Immanentizing The Eschaton: Your Supreme Court And The Great Religious War (October 7, 2013)

Posted in Courts, First Monday In October, Immanentizing The Eschaton, Journalism, Judges, Judicial Arrogance, Law, Newspapers, Supreme Court on October 7, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

L1        “The Supreme Court is engaged in a war between those who do not want to allow others to immanentize the eschaton and those who do want to allow others to immanentize the eschaton.”

L2        “I’ve said that many times.  The five rich White boys – Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Kennedy – have already immanentized the eschaton and do not want anyone else except those like them to immanentize the eschaton.”

L1        “They are the Catholic Squad.”

L2        “And the four others also have immanentized the eschaton and yet do want everyone else to be able to immanentize the eschaton.”

L1        “Exactly.  They are the Jewish Squad.  Sotamayer developed concern for the health and welfare of others in her youth and did not immanentize the eschaton until adulthood, so she caucuses with the Jewish Squad.  The Jewish “Big E” Eschaton itself shapes the attitude toward its immanentization.  This life may not be a dress rehearsal.”

L2        “At core, the war at the Supreme Court really is a great religious war.”

. . .

L1        “They are out in left field honing their short game.”

L2        “Yet there are some Catholics who do want to allow others to immanentize the eschaton.  Just none of the current Supreme Beings.”

. . .

[See the other “e-ssays” in the “First Tuesday In October” series at https://e-commentary.org/category/first-monday-in-october/.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

“In a recent series of Pushitzer prize winning articles, ‘El Diablo Times Bugle Leader Follower Post Pre Clarion’ reports that after each one took of them took the ultimate senior status and appeared before an even more Supreme Being, Johnny, Tony, Clarence, Sammy and Tony II each were sent straight to the mines with no health or safety apparatus, no lunch breaks, no overtime pay, no air conditioning and no law clerks – none – to bail them out.”

. . .

“Your surprise is not surprising.  We see that reaction all the time.”  “As you know, we did not even entertain the existence of such an ultimate reality.  And a room with a view and room service.  Just because we lead a virtuous life.”  “Indeed.  Really, it’s quite simple.  From our perspective, we look at how you live your life not what you profess to believe.  And perforce, as you know, we know everything.”

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‘Romney – Negro Care’ Is Back In The News. Again. (September 30, 2013)

Posted in Health Care, O'Bama, Race, Tea Party on September 30, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

1          “The hatred is so virulent.”

2          “And all because a Black guy is trying to stay the impact of viruses.”

1          “Hate and fear; hate and fear; hate and fear; hate and fear.  The overriding fear is that ‘Romney – O’Bama Care’ will work.”

2          “The hatred and fear is implicitly endorsed by so many of the folks described as mainstream commentators who do not discuss what is really at play.”

1          “Life is usually just high school writ large.  The Tea Party types and their ilk in the Republican Party have regressed through high school back to kindergarten.  Kindergarten writ small.  Spoiled little children who need to be spanked lovingly and sent to the time out room.”

2          “The Constitution does establish minimum age requirements to serve in the House and the Senate.”

1          “They only look at the date of birth rather than intellectual and emotional maturity.  When it is called ‘Obamacare,’ there is some resistance, but when it is called the ‘Affordable Care Act,’ there is great interest.”

2          “That is why the Tea Partiers would like to call it ‘N-word Care.’”

. . .

1          “No Republican voted for the Affordable Care Act.  Their votes were recorded and given full force and effect.  They lost.  The Act passed muster before the Republican-controlled Supreme Court.  The Republican members of the House have taken more that forty votes to repeal the legislation.  The Senate provides the mature insight.  It is settled for now.”

2          “The Republicans condemned the employer mandate and then condemned O’Bama for deferring the employer mandate for a year.  Dishonest or hypocritical?”

1          “And the Republican commentators who are now condemning O’Bama for exercising too much power reversed their notions of constitutional law and presidential power the day O’Bama was inaugurated.  Seems dishonest and hypocritical to me.”

. . .

Bumper stickers of the week:

Bark more, Wag less.  Right?

Destroying the Republic to save the Republic.

If O’Bama proposed a bill to advance motherhood, the Tea Party would attack it.

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The Paradox Of The Republican Federal Judge: Republican Federal Judge Syndrome (September 23, 2013)

Posted in Courts, Judges, Law, Politics, Republican Federal Judge Syndrome on September 23, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

L1        “They spend their Saturday nights dutifully licking and sealing envelopes containing missives condemning the government on behalf of the Republican Party, then get their coveted federal judgeship, and then spend their career granting every motion and request for relief filed by any government agency or large institution to the detriment of the public and/or an individual.”

