finger that may result from trying to deal with those things.

[hawing]

The TV program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." It's so over-the-top perky and the goal seems to be to manipulate my heart-strings. The remodeling crew could help these hard-luck families without resorting to such excess and drama. It's kind of a "Queen for a Day" in 21st century overdrive.

 

Why did I watch? Because we only have one hotel room and the S.O. likes it. At home I can go to another part of the house.

 

Edit: Honorable mention goes to Deal or No Deal (another show on which the S.O. pauses). The contestant wackiness quotient (that's CWQ, of course) seems to have gone way up recently.

[Fatter than Joey]

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

 

I hate Deal or No Deal -- but it's sort of like American Idol to me. it doesn't offend me, to each their own, etc.

 

The problem I have with extreme makeover though is larger.

 

1.) I do not like fix-it shows where problems are addressed by either super big piles of money or super skilled craftmen.

 

2.) It seems like rather than give one family, 1 million dollars, perhaps they could give 10 families 100,000 -- especially in the wake of Katrina, etc. I would rather watch a show where they were installing dry-wall, fixing plumbing, wiring, patching holes, etc. instead of giving one family a 10,000$ pair of washer/dryers.

 

3.) That head carpenter guy looks like he took a ball-peen hammer to the back of the head.

[twobrewers]

Just a note on those "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" programs...

 

Almost all of the families that are down and out and get some help with a beautiful new home sell that house within a year. That house, and all of the cost associated with building it are considered income and are taxable.

 

So they get a really sweet house - and then a huge tax bill that they have no chance of paying. Not to mention that their real estate taxes also go through the roof.

 

It makes for exciting TV (for some at least) but in reality, they might as well just give the family a briefcase of cash. They don't get the house - they just end up with money from selling it.

[jason21nl]

joakim noah bothers the crap out of me....now i have to watch him dance like a freaking idiot on every sportscenter or sports show i watch...i hope they get beat down and he has the worst game of his life

[Blazer25]

Some things I need to get off my chest that are absolutely killing me:

 

1. The Today Show pretending to be a serious news show when it really is just agenda pushing info-tainment...

 

I really don't care what Matt Lauer or Al Roker thinks about Global Warming or GW Bush...I'm pretty sure I could have guessed without ever watching the show...

 

The Daily Show is a more reliable news show than Today?s Show?. arrrgh!

 

 

2. Pretend political scandals...Replacing 8 US attorneys is not a scandal...it's not illegal, it's not unethical, it's not even improper. It?s part of the Presidents job.

 

It would be like saying Herb Kohl was in the middle of a scandal for firing Terry Stotts.

 

Why has it been on the news for 4 freaking days?!? Man I hate politicians. They're all so slimy. No matter what your political slant you have to admit the mudslinging is getting out of hand.

 

 

They should go back to dueling...

 

 

 

I feel better...thanks.

[1992casey]

Re board guidelines, I think the general political whine is probably OK, but the 'left wing agenda' stuff is likely to cause trouble.

[Blazer25]

Casey,

 

I wasn't trying to stir anything up...I sort of thought the venting thread was a little "free zone" so to speak.

 

Never the less I edited the post.

[Fatter than Joey]

They should go back to dueling...

 

Dick Cheney would be good at that -- In fact I'd bet they'd write a song about it... It probably would go something like this...

 

 

Ah 1 and a 2 and a...

 

In a ranch near Kingsville rode a stranger one fine day

Hardly spoke to folks around him didn't have too much to say

No one dared to ask his business no one dared to make a slip

for the stranger there among them had Birdshot on his hip

Birdshot on his hip

 

It was early in the morning when he drove into the town

He came riding from the White House slowly lookin' all around

He's an outlaw loose and running came the whisper from each lip

And he's here to do some business with the Birdshot on his hip

Birdshot on his hip

 

In this town there lived an lawyer by the name of Whittington

Many quail had tried to flee him and those many quail were gunn?d

He was vicious and a killer though a senior of seventy eight

And the notches on his shotgun put his meals on his dinner plate

Meals on his dinner plate

 

Now Dick Cheney started talking made it plain to folks around

Those many flocks of quail wouldn't be flying too long in town

He came here to take quail back dead from the blast of his shotgun

And he said it didn't matter he was hunting with Whittington

Hunting with Whittington

 

Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Whittington

But the lawyer didn't worry, quail that fleed before were gunned

Many quail had tried to flee him, and those birds had made a slip

No quail would be shot by Dick Cheney with the Birdshot on his hip

Birdshot on his hip

 

The morning passed so quickly it was time for them to hunt

It was twenty past eleven when they walked out with their guns

Secret Service looked on from the Humvee holding their breath

They feared a flock of quail was about to meet their death

About to meet their death

 

There was forty feet between them when they stopped to make their play

And the swiftness of Dick Cheney is still talked about today

Whittington had not cleared leather before pellets his face did rip

And the Dick Cheney's aim was deadly with the Birdshot on his hip

Birdshot on his hip

 

It was over in a moment and the Secret Service had gathered round

There before them lay the body of the lawyer on the ground

Oh he might have went on hunting but he made one fatal slip

When he tried to match Dick Cheney with the Birdshot on his hip

Birdshot on his hip

[BrewCrewForever]

The packaging on CDs and DVDs bugs me....I don't believe it should take 15 minutes to open something I paid for.

 

I totally know what you mean. It's down right ridiculous how long it can take to open a freaking CD or DVD sometimes. It buggs me a lot!

[wisconsinfan47]

Latest beefs:

-Ending sentences with the word "at"

-The PC / Mac Commericials.

-The way Digger Phelps says the word, "Washington" ("Worshington")

-Playing a game with refs that have never seen Big Ten Basketball. (No, the officiating in the Badger game wasn't actually unfair, but the constant whistles for breathing on somebody wrong, on both sides, was annoying.)