Disqus - Latest Comments for zisforzach

Re: Hi, from Zach.

zisforzach — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:28:23 -0000

Don't be foolish. Do the research before shooting in the dark. The government is footing the bill for PRIVATE companies to produce en masse for the country. They are not making it themselves. It is like giving Lockheed Martin money to build to fighter jets. I suppose Joe Wilson had no problem funding that mission.

kthxbai

Re: Soup | Anthony De Rosa - The worst Beastie Boys cover ever.

zisforzach — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:26:34 -0000

It's an abomination. FAIL

Re: Does anyone know....

zisforzach — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:01:33 -0000

The Chinatown bus works well. Pick it up in Manhattan and end up in the District, not Union Station but 7 blocks aways.

Re: Quote of the Day

zisforzach — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:57:48 -0000

Yea this is the sort of America FUCK YEAH! crap that pisses off the rest of the world. In Gibbs' defense, I would definitely agree that the Guardian or Times of London would be a better place for Champions League reviews than the WaPo or NY Times.

Also, don't you think it's a little soon to be "done" with Obama? I mean there is no denying the imfluence of the US President, his policies and America's impact on the rest of the world. Looking at the other side and other options in the USA, if not Obama then who? This may be a case of sacrificing the good for the perfect. There is no perfection.

Re: Could we use a Notwithstanding Clause for torture?

zisforzach — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:32:41 -0000

This is an interesting argument. I'm with you on this "ticking time bomb" scenario insofar that it is an unlikely scenario, only thus far found in the movies.

I'd be concerned about the efficacy of your proposed Notwithstanding Clause because I believe that a President is a politician first and foremost (sadly). I can imagine that if the options were A) OK torture and leave in 30 days or B) let the bomb go off (using a "doubt the intelligence" excuse) and keep the Presidency, that many would opt for option B. Then they could be the war time President they've always aspired to.

Look at Bush/Cheney. They've been bragging how America has not been attacked since 9/11. They conveniently forget that it was under their reign that we were attacked, unlike any other attack in US history. They ignored the ticking time bomb intelligence and possibly to direct us into a war, any war.

I can't imagine a President sacrificing position for principle. Perhaps I'm just a cynic after these last 8 years.

Re: How do you get into gramercy park?

zisforzach — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:16:12 -0000

With a key, and remember no ball playing, and keep off the grass!

Re: Moving to Canada

zisforzach — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:16:07 -0000

Why do they even teach Tae Kwan Do in Canada then, eh? It's a martial art based on personal strength through self-discipline, to be used only in defense of the weak and only if necessary. Sounds to me like the bully deserved a broken nose.

Drop the charges Canadians!

Re: the facts re: my sitch

zisforzach — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:14:53 -0000

Good luck with the freaks. Your creative contributions are very much enjoyed, regardless of what some insecure naysayers might suggest.

Re: Things and Stuff - Fox says, 'No we can't' to Obama

zisforzach — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:34:27 -0000

HA! The next time will be the first...

That IS funny. I'll be watching something else too. What? I don't know. Anything else. Press conferences are hour long affairs that could be boiled down to 5 minutes.

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:59:11 -0000

You seem to be suggesting explicit causality between increased minimum wage requirements and increased unemployment. This may not be fair as controlling just for this factor is difficult given the mess of other negative economic events. That isn't to say there aren't good studies suggesting correlation between rising minimum wages and rising unemployment.

That said, minimum wages aren't generally good ideas economically speaking. I'm sure given all the other crap, this policy isn't helping employment in Oregon. That graph illustrates a TOUGH jump. Good luck Oregon..

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:15:28 -0000

Why is that outcome necessarily predictable? It's a positive step away from culturally controversial stances on issue better left to the people, not their government (to say nothing, of smaller government fiscal conservatism benefits). It seems many of them are becoming increasingly in favor of paternalistic (making teens sex offenders for sending nude pics of themselves to other children-friends), torturous (memos), and nationalist (don't shake hands!) behavior from our government. Anti-Libertarian, isn't it?

What struck me was that Democrats were more afraid of Big Labor than any other group.

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:37:28 -0000

"Yes, it’s bad for Fox to support these rallies; real journalists would just cover the rallies. It’s just as bad for MSNBC to oppose these rallies, and even worse that MSNBC lies about them. Biased journalism is bad; false journalism is worse. Especially when delivered with innuendo and a smirk."

Excellent point. The only thing worse? State journalism.

It's funny how MSNBC is evolving into the anti-Fox. What saddens me most is that Fox is #1 and MSNBC is #2. The "people" want to be lied to. I guess that's worse than state-run journalism..

Re: Chalabi: Bush conspired with Iran

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:18:37 -0000

Yea well Chalabi isn't so squeaky clean. While I'm happy to find more reasons not to like Bush (as though they're need), Chalabi may have helped fabricate WMD information about Saddam's Iraq - a lie the neocons had no problem co-opting. This guy strikes me as opportunist.

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:09:59 -0000

Microeconomics in action.

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:07:25 -0000

I think vouchers might work, but do not need to be the solution. We are ready to spend massive sums of money to overhaul our health care and energy sectors but not a peep about education. The argument for education reform boils down to two points:

1. voucher programs
2. breaking up the teacher unions

Well I couldn't agree with point #2 more, and it seems the school voucher program might have a positive impact.

My question is why not spend MORE on education? Like I said, health care? We'll buy it! Energy? Think green, like money. Military? This graph makes it clear: http://www.globalissues.org... We nearly spend more than the rest of the world combined on military expenditures and yet we are ranked 37th in terms of % of GDP spent on education. (http://www.nationmaster.com...

