Hey, Tut – I didn’t know Norah Jones did Glastonbury..
How goes?

Aloha, newt…! I love Glastonbury almost as much as Crossroads…! ;-)

An unlikely Duet… Love Hurts…

Hey, it’s a day ending in Y, so another Republican said something stupid. This time it’s Newt Gingrich, trying out a derptastic slogan, “You can’t put a gun rack on a Volt.”

Unfortunately for Newt, mere hours after he made this statement, someone went ahead and, yes, put a gun rack on a Volt.

*heh* I’d love to buy a beer for the intrepid Volt owner…! ;-)

Aloha, Hannibal…!

speakin of which…

So you think dogs are tough…

Hi guys.

Did any of you know that some owls only eat the heads off of squirrels? Neither did I, until the dog dragged a couple into the house. Left one in the bed too.

*heh* Cats totally rule…! ;-)

Aloha, TG…! Got any clips from your cruise…?

Aloha, tuez…! How’s Floridaze tonite…?

Btw, what a pleasant surprise, eh…? ;-)

Crazy…

The second time the dog found one, she brought it inside and proceeded to dance a little jig on the coffee table to show off what she had discovered in the yard.

Fortunately, Friday evening I had noticed some little screech owls hunting squirrels while I was grilling. Otherwise, I’d have totally flipped over headless squirrels, still dripping blood, showing up in the yard/house.

*heh* At least, you did find out whom the real culprit was, and didn’t blame the poor dog…! ;-)

Wait, the dog brought owls or squirrels? And if the squirrels are headless (eww), how do you know it was owls that ate the heads? (Just asking, not meant hostilely, just wondering).

An impeccable Don’t Know Why…

Oh, never mind; seems you answered my question at the very moment I was typing it.

Typical yappy dog, all bark and no bite. Reminds me of a chihuahua that was always snapping and snarling at other dogs, cats, whatever. Made a similar noise to that dog after a kitten gave it a bloody nose.

Nah neither the cat or dog have it in them, and the dog can’t climb trees. I’d have worried about the crazy cat hoarder across the street who thinks our parrot makes too much noise.

*heh* NSFW! Turn Me On…

Need to vent… about Greece.

NYT tells us that the austerity package is actually not so bad:

According to a detailed agreement for the bailout, Greece will make big spending cuts, including reducing pharmaceutical expenditures by more than $1.3 billion in 2012 through increased use of generic medicine, cutting overtime pay for hospital doctors by at least $66 million, saving $396 million in military procurement and saving nearly $40 million by reducing the number of deputy mayors and their staffs.

The 50-page agreement also lays out in detail the changes to be made to Greece’s notoriously weak tax collection system.

But they forgot to mention (Reuters):

FISCAL ADJUSTMENT

- Before any funds are disbursed under the bailout in March, the government must pass a supplementary budget including spending cuts worth 1.5 percent of gross domestic product this year, or 3.3 billion euros ($4.37 billion).

- A first breakdown of the cuts, issued this month, stated that 1.1 billion euros would come from health spending, mainly by lowering pharmaceuticals prices; 400 million euros from public investment; 300 million euros from the defense budget; 300 million from pension cuts and 300 million from the central government. Some 325 million euros of cuts were put aside to be detailed later, with the remainder to come from a series of smaller measures to reduce ministry operating expenses.

- While the final package of measures worth 325 million euros still needs to be officially specified, two government sources told Reuters on Feb 16 that 100 million euros would come from further defense cuts. An extra 90 million will be collected by bringing forward public sector wage reductions and another 135 million from the health, labor and interior ministries, the sources said. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said on February 18 more cuts to pensions were unavoidable but said only the portion above a monthly threshold of 1,300 euros would be affected.

- In June, the government then in charge following possible elections penciled for April will have to specify additional austerity measures worth 10 billion euros for 2013-2015.

…

PRIVATISATIONS

- Cumulative privatization receipts since June 2011 should be at least 4.5 billion euros by end-2012, 7.5 billion by end-2013, 12.2 billion by end-2014 and 15 billion by end-2015. An initial privatization target of 50 billion euros should be achieved “over the medium term.”

- There will be increased powers for Greece’s privatization agency to sell an asset in pieces, or liquidate it if it cannot be sold in its current form.

