Disclaimer

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24sun4.html?_r=1

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/07/the-chart-that-should-accompany-all-discussions-of-the-debt-ceiling/242484/

It’s based on data from the Congressional Budget Office and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Its significance is not partisan (who’s “to blame” for the deficit) but intellectual. It demonstrates the utter incoherence of being very concerned about a structural federal deficit but ruling out of consideration the policy that was largest single contributor to that deficit, namely the Bush-era tax cuts.

An additional significance of the chart: it identifies policy changes, the things over which Congress and Administration have some control, as opposed to largely external shocks—like the repercussions of the 9/11 attacks or the deep worldwide recession following the 2008 financial crisis. Those external events make a big difference in the deficit, and they are the major reason why deficits have increased faster in absolute terms during Obama’s first two years than during the last two under Bush. (In a recession, tax revenues plunge, and government spending goes up - partly because of automatic programs like unemployment insurance, and partly in a deliberate attempt to keep the recession from getting worse.) If you want, you could even put the spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in this category: those were policy choices, but right or wrong they came in response to an external shock.*

The point is that governments can respond to but not control external shocks. That’s why we call them “shocks.” Governments can control their policies. And the policy that did the most to magnify future deficits is the Bush-era tax cuts. You could argue that the stimulative effect of those cuts is worth it (“deficits don’t matter” etc). But you cannot logically argue that we absolutely must reduce deficits, but that we absolutely must also preserve every penny of those tax cuts. Which I believe precisely describes the House Republican position.

After the jump, from a previous “The Chart That Should…” positing, an illustration of the respective roles of external shock and deliberate policy change in creating the deficit.

For real... Diseased or not, it was mine.

It used to just be a bunnyhole, then a shallow grave... now its a man cave. I don't wanna say Genfly gets around, but...

Biohazard, I dunno if they'll let you. They didn't let me keep my diseased appendix after it ruptured. I wanted a new paperweight.

Congrats, hope you'll be able to get paid after Aug 2nd

Swamp buggy racing?

Weekends are good, its the weekdays that are troublesome

Perhaps. Preference for Saturday though...

The federal tax burden is at its lowest level in 60yrs, so...

I can agree that the tax code needs fixed, but "fixing" it is just another way of taxing the wealthy since they'll lose all the deductions they currently enjoy. Obama mentioned that in his speech last night.

And I hope your 'profit sharing' idea was just trolling... because that's a HUGE incentive to promote corner cutting and denials of services. You can save millions only operating govt offices one day a week, or getting rid of Veterans benefits... I love incentivizing people managing a system to pad their pockets at the expense of the people stuck USING the system. Ya know, like the insurance industry, who has to be govt regulated to ensure 'good faith' behavior.

Raising the debt limit = bandaid fix.

Cutting spending AND raising revenues on the top 2% of Americans whos income gap is the largest its ever been = long term fix.

Fixed that for you.

Good call. Bandaid fixes!

Obama really doesn't have much control over the idiots in the House.

I just love how any compromise is evil. That's really how things have been done in this country. Forget logic and facts, just whine, cry, lie, stall, blame, and pray until you get your way. Or, you could take action...like that rightwinger in Norway.

Republicans proposed the term limit deal back in the mid 90's...guess what happened when they were really pressed to 'put their money where their mouths were'?

I suppose the GOP will continue to bank on how forgetful the American people are. This song and dance has been done before.

World record blob jump

http://gizmodo.com/5823404/watching-a-world-record-blob-jump-is-soaring-flying-fun

NSFW

http://jezebel.com/5823935/courtesy-of-the-french-the-weirdest-video-youll-see-today-nsfw

I do them on my scooter. Makes it more interesting. Plus' date=' I get to tell the HD riders, "Don't even think about sitting on my bike!"[/quote']

I wouldn't want them power trippin' either. Delusions of grandeur with all that scoot power over HD vibration.

I've never had someone tell me I'm being vague when they're staring down the barrel of my .45

I searched "Bill Warner"

It made jalopnik now...

Cop threatens to execute driver over concealed weapon permit

http://jalopnik.com/5823543/cop-threatens-to-execute-driver-over-concealed-weapon-permit

Among the pressures facing police officiers working the streets of America is the rising number of people legally carrying concealed guns. But when one such licensee was pulled over in Canton, Ohio, an officer threatened to shoot him on the spot. Here's the chilling video. The arrest took place in early June, but the video only came to light today from a group called Ohioans for Concealed Carry. They had been working on behalf of the driver of the Pontiac Grand Prix, known so far only as William, who was arrested and charged in the stop.

As the 17-minute dashcam video shows, the two Canton police officers see the car pulled over in a neighborhood and detain a male passenger and a woman standing outside, whom the officers quickly identify as a prostitute. After telling the driver to stay put, they detain the male passenger and search the back of the car for a few minutes.

Only after that search does Officer Daniel Harless start questioning William, some seven minutes into the video — who then admits, when he can get a word in, that he has a concealed weapon, and tries to show Harless his permit. When he discovers William's gun in his belt, Harless instead becomes enraged: "You are supposed to say that right off the goddamned bat!"

Right now, the shit that you just pulled, I could blast you right in the mouth...I am so close to caving in you're goddamn head...you're just a stupid human being...People like you don't deserve to move throughout public. Stupid idiot."

After searching the car, getting worked up with his partner, and hearing from police dispatch that William does indeed have a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon, Harless comes back to the cruiser where William has been detained:

I swear to God man this little bull crap you just pulled right now has got me so hot. You know what I should have done? I'll tell you what I should have done. As soon as I saw your gun, I should have taken two steps back, pulled my Glock 40 and just put ten bullets in your ass and let you drop. And I wouldn'tve lost any sleep. And he would have been a nice witness as I executed you because you're stupid.

William was charged with two misdemeanor counts; one for stopping in the roadway, and another for failing to inform officers of his weapons.

After the video surfaced, the Canton police announced that Harless had been put on indefinite suspension last month, and the case forwarded to Internal Affairs. Ohio gun activists are raising money for William's defense. And the rest of us get to hope the next misunderstanding ends more amicably, rather than less.

Yea... and there's about 1.1 seconds and 12mph difference between the time each of those machines gets the job done.

I'll let you figure out which is which.

ITC made this ruling.

Per the link: "The ITC is a quasi-judicial arbiter of trade complaints that has become the venue of choice for resolving patent disputes."

I'm sure the ITC isn't something to be trifled with, but are they really the end-all-be-all ruling body? By definition above, it's unclear to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-judicial_body

Awards and verdicts often depend on a pre-determined set of guidelines or punishment depending on the nature and gravity of the offence committed. Such punishment may be legally enforceable under the law of a country, it can be challenged in a court of law which is the final decisive authority.

I can use pliers to turn a screw, but a screwdriver would be better.

I guess we'll find out who has the higher paid patent lawyers... obviously the whole goal is to write a patent as vague as possible to cover all permutations of an idea, but even if you're granted a patent via the USPTO/International bodies, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll win in court if it's too broad.

If it's not settled and Apple really wants to press the issue -- it'll end up going to court for a judge to decide if the patent is too general (not specific enough) or not, because like tyler said... Apple's monopoly on any mobile OS would likely going to be ruled too broad. The details of what exactly makes up that patent will be hashed out and set as case precedent for any future infringements.

Any tablet EXCEPT the iPad