In fact, the National Priorities Project claims of our 2007 tax dollars, "40 percent went towards military spending, while education received just over 4 percent". (http://www.nationalprioriti... Surely we can find a few missile defense programs to cut?

I fear education is the least of this country's concerns and that will be our downfall long before any other external factor.

This all reminds me of the Climate Change debate. Everyone is arguing over whether CO2 is causing the Earth to warm and what to do about it. Meanwhile, the glaciers are melting and the oceans are rising no matter what the cause may be. Perhaps we can deal with the rising flood waters first?

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:47:33 -0000

Check out this NY Times mini-article:

http://thelede.blogs.nytime...

Interesting point made at the end. When broken down by party, more Democrats think the taxes they're paying are about right and more Republicans think they're paying too much. Seeing as there are more people today that would currently identify with being a Democrat before a Republican, this may explain the convergence of the lines.

I thought this related but tangential to the conversation developing re: Tea Bag Protests.

Re: If that's what you're into..

zisforzach — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:41:20 -0000

You are absolutely right! Stifling dissent is not only "not good", but undemocratic. I didn't mean to suggest that protesting in general is anything but democratic. I am grateful to live in a place where I can protest peacefully without fear of forceful retaliation from my opposition (albeit only recently).

My point is that this protest has NO specific intent. It's billed as non-partisan, to which I say "puh-lease". For some, it is a recruiting tool for those on the margins in any capacity - whether they hate BHO for his black/muslim/unamerican history or those struggling to be one of the few voices of reason as our deficit balloons. Those groups are NOT the same thing. The more I watch FNC stoke to fires of the more extreme elements of the movement, because they've been on the outside looking in for all of 85 days, the sicker I get. A few years ago it was unpatriotic to critique the President in their eyes. Now the times have changes, the mob's opinion shifted. I think people should protest. But the vitriol, lies, and pot-stirring that is going on is often dishonest for its own ends. Our Constitution thankfully allows for us to say what we wish. That does not mean that I have to quietly sit by and accept disinformation and propaganda (from either side).

Finally, let's not pretend the Republicans have offered anything but "no" and of course tax cuts. Even Douglas Holtz-Eakin thinks that extending Bush-era tax cuts is not a reasonable course of action.

I feel the same way about many misinformed "tea baggers" as I do the misinformed "9-11 Truthers". Instead of focusing on tangible issues and policy changes, too many (not all) are caught up in the bile of ignorance, racism and an unwillingness to challenge their own orthodoxy. Something along the lines of he who talks loudest, has the least to say.

P.S. About my "vote for someone else" comment.: the Boston Tea Party was a protest against taxation sans representation. We have representation, we voted for it. Voting IS what you do in a democracy, representative or otherwise.

P.P.S. How would one include hyperlinks in comments?

Re: Brooklyn Mutt Tumblr - SEINFELD - THE PORN! (a show about nothing...

zisforzach — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:31:19 -0000

At least this Elaine is hotter.

Re: walpaper - tesslynch: YOU GUYS. MOLLY FOUND THE...

zisforzach — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:55:22 -0000

Agreed...hilarious!

Re: Dear Karl Rove

zisforzach — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:31:36 -0000

Rove's statements are not fair in any context. Bush inherited a nation at peace and prosperous. He spent 8 years trashing our country and polarizing the nation on everything from a so-called War on Terror and stem cell research for his own ends. Now Obama, not even at 100 day mark yet, is being lambasted for being partisan? Fuck that logic. His mistake is trying to appeal both side by even mentioning a post-partisan world. He won, he should now get to that thing called governance.

In the end there are more Democrats than Republicans now. The remaining Republicans are naturally going to be more extreme, just like 20% of the Democrats. No matter what the facts says the fringe elements will never mutter a word of approval for their opponents. (Read: "Yeah I want him to fail!")

Finally, Rove was a Bush operative at the highest levels. He was not a political appointee but as close to "43" as anyone could be, professionally and personally. His opinions cannot possibly be construed as objective in any context. Putting him on is as disingenuous as calling Dick Morris "a former Clinton adviser" every time he is on Faux News. Dick was not an adviser but a place for "42" to hear what the most extreme elements of the GOP were saying.

In the end, I think Rove is more responsible for the partisan attitude in this country then anyone - a classic case of projection.

For a more articulate look at what these numbers actually mean, check out Nate Silver's piece:
http://www.fivethirtyeight....

Re: The Trunk

zisforzach — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:51:52 -0000

I'm glad, as a citizen and voter, that they don't have jobs (with ObamaCo). "Loyal opposition" automatically lends more credibility to their arguments. I don't want to see them silenced!

Re: Brooklyn Mutt Tumblr - CNBC’s Power Lunch Panelist’s Discuss Legalizing...

zisforzach — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:24:21 -0000

Former DEA chief admitting US Marijuana Policies amount to moral legislation. Amazing.

Re: Dear tumblr

zisforzach — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:58:42 -0000

It's not Photoshop, try www.fake-twitter.com and have fun with your friends.

I agree though. She doesn't need help, she does plenty on her own. Besides in the age of the information superhighway, we'll get to see everyone's F ups in due time. We just have to be patient. I think those that hate on Julia Allison with such passion are secretly in love with her and they don't know why. That sucks, the should come out of the closet already.

I dig your tumblelog.

Re: Sound and Strong and Wrong

zisforzach — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:29:39 -0000

Mostly in agreement here about Gibbsy. Romer at least went on to vaguely define what she thinks are the fundamentals of the economy - left out in nearly commentary on the subject. Gibbs is an idiot here. But what else can you expect? He's in marketing.