- The list of companies whose full or partial privatization will be launched in 2012 includes gas company DEPA, gas grid operator DESFA and refiner Hellenic Petroleum.

LABOUR REFORM

- Before any bailout funds are disbursed, Greece must pass legislation to reduce the monthly minimum wage, currently at about 750 euros gross, by 22 percent. For people below the age of 25, it will be cut by 32 percent; automatic wage increases based on seniority will be scrapped; collective wage agreements will be allowed to adapt “to changing economic conditions on a frequent and regular basis”; social security contributions are to be reduced by 5 percent.

- About 15,000 state workers will be placed in a “labor reserve” in 2012, meaning they will receive 60 percent of their basic wage and dismissed after a year; one civil servant will be hired for every five retiring, with the aim of cutting the state sector workforce by about 150,000 people by 2015.

STRUCTURAL REFORMS

- Before receiving any funds, Greece must revise legislation to make sure that a variety of professions are opened up to competition, including primary health care, stevedores, accountants, tourist guides and real-estate brokers.

NYT sugar-coating on behalf of the Wall St. crowd?

Greece just needs to default and dump the Euro. If they didn’t have a former Goldman Sachs bench warmer recently crowned prince, they would have already.

Aloha, tj…! I awoke to the most glorious sight this morn…! A snow-capped Mauna Kea reflecting the Dawn’s early rays, in a totally clear sky…! It was breathtaking…! *g*

Aloha, looselyhuman…! Always a delight to hear a new voice here at the Lake…! *g*

They need to pull an Iceland on the EU…! 8-(

Exactly. They came within a breath of it, me thinks, until the PTB had a temper tantrum.

Oh, for those who haven’t heard, the MC5 is now down to the MC2. Their bassist, Michael Davis, died on Saturday of liver disease.

Here’s the Motor City Five, kickin’ out the jams, motherfuckers.

That austerity shit has gone beyond stupid. Making some budget cuts, sure, do what you got to do, I guess. At least there’s some semblance of reasoning behind that. But cutting the minimum wage? What the holy fuck is that supposed to accomplish? Make rich people feel richer by comparison? Or is just a big fuck you to Greece?

Well too late now. That would have been the pathetic way out anyway. Would be nice for someone, somewhere to stand up to these neoliberal bastards and beat them back. Oh well. /rant

Aloha :)

R.I.P. Michael Davis…!

This is still the best Punk Song ever… The Guns of Brixton…

*heh* Don’t stop ranting now…! Yer on a roll…! ;-)

Any thoughts on the war drums for Iran…?

No it would not have been the pathetic way out. It would have been the humane way out. The banks feasted on Greece like vultures. They deserve what should be coming to them. Argentina told the IMF to fuck off, and are doing well, as did Iceland.

Right. It’s nonsensical (unless you’re an international banker).

Lowering minimum wage = less aggregate demand. Laying people off = more unemployment = less aggregate demand. Reducing public spending in other areas = less aggregate demand.

That’ll fix it.

Definitely a classic, though the Nouvelle Vague cover of it has a certain charm. But their cover of Too Drunk To Fuck never ceases to make me laugh.

Florida is trying to cut the minimum wage for waitstaff from $4.65 to $2.13.

It wasn’t so much the TBTF Banks, but, Goldman Sachs and the other Vampire Squid Hedge Funds that are most responsible, and, raising the most Cain about Greece’s demise…! 8-(

That’s Florida for you, the only state in the union to earn its own Fark tag.

I admit I get kinda fuzzy about the exact details but.. the end result is the same.

Can’t keep up with all the shit flying around.

We’re special.

And sunburnt.

Oh yeah I would have been for it as an alternative to this deal, but I’m talking about taking a stand and winning the battle of ideas. Argentina had some serious suffering to get through before it got better – and Iceland may yet as well. Even if not, it wouldn’t solve anything for the majority of nations that remain dominated by the neolibs.

I’d prefer to see a staunch defense of Keynes that sends Milton Friedman’s minions scurrying.

I’m a dreamer.

Btw, I sooo want one of these when they start mass-producing them…!

C-One electric hybrid motorcycle…

I love it! I don’t have a gun rack in my diesel Golf, but now I know how.

