WTF-Beta

Ax asked about Christian conceptions (pun intended) of sin in another thread.

I'm am so old-school RC that the thought of cheating at a self checkout line is noxious to me. I would feel soiled.

The Edgar Meyer of the tuba world! Amazing.

I just sent a suggestion to the head of the Virginia Symphony asking if they might be interested in bringing her down for a concert.

The concept of "illegal immigration" is modern. You will find nothing scriptural addressing the modern conception of "illegally" crossing a border.

The broader issues of "uphold the law" versus "welcome the foreigner" are addressed here.

I don't think you will find any support for ICE raids in here.

https://biblehub.com/q/bible's_view_on_illegal_immigration.htm

Well, I got 3 of 4. I missed the last one because I misinterpreted what they meant by "where it fits."

Yeah, pretty hard test for a non-native speaker of English.

In Ann Arbor, MI.

A friend of mine posted that it looks like the Venetian in Las Vegas threw up all over an apartment!

https://www.redfin.com/MI/Ann-Arbor/414-S-Main-St-48104/unit-10/home/99381131

https://ssl.cdn-redfin.com/photo/173/mbpaddedwide/388/genMid.25062388_29_1.jpg

Gandalf's response to Frodo's anguish about what he had to do with the ring ... "I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo ...

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

He isn't a businessman, unless Don Corleone is just "a businessman." His record in business is abject failure. His record in extortion and in profiting from influence ... golden.

He is what used be called a conservative, before the "read my lips" people joined with the White Nationalists to capture the GOP.

Kill the carried interest loophole!

I'm OK with limiting the stepped up basis, somewhat. Capital gains taxation has always been messy because you pay on pure inflation as well as on real capital gains. This is why we have all sorts of provisions to allow people to avoid paying capital gains taxes on large increases in the price of homes that have been held for a long time, through lots of inflation.

By all means, raise the FICA cap. It's so easy to ensure the long term viability of the social security system by doing that.

Means testing for benefits? Oooh, much more controversial, especially if done ex post. I have paid into the system my whole life. You tell me that I can't collect next year (or significantly cut my long-expected benefits) and you'll lose millions of elderly voters. Third rail stuff. Don't go near it. The beauty of the social security system is that it's the almost perfect example of "targeting within universalism." It's a program whose main beneficiary is lower-income elderly, but it's a popular program because that targeting is wrapped in a universal system that also benefits everyone who pays in.

Sears and Roebuck candy and peanut counter, Coral Gables ... 1960s. I remember it well. The smell of fresh, warm, roasted cashews!

His (Trump's) will be an obituary that millions savor reading, repeatedly.

We still pay for our "local" newspaper (The Daily Press). I also pay for the NYTimes and Krugman. Like most academics, I'm a bit spoiled by having library access so I don't actually have to pay for lots of news sources (WSJ, for instance).

This is not a random slice of the population, you know.

Can't wait to see all of our former friends responding in kind ...

Glad you're continuing to play!

You know, I remember a very long thread on PW about that Croatian Rhapsody and all of its variants many moons ago!

@DougG said in The end of an era:

wow, you must be really old.

But congratulations. I have really enjoyed retirement the two or three times I’ve done it.

Yeah, I get it. As an emeritus professor I still plan on doing stuff, just not in the classroom. I might even see if there is any need for an old curmudgeon in consulting!

@jon-nyc said in The end of an era:

Fantastic. Are you done done? Or just done teaching classes? In other words are you returning next semester?

I am not really retired yet. I'm not teaching next semester but I'm still on the payroll. I am writing, mentoring and dong other service work.

I'm also trying to play a little politics here in Virginia, pushing a new plan to change the way four-year public higher education is financed. If I merely get a discussion going, that's a success.

The "ringing the bell" thing is a nice tradition for undergrads. In May, the line to ring the bell during the last week of class is very long! I hope we can establish a tradition for faculty to ring the bell after their last class too.

@jon-nyc said in Happy Thanksgiving - What's your story?:

By the way, I really wish we could retire the phrase 'processed food' and come up with new description(s) of the foods in the category based on the mechanism or degree of harm. 'Processed' is just too neutral and generic (you know those strawberries you're eating? They've been through the picking, washing, and packaging process - really!).

But less flip, it seems to me there's a big difference between organic whole wheat bread and neon-orange cheese dust, yet both are, indeed, processed foods. We need to make a better distinction. ('Ultra' helps, but only so much. It suffers from the same imprecision and lack of any biological reference).

I realize I'm yelling into a void.

You're absolutely right. A term that general is often ignored by the bulk of the population.

Fortunately, I'm an oldster. If I were forced to buy one of these I would use some sharp object to obliterate the image on the right. I suspect national park employees who saw it would smile and wave me through.

Next, I'm sure well be seeing this on US postage.

In imitation of his buddy here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F-%2Fzh_TW%2FStamp-Germany-Scott-Third-Hitler%2Fdp%2FB00UEU5CZ4&psig=AOvVaw2JMEFkKoeKWidyjh7e-pjU&ust=1764642541217000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBYQjRxqFwoTCPClwPKrm5EDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2025/11/30/USAT/87539413007-pass.jpg?width=660&height=416&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp

We're in Santa Fe with the sons, the daugher-in-law, the two step grands and wife's sister.

I'm doing a whole beef tenderloin this time, not a turkey. I'm not responsible for anything else!

Here's sunset last night from the driveway.

Despite all the corporate denials (we use real USDA certified anti-biotic-free meats!) one has to wonder. Is this guy the smoke and there is fire all over the place in the company.

I have no doubt that lower- and middle-income families are their main market. The products are inexpensive, so their ingredients are as well. So? Disparaging your customers isn't in the marketing plan. Disparaging your employees does wonders for morale, and turnover.