After environmental impact reviews, community review, labor mandates and assorted everything bagel requirements probably a million dollars per gate installed.
How do you say "I never thought the leopards would eat my face?!?" in Hebrew? Probably there's like, one, pithy efficient word in Yiddish that covers it.
That strikes me as more an argument for revisiting security theater at airports now that OBL is crab food and Islamic Terror in general is a fear from twenty years ago than it does an argument that America should, somehow, try and build more intracity train services. Who knows, maybe President Musk and his Mango sidekick will defund the TSA next.
Sure, but that all the arguments for long distance passenger rail came generally later and now the boom has dropped on building rail lines. The land is all bought up. Could you imagine trying to buy right of ways in the densely developed, and therefore economically sensible, parts of the country? And that's without even discussing the regulatory obstacles. We can't even get around the enviro and local groups to build power lines, wind and solar plants and adequate housing let along trains.
I'm willing to hold my fire until they actually vote yes, personally. If they go "no position" right up to the 11th hour and then vote no on cloture; basically a Sen. Collins stunt if they include some footsie; then I will have nothing but nice things to say about 'em.
Obviously you can vote yes for the "Give Dems everything they want bill" or the "Agree that puppies are adorable bill" and anything similar. So long as you make sure you've read the thing.
But on every substantive bill the Dems should assuredly be a wall of no.
I'm with Saul and inMD. There should, absolutely, be a wall of No from the Dems right now. If ever the McConnel strategy was justified from the Dems it is absolutely, undeniably justified right fishing now. Until the Muskrats are reined in, normal constitutional order is followed on spending/cutting and, preferably, unless Trump pulls his head from his posterior on tariffs the Dems should be in full opposition mode. The GOP has their trifecta- let them own their policies in full if they can pass them.
Yeah I don't disagree per say but I read him daily and my own imperfect recollection of the events were that he had the MM controlled and it was the prostate cancer that prompted the new round of treatments that walloped his immune system which prompted the infection which ultimately felled him.
Works fine for the shouty left online fringe. In my opinion a lot of our problems source to a lot of our current class of Democratic pols being past their sell by date and/or being unable-unwilling to state and stand up for their principles and instead just outsourcing them to consultants and the groups. Hopefully should be resolvable by the current stint in the wilderness and primaries assuming that Trump doesn't blow the whole system to heck before the next election.
IIRC he whupped the cancer you're thinking about, they found new cancer in his prostate as he was wrapping up the previous cancer, they went after that cancer but the treatment KO'd his immune system and an opportunistic infection nailed him and the docs weren't able to shepherd Drum out of that.
Agreed that this isn't a big deal yet but the fact that any right wing justices are willing to walk the walk they've been talking for the past 3 decades is better than them all going Alito right off the bat.
Probably because Alito is incoherent and deranged. Yes a single judge can force the government to sent taxpayer dollars overseas... ... If those dollars were first duly appropriated and assigned to the sending organization by the House and then approved by the Senate and then signed off on by a President and even then only if those dollars were unlawfully impounded by a President and his billionaire appointed/not appointed/who knows side kick/co-president.
On the Pollyanna side it's good to see that a bare majority of the Supreme Court can be counted on to do the absolute bare constitutional minimum vis a vis Trump and the Muskrats.
On the realist side- holy fish did you read the deranged gabbling from the dissent? Alito basically did just rip the mask off and cackle "you fools, forget textualism and originalism, it was all just a feint, it was just will to power all along mwhahahaha!"
And, also, holy fish a bare minimum of the Supreme court justices required to uphold the law stepped up in the very barest minimal way.
Heheh so unrealistic! The Germans could probably just buy a nukes stationed in Germany from the current guy for a few million euros invested in $Trump. On top of that Trumps so inept the Germans could probably walk out with the whole arsenal under their coat when they went to collect the one.
I have little opinion on Macron beyond that he's better than Le Penn. He's also mostly alone in France now and certainly is a lame duck.
I'd certainly never pin any hopes on France, agnostic God(ess) forfend, being the leader of the free world (in Europe)! The factual truth, though, is that if Germany footed the bill France could plausibly lead a remilitarization of Europe. They have the know-how and institutions to do it, but not the money.
You don't have to engage with Jay at all Saul, no one is making you do so- least of all me! I also certainly don't require you find him cute or abhorrent or itchy- you do you. As for my own tone and mood I'd describe it as more grimly resigned than blase.
Eh, as much as it pains my anglophile self to admit it, France is a big enough player to be "Leader of the Free World (In Europe)" if they wanted the job. France has the institutional and military know how to do it to but I don't know that they have the economy. Germany has the economy but I don't know that they have the institutional or military know how. In theory they could work together on it along with the rest of Europe. Awfully lousy that the US will be outside looking in on that, no way that's not gonna bite us in the future (/sarc).
On “Of Amtrak, AI, and Arguing About Trains on the Interwebs”
After environmental impact reviews, community review, labor mandates and assorted everything bagel requirements probably a million dollars per gate installed.
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/10/25”
How do you say "I never thought the leopards would eat my face?!?" in Hebrew? Probably there's like, one, pithy efficient word in Yiddish that covers it.
On “Of Amtrak, AI, and Arguing About Trains on the Interwebs”
That strikes me as more an argument for revisiting security theater at airports now that OBL is crab food and Islamic Terror in general is a fear from twenty years ago than it does an argument that America should, somehow, try and build more intracity train services. Who knows, maybe President Musk and his Mango sidekick will defund the TSA next.