L2        “The vexing ‘Paradox of the Republican Federal Judge.’  The Republican Federal Judge condemns the government to get there and represents the government once there.  Leaves you wondering if we could save money by appointing one person to be the U.S. Attorney General and the Federal Judge.”

L1        “In a dispute between an individual and the government, the Republican Federal Judge sides with the government.  In a dispute between an individual and the police, the Republican Federal Judge sides with the police.  In a dispute between an individual and an insurance company, the Republican Federal Judge sides with the insurance company.  In a dispute between an individual and a bank, the Republican Federal Judge sides with the bank.  In a dispute between an individual and a large corporation, the Republican Federal Judge sides with the large corporation.”

L2        “I’ve seen that side in practice.”

. . .

L1        “He didn’t even sense the irony of his circumstance.  He supported and financed the Republican Senator who nominated the Republican Federal Judge appointed by the Republican President who could not wait for the Republican U.S. Attorney nominated by the Republican Senator and appointed by the Republican President to file a motion to deny relief to him and assess fees against him in his dispute with the gov-mint.”

L2        “Republican Federal Judge Syndrome.  So many of them are RFJS-Positive.  You can still blame it on the Democrats.”

. . .

[And then there are the exceptions.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/us/judge-blocks-north-dakota-abortion-restrictions.html?_r=0 and http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/21/education/21evolution.html?pagewanted=all.]

[See the “e-ssay titled “You’re fired. Sue me.” (August 13, 2012).]

Bumper sticker of the week:

The law serves the wealthy and well-connected.  At every opportunity.

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September 15, 2008 – The Date That Should Live In Infamy (September 16, 2013)

Posted in Bailout/Bribe, Banks and Banking System, Economics, Federal Reserve, Kleptocracy, Occupy Movement on September 16, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

C          “Five years ago in the morn, Senator McCain, the pundits and the powerful proclaimed that the fundamentals of the economy were sound.”

D          “Didn’t seem that way to me then.  Doesn’t seem that way to me now.”

C          “Didn’t seem that way even to them in the afternoon.  Those running the game realized that the hollow economy could not be propped up with lies and smoke and mirrors.  September 15 is the date that should live in infamy.”

D          “If market forces had been allowed to continue without the TARP and other interventions, the current generation would have endured its excesses rather than heaping them on the younger generations.”

. . .

C          “And two years since the emergence of the Occupy movement.  The folks shared a concern that something is wrong with the economic and political game even if they could not explain the problems or advance the solutions.”

. . .

D          “No one has ever audited the Federal Reserve.”

C          “Some companies claim to have paid back some of the government loans, but who really knows.”

D          “No one has ever been prosecuted except a few unconnected fools and Madoff who made the mistake of purloining from the powerful.”

. . .

C          “The Dow’s new highs are a sign of peril not of promise.  As long as the Federal Reserve keeps fabricating phony funds, the Dow will keep providing phony figures.”

. . .

C          “All the counterparty agreements are essentially insurance policies.  An insurance company is required by law to provide adequate reserves to satisfy possible claims.  Every concerned citizen should have reservations about an insurance scheme with no regulation or even reserves.”

D          “Insurance companies have historically been regulated by states.  The most likely state to regulate the financial industry – New York – has no incentive to regulate and every incentive to allow unregulated criminality.  New York is profiting handsomely from the criminality,”

C          “Laissez faire, they say.  Those in power are too lazy to create a fair economic system.”

D          “The same old same old.”

C          “The same old same old.”

D          “The same old same old is getting old.”

. . .

[See the “e-ssays” under the Category “TARP” at https://e-commentary.org/category/tarp/ and any of a few dozen “e-ssays” presented in the last nine years on the economy.  See the “e-ssays” under the Category “Occupy Movement” at https://e-commentary.org/category/occupy-movement/.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

A system that cannot go on forever will not go on forever.

“Twenty-five years ago, I worked there during the summers for $7 an hour and now my son works there part-time for $7.75 an hour.”

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Tea Party And Innocence Project Form ‘Liberty Alliance’ (September 9, 2013)

Posted in Civil War, Crime/Punishment, Hypocrisy, Law, Prison/Criminology, Tea Party on September 9, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

C1        “The ‘Liberty Alliance’ is so natural.  A political group concerned with liberty aligns with a judicial group also concerned with liberty.”