Aloha, ET…! Any respite from the snows up there yet…?

Iran: I think two (or 3) are tango-ing. I’m one of those patriotic cats that doesn’t think we’re all evil, all the time. I know, silly.

Here We Go Again…

I’d prefer to see a staunch defense of Keynes that sends Milton Friedman’s minions scurrying.

We have that, it’s the 40s through Reagan loosely.

When I first heard of Friedman, at about 19, my first thought was WTF. This makes no sense. At that time, I had no clue what econ was about. A few years later I graduated with a minor in econ Keynesian style. That made perfect sense.

Why after all these years of Reaganomics, any in the 99% still think that is the way to go… I’m floored.

No actually, I do understand it. It’s the people that only view life through the micro lens. If they zoom out to the macro lens…

Honestly, Oily Bomber needs to send his Nobel Peace Prize back to Oslo…! 8-(

Winter is long, but no snow since Wednesday. Starting my tomato plants indoor this coming weekend.

I wish the Nobel people would just rescind it and embarrass the hell out of him.

And give this year’s to Bradley Manning.

Snowfall atop Mauna Kea forced me off the mtn. late Sat. nite, and fell nonstop until early this morn…! Should be interesting to see when I’m back up there tomorrow nite and Weds. nite…! ;-)

Hear, hear on Bradley Manning’s nomination…! ;-)

Hey how is Suzanne doing? I haven’t been online much the past few days. I tried leaving her a comment at her own blog but it didn’t take or went into moderation.

Well, Suz has been in contact and she’s improving slowly but surely…! Tomorrow nite she might make a stab at hosting lln…! But, I’m counseling her to… Don’t Be A Hero…! Whether or not she listens is totally up to her…! ;-)

Hey dropping back in-been ironing, polishing shoes, doing research for …gasp..a job interview tomorrow. (I won’t sleep much anyway, so don’t need to go to bed early…just means tossing and turning).

So Suzanne didn’t drop by tonight? I wonder if she had a not-so-good day…didn’t see a new post when I went by her blog earlier.
tuezday…if you forget to click on a login type your post won’t post.

I just use anonymous then add my name to the post, ’cause I’ve had trouble with the other ways and am lazy.

I can understand her wanting to host. As long as the pain is under control, and that means her leg is immobile, she’s bored to death. All she can do is type.

Well said. The 40s-70s liberal consensus. I’ve argued on those grounds many times – one of history’s greatest increases in general prosperity and standards of living, with moderate equality, expanding rights and enfranchisement, and even relatively responsible stewardship of our natural resources… What a concept.

I mean a modern post-Reagan defense though. Somebody with more widespread credibility than Krugman, Reich et al. But all our leaders are neolib sellouts. Sigh.

Goodnight all.

Good luck with the interviews. Hell, more then good luck. Fantastic luck. Superfragelistic luck.

Whatever gets you a job.

Yeah, I tried 3 different ways to post at Suzanne’s site and couldn’t.

It’s her’s until the end of time, I’m just worried about her pushing it…!

Baby It’s Cold Outside…

Best of luck, tj…! My fingers and toes are crossed for ya…! *g*

…But all our leaders are neolib sellouts. Sigh.

Too true, loosely…! Pleasant dreams…!

Hi Tuez
My comment just worked. Suz must be open for business again.

I’ve Got To See You Again…

Laying down with a laptop isn’t pushing it. It’s keeping your sanity. Or Steph’s.

20 years ago, my idea of pushing it was riding my horses, with my left leg in a cast.

I’ll forgive Suz now for riding the hospital bed, as we are both older.

*heh* TheRealNewsNetwork just posted a new clip… Greece Has a Choice – Get Out the Euro…

hell, I’m taking my nonsensical self to bed

Hopefully,I won’t find any headless squirrels tonigt

I hear ya… Ya both are/were anxious to get back in the saddle again…! ;-)

Well, I’ve got back to back nites ahead of me up top, I shall bid ya’ll another fond adieu, and Mahalo for the great company tonite…!

Aloha Oe…! *g*

Nite, everybody – sorry for the delay in thanking you for your good wishes; was having trouble getting the site to refresh, had to restart! And now I will go and pretend to sleep awhile.
Enjoy your snow, ctuttle.