But not there just to criticize, Bowles and Simpson had their own suggestions: a nice balanced package to reduce deficits by $2.6 trillion of which $800 billion is from increased revenues and the rest in cuts, in Medicare and Medicaid, of course, and, also, a "less generous" formula to calculate social security benefits.  Bowles would also be supportive of raising the eligibility age for Medicare since we have coverage available through ACA.  

Alice Rivlin and Peter Domenici, of a private study group, proposed a total revamping of Medicare which some, and count me among them, might describe as harebrained. All four experts said Congress should devise a "grand bargain" to reduce deficits.

Reminds me of our last family vacation when I saw Brooks on TV yapping about "Oh sure he'll get some heat from his base on SS and Medicare, but it's all good," and my mother-in-law listening to him carefully.  When I talked over the talking head, she got very mad.  She then told me how they had to raise the SS age, because we're all getting older, and Medicare too, we just have to do it.  I sighed and told her not to watch these shows anymore, to just read.  Then I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said she was a wonderful grandmother to my son.  Didn't really know what else to do.  Sigh.

And another link to my short story about Disneyland, flashing boobs on Splash Mountain, basketball inside the Matterhorn, and the feral cats who roam the place at night.  Hope anyone who reads it (that means YOU! Ahem) enjoys it.  (LINK)

Charlie Pierce has become a daily fix for me, because he so well expresses not just the obvious truths, but does so with wholly appropriate doses of anger and sarcasm that speak to what so many are feeling.

Brooks really ought to consider using some of his hard-earned, liberal arts-educated money to buy himself a clue or two, but alas, that might mean having to remove his head from its deeply embedded position somewhere near the end of his digestive system.

Millions without jobs, little but low-paying, no-future,  minimum-wage jobs where there are jobs, billions in college loan debt - much of which will not be helped one iota by Obama's acceleration of the new student loan repayment options - and Brooks thinks the solution is more people going to college and getting married.  

Okay, then.

I would truly love for someone like Brooks to conduct a little experiment: he should be, for however long it takes, a job-seeker, using his history-major degree, and do it without the benefit of all his connections or access to his personal safety net.  Let him do it with a clunker car he still owes money on, student loan debt.  Put - let's be generous - a thousand dollars in a bank account - preferably Bank of America, because they will be so helpful, kind and understanding when he inevitably bounces a check or two - and let him find a job, an apartment, put food on the table, and see how long he can survive.  Let's see if he can get health insurance he can afford, and if he can't, let's concoct a hypothetical medical problem he has no money to solve, and see how that affects him.

Until then, he can just be one of the pontificating blowhard poster children for the elites, who is adding fuel to the Occupy movement with every condescending and dismissive word he writes or speaks; but, hey, we all have to find our bliss, right?

If you live in these big cities, you see people similar to yourself, who may have gone to the same college, who are earning much more while benefiting from low tax rates, wielding disproportionate political power, gaining in prestige and contributing seemingly little to the social good. That is the experience of Blue Inequality.

These spams are computer generated. That's how they do 15 at a time, including on closed and older posts. A few times a day I try to heck the new registrations which are listed on a single page and I can determine from the comments or country of origin if they are spam. I can then delete the account and all comments for that user with one click.

Without going to a system where commenters have to type in a phrase to post a comment, I can't prevent them. I don't want to do that, so I prefer to delete them manually every day.

I really appreciate commenters pointing them out as I don't read all the comment threads and would miss them on days I don't remember or have time to check the new registrations.

What a total waste of time.
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And Cain...

What I find so despicable is the woman/women had to sign some sort of non-disclosure statement. Yet Cain can say whatever he wants.  They could let her/them out of that part if the contract to get this out in the open, but they won't.  Why ?

But what I find truly funny is the republican new found love of lying.  Back in the day, like 6 months ago, the truth in Weiner's non-sense was something they just could not get past.  It was akin to treason.  Now days, not so much, basically they are defending the obvious lies he's told.  From 'Hell No !!' to 'I was misunderstood' in like 6 hours.

I wasn't cool with it for Reagan, Clinton, though impeachment was a bit much, not cool with it for Wiener and not cool with it for Cain.  Basically, if you are a politician and there is some sort of news worthy scandal and you get caught in an important lie, that should be it.  Party affiliation should be set aside and the liar dealt with like adults deal with real issues.

And then there's the Limbaugh/Ingram getting behind the black man, words can't even describe how much that amuses me.  When they do that, there's not a doubt in my mind of how deep their corruption has gone.

I almost want Cain to win, just to watch these clowns step all of their own words for 4 years. No more racist emails or innuendos or the whole gamut of garbage from that side of the field.

Where do they put it, a bank ?

How to handle CC companies withholding $75k in donation because they expect a lot of 'disputes' ?

A final fifth volume will appear 2-3 years after that.

I get the hammer/bandaged finger, but the rest of the costume looks like an Alaskan ninja.  And damn, how much gauze does one finger need.

I'll defend my state to the end, but this guy is a real scum bag, and makes me ashamed of some of my fellow residents.

Caution, this video is rough, I wish I would not have watched it.  Video