C2        “The Tea Party and the Innocence Project concluded a Memorandum of Understanding to advance and promote liberty.”

. . .

C1       “Breaking news.  The Young Americans for Freedom voted to join the ‘Liberty Alliance’ today.”

. . .

C1        “Braking News.  Some members of the Tea Party demanded that the ‘Liberty Alliance’ seek liberty and freedom for Whites only.”

C2        “There is always a catch.”

. . .

C1        “More Heart Breaking News.  Some members of the Young Americans for Freedom demanded that the ‘Liberty Alliance’ seek liberty and freedom for Whites only.”

C2        “It’s catching but not catchy.”

. . .

This article must be revised to reflect the following correction:

Neither the Tea Party nor the Young Americans for Freedom has formed an alliance with the Innocence Project.

. . .

[See the website of the Innocence Project at http://www.innocenceproject.org/ and the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/us/justice-dept-seeks-to-curtail-stiff-drug-sentences.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Don’t tread on me [yes you a corrupt and expensive and inefficient and inequitable criminal justice system.]

Even if you don’t do the crime, you may do the time.

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Foot Longs and Football (September 2, 2013)

Posted in Football, Fracking, Health Care, Perjury, Perjury/Dishonesty, Pogo Plight, Society, Sports on September 2, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

F1        “One is bad for us and the other is bad for them.”

F2        “How about hot dog buns and pig skin antics.  Today’s version of bread and circuses.”

F1        “The fans poison themselves in the stands while the combatants bang their heads on the field.”

F2        “And on the heads of their opponents.”

F1       “Those who make it to the top have been pummeled for years if not decades and performed on Friday nights and then Saturday afternoons and then all day on Sunday.”

F2         “And on Monday and Thursday and Wednesday and Tuesday.”

. . .

F1       “America was about education, now it is about revenue sports.  Two sports are the revenue sports in high school, in college and in the prose.”

F2        “College combatants do not even receive workmens’ compensation insurance coverage while on the job let alone a share of the profits.  We celebrate Labor Day but do not reward them for their labor.”

. . .

F2        “The NFL executives testified before Congress in 2009, under oath as always, that repeated head contact by players has not been shown to lead to brain injury.  One representative, Linda Sánchez, noted that their testimony is the same as the tobacco company executives denying the link between smoking and lung disease.”

F1        “Every generation can be defined by its Big Lie.”

F2        “The danger from fracking also may be our generations’ Big Lie.” 

. . .

F1        “There are rumors of a legal settlement with a gang of retired gladiators who are suffering all manner of predictable maladies.  Most settlements include a provision enjoining future violations, but the games go on.” 

. . .

[See the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/sports/football/29hearing.html.] 

[See the “e-ssay” titled Gettin’ Health Risks Right (June 25, 2012) discussing the Big Lies of past generations.]

Bumper sticker of the week:

Play ball

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Syria: Gas and Fog (August 26, 2013)

Posted in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Vietnam on August 26, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

C1        “There are times when a line in the sand is one side of a box you build around yourself.”

C2        “When you have someone trapped in a corner, you are also in a corner.  For centuries, nations have outlawed going to war and then regularly gone to war.  For one hundred years, all civilized nations have banned the use of poison gas and very few nations have used poison gas.”

C1        “But what if all the nations decide not to go to war against a nation that or individual who uses poison gas?”

. . .

C1        “I was against attacking Iraq and against attacking Afghanistan and am still against attacking Iran.”

C2        “And you were also against attacking Vietnam at a very young age.”

C1        “I don’t see this proposed attack as in our national interest.  Once again, the draft dodgers and neo-cons want to get America involved in another ill-conceived war to serve their individual interests.  Let them commit their sons and daughters first.”

C2        “They are beating the drums of war and drowning out the guitars of peace.”

. . .

[See the “e-ssay” titled “The Drums of War (February 20, 2012)”]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Bombs away

We will get fooled again

It is time to draw the line on drawing lines

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Going The Extra Mile: Today’s Airline Mileage Programs (August 19, 2013)

Posted in Aviation, Market Solutions, Markets on August 19, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

A          “That is correct.”

P          “So I drive from my home near Raleigh to the airport and then fly sitting in a middle seat to Kuala Lampur International and wait for seven hours and then fly to Kathmandu International and sit for ten hours and then fly to Timbuktu International Airport and then I arrive.  That is the best you can do under the mileage program.”

A          “That is correct.”