"
Sure, but that all the arguments for long distance passenger rail came generally later and now the boom has dropped on building rail lines. The land is all bought up. Could you imagine trying to buy right of ways in the densely developed, and therefore economically sensible, parts of the country? And that's without even discussing the regulatory obstacles. We can't even get around the enviro and local groups to build power lines, wind and solar plants and adequate housing let along trains.
"
We also don't have Europe's geography or population density.
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/10/25”
I'm willing to hold my fire until they actually vote yes, personally. If they go "no position" right up to the 11th hour and then vote no on cloture; basically a Sen. Collins stunt if they include some footsie; then I will have nothing but nice things to say about 'em.
"
Heck I imaging the current GOP would declare it bipartisan with one vote.
"
Obviously you can vote yes for the "Give Dems everything they want bill" or the "Agree that puppies are adorable bill" and anything similar. So long as you make sure you've read the thing.
But on every substantive bill the Dems should assuredly be a wall of no.
"
Yep, madness.
"
I'm with Saul and inMD. There should, absolutely, be a wall of No from the Dems right now. If ever the McConnel strategy was justified from the Dems it is absolutely, undeniably justified right fishing now. Until the Muskrats are reined in, normal constitutional order is followed on spending/cutting and, preferably, unless Trump pulls his head from his posterior on tariffs the Dems should be in full opposition mode. The GOP has their trifecta- let them own their policies in full if they can pass them.
"
Yeah I don't disagree per say but I read him daily and my own imperfect recollection of the events were that he had the MM controlled and it was the prostate cancer that prompted the new round of treatments that walloped his immune system which prompted the infection which ultimately felled him.
"
Works fine for the shouty left online fringe. In my opinion a lot of our problems source to a lot of our current class of Democratic pols being past their sell by date and/or being unable-unwilling to state and stand up for their principles and instead just outsourcing them to consultants and the groups. Hopefully should be resolvable by the current stint in the wilderness and primaries assuming that Trump doesn't blow the whole system to heck before the next election.
"
IIRC he whupped the cancer you're thinking about, they found new cancer in his prostate as he was wrapping up the previous cancer, they went after that cancer but the treatment KO'd his immune system and an opportunistic infection nailed him and the docs weren't able to shepherd Drum out of that.
"
I'm extremely sad about it. Another precious fragment of my beloved Blogosphere washed away in the river.
On “SCOTUS Does Not Exist to Please You, Especially Amy Coney Barrett”
Agreed that this isn't a big deal yet but the fact that any right wing justices are willing to walk the walk they've been talking for the past 3 decades is better than them all going Alito right off the bat.
On “Comment Rescue: DavidTC on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Unfreezing of Funds”
Probably because Alito is incoherent and deranged. Yes a single judge can force the government to sent taxpayer dollars overseas... ... If those dollars were first duly appropriated and assigned to the sending organization by the House and then approved by the Senate and then signed off on by a President and even then only if those dollars were unlawfully impounded by a President and his billionaire appointed/not appointed/who knows side kick/co-president.
"
Likewise, but Chris' comment below remains pertinent; let us hope it's pessimistic and not prescient.
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/3/2025”
I've watched some "British boy in Germany" videos on youtube so I suspect you're right.
On “Comment Rescue: DavidTC on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Unfreezing of Funds”
On the Pollyanna side it's good to see that a bare majority of the Supreme Court can be counted on to do the absolute bare constitutional minimum vis a vis Trump and the Muskrats.
On the realist side- holy fish did you read the deranged gabbling from the dissent? Alito basically did just rip the mask off and cackle "you fools, forget textualism and originalism, it was all just a feint, it was just will to power all along mwhahahaha!"
And, also, holy fish a bare minimum of the Supreme court justices required to uphold the law stepped up in the very barest minimal way.
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/3/2025”
Heheh so unrealistic! The Germans could probably just buy a nukes stationed in Germany from the current guy for a few million euros invested in $Trump. On top of that Trumps so inept the Germans could probably walk out with the whole arsenal under their coat when they went to collect the one.
"
I have little opinion on Macron beyond that he's better than Le Penn. He's also mostly alone in France now and certainly is a lame duck.
I'd certainly never pin any hopes on France, agnostic God(ess) forfend, being the leader of the free world (in Europe)! The factual truth, though, is that if Germany footed the bill France could plausibly lead a remilitarization of Europe. They have the know-how and institutions to do it, but not the money.
"
You don't have to engage with Jay at all Saul, no one is making you do so- least of all me! I also certainly don't require you find him cute or abhorrent or itchy- you do you. As for my own tone and mood I'd describe it as more grimly resigned than blase.
"
Perhaps you should run, though I'd presume you'd run as a DSA candidate?
"
Eh, as much as it pains my anglophile self to admit it, France is a big enough player to be "Leader of the Free World (In Europe)" if they wanted the job. France has the institutional and military know how to do it to but I don't know that they have the economy. Germany has the economy but I don't know that they have the institutional or military know how. In theory they could work together on it along with the rest of Europe. Awfully lousy that the US will be outside looking in on that, no way that's not gonna bite us in the future (/sarc).
On “Saturday Morning Gaming: Goodbye to Monolith Studios”
Still chewing on Book of Hours, the successor to Cultist Simulator.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.