P          “I get it.  I had to accumulate a lot of miles and then the available routes entail enduring all kinds of miles in the air on inconvenient routes with long delays between flights.”

A          “That is correct.”

P          “So that is why they call it a mileage program.”

A          “That is correct.”

P          “That is the best itinerary to get to Durham Airport.”

A          “That is correct.  Would you like the available flights from Ft. Worth to Dallas?  In August, we can route you through Antarctica.”

. . .

P          “The president of the airline is a Harvard MBA and a sociopath who makes 120 million a year and could not make a HO gauge train in his den run on time.” 

A          “That is correct.” 

. . .

P          “You are required to read from a script and stay on message.” 

A          “That is correct.” 

. . .

[See the “e-ssay” at An Airline (Partial) Survival Guide (January 24, 2005).]

Bumper sticker of the week:

“Remember, we are not happy until you are not happy.”  Today’s Airline. 

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Boycott The Olympic Boycott (August 12, 2013)

Posted in Boycott Series, Gay Politics, Government Regulation, Russia, Society, Sports on August 12, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

A          “Boycotts are often the most effective moral and economic means to vote against oppression and repression or in favor of truth and justice.  Do not buy a product or do buy another product.  However, boycotting an Olympics is more of an act to ‘cut off your nose to spite your face.’”

B          “Spite and nose cutting are not pretty.”

A          “Send the athletes to compete.  The Olympics are often expressions of nationalism, jingoism and aggression with all manner of doping, deception and dishonesty.  However, there is the possibility that a hard-working kid gets a chance at a bigger stage and a few minutes on the winner’s podium.”

B          “Even if the Russian policy toward gays and gay marriage is reactionary, America should react by sending its athletes who have trained hard to perform.”

A          “Prevailing at an away game on foreign soil and celebrating with restraint is always more sublime.”

. . .

B          “Let the pitchers pitch.”

A          “Pitch your pitch on the pitch.”

. . .

Bumper stickers of the week:

Play ball!

Just win, baby, with dignity and without dope.

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Digital Deception (August 5, 2013)

Posted in Consumerism, Digital, Economics, Perjury/Dishonesty, Pogo Plight, Privacy on August 5, 2013 by e-commentary.org

. . .

1          “I mentioned to a close friend privately that digital is holding its own against analog.  However, digital has some downsides.”

2          “I call it digital deception.  Digital allows for so much more deception because nothing is permanent.”

. . .

1          “I clicked ‘add to cart’ to add a product on the ‘Styx’ e-commerce website, jotted down the price and noted the free shipping on a sheet of paper.”

2          “Which gets us back to the need to make a written record that is permanent.”

1          “I minimized the site on the screen, called a local store for comparison and then maximized the site on the screen.  The price was the same, but the free shipping was changed to a much more substantial cost.”

2          “Bait and switch transcends technology.  You may find that the shipping is free, but the shipping date is in a month or longer.  That may prove to be an unprofitable stratagem because it goes against the all-consuming desire for immediate gratification.”

. . .

1          “Now it is offering free shipping and delivery in a week.  It is almost as if the system detects that I will purchase the product if the shipping is free.”

2          “If you leave the site for a period of time and then return, the algorithm may reset to bait you with free shipping.  Switch from the site for a while and see what happens.”

. . .

1          “The ‘Fly By Night’ travel web sites provide the best price for a flight and then in a subsequent visit to the site a few minutes later increase the price or offer less appealing routes.  Once they have gotten you, they have got you.”

2          “Unless you don’t let them get you.”

. . .

1          “The ‘Pillow’ real estate website regularly changes and updates information including what it represented to be historical data.  The predicted price for my house in 2007 is now materially different.”

2          “I can predict the closing price of the Dow last week.”

1          “Taking a screen shot requires a clever workaround.  I filed a printed screen shot of my property and then compared it a year later.  The figures and historical graph were different.  I printed the subsequent results to keep a record in a printed format and then check later.”

. . .

1          “I checked on the availability of a website address and was shocked at this late stage of web address homesteading that it was still available.  I then checked the availability of another more general website and discovered that it was already staked.  When I returned to purchase the first website, it was not available.”

2          “If I find that a website address is available, I immediately purchase it.” 

. . .

2        “You could use another computer and search for a product or flight without revealing your identity or propensity until you sign in to make a purchase.  However, the dubious real estate data appears on every computer screen.”

. . .

Bumper stickers of the week:

Clio needs to clutch the parchment scrolls tenaciously

Let the buyer be aware and be wary and be weary

Mano-a-mano with a machine

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