Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Stupid Cogs

Reed said higher education officials are not advocating for larger cutbacks in healthcare or services for children and the elderly. Rather, he said, lawmakers should consider a proposal by Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill to eliminate about $2 billion in tax credits and also levy sales taxes on a variety of services.

"California as a state has got to increase its revenue," he said.


Beware any time a politician says 'got to.' Clear indication that you don't got to.

Reed was afraid to admit higher education officials are advocating larger cutbacks in healthcare or services for children and the elderly. He said, lawmakers should consider a proposal by Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill to impose $2 billion in new taxes and also levy illegal sales taxes on a variety of services.

"California as a state has got to increase its revenue," he said.

Said the state employee with a salary dependent upon increased revenues.

The servants have become the masters.

37 comments:

Casey Serin said...

F I R S T ...

If California penalize all convicted mortgage fraudsters in state to 50% wage garnishment for life, why they'd have hundreds of billions of dollars in the state coffers immediately.

Nah, they'll let guys like me sleep off the punishment on the couch. Sweet!

Jim the Realtor said...

Looks like you're doing well Dawg - are you already home? Was that a drive-through surgery?

Rob Dawg said...

Went for an exploratory angiogram Tuesday. They didn't let me get up off the gurney. Hit by a truck about covers it.

Jim the Realtor said...

Dang Dawg, that's insane at your age. I guess it could happen to anyone though. You gotta be feeling relieved by now, which is good - just in time for the Laker championship run!

Does this mean your coffee-drinking days are through?

1.44MB said...

Welcome back dawgster - just a bump in the road s'all. Besides it could be worse you could be living in a car:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/19/homeless.mom/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
This story has all the feel of the the glutinous-Tiffany-wearing-food-bank-robber of a couple of months back. Former loan processor, recently lost SB condo, 67 years old and no savings - the usual kool-aid to rags story. I've been trolling the comments all day (slow at work) thought someone else might want to tag in.

Santa Flipper Clause said...

Ho Ho Ho - It's Santa Flipper Clause

It's good to have you back Dawg.

Santa F. Clause

Rob Dawg said...

JtR,
Skiing in Mammoth 4 months ago I was feeling "short of breath." If I had pushed just a smiggin harder they wouldn't have got me off the hill. I was skiing with the guy who was my anestheologist last week.

For now all the basic food groups; beer, coffee, BBQ are off the menu. Yeah 48 was supposed to be a through check-up establishing a baseline to see if in 10 years or so things started going bad.

As to the Lakers... sure the finals but either DET or BOS are gonna shut the door hard. Their only hope is the loser injures the other team that advances.

I'm still feeling like I was hit by a truck but the operative word now is "was."

It will be a few weeks before I am clearheaded but with beer nowhere near as funny or clever. ;-)

I am catching up on blogospherics. I can't promise but there is something happening in Oxnard involving Riverpark and money, big money. That Centex 30¢ on the dollar land for tax break swap is the tip of the iceberg.

Casey Serin said...

For now all the basic food groups; beer, coffee, BBQ are off the menu.

Guess that means you'll have to sink your ivory tusks into some veggies, and get your flippers on a treadmill, stat! ;-)

I recommend Macaroni Grill for a healthy meal... remember to pay for the meal using your Mom's credit card after you steal it from her!!

Bill in NC said...

Anything new on how much CalPERS has blown on real estate?

Akubi said...

It will be a few weeks before I am clearheaded but with beer nowhere near as funny or clever. ;-)
They're not giving you groovy painkillers?!

On the healthier side I'd recommend kombucha, tofu and green tea.
Despite all of these years of he Bush Admin and yelling at my TV and/or laptop, the combination has kept my blood pressure very low – as well as my cholesterol (yet the good cholesterol remains high).

Lou Minatti said...

healthcare

When did this become its own word and why?

For now all the basic food groups; beer, coffee, BBQ are off the menu.

One word: Arugula.

Rob Dawg said...

'Cous cous' has that vaguely suggestive ring to it. Think of it as underage rice.

Akubi,
There are these big blue ones... percosomething. Think of them as The Anime Channel mets TVLand. The blinding white pain in my shoulder joints takes on a late-nite Cartoon Channel quality.

CalPERS is experiencing a leadership crisis. Turnover in positions unexpected and some minor portfolio issues. They are a out to be hit with a spike in withdrawls and lack the short term instruments to cover. That means selling some long term performers at deep discounts in this market.

Akubi said...

@Lou,
One word: Arugula.
Thanks, I should have mentioned that too.

@Dawg,
Percodan or Percocet? I much prefer the former, but it isn't often prescribed these days.

Akubi said...

Slightly OT: watching another foreclosure piece on Nightly Business Report and I heard "Win-win" again.
A much more realistic world would involve replacing win-win with loose looz.

Casey Serin said...

@ Akubi -- Percodan or Percocet? I much prefer the former, but it isn't often prescribed these days.

They're fundamentally the same thing. That is, they contain the same active compound, oxycodone. The only difference is Percodan contains aspirin as well, while Percocet contains acetaminophen as the added ingredient.

How do I know this? Remember, I'm a speed freak and a drug addict in general. Not that there's anything wrong with that! ;-)

Akubi said...

Casey,
Acetaminophen - as I recall - isn't good for the liver which would fly in the face of my kombucha intake. I prefer aspirin and the "cet" suffix just doesn't sound/seem as effective as "dan". Perhaps it is a branding issue (tm)...

Lou Minatti said...

They're fundamentally the same thing. That is, they contain the same active compound, oxycodone. The only difference is Percodan contains aspirin as well, while Percocet contains acetaminophen as the added ingredient.

How do I know this?


Listening to Rush and watching Jerry Lewis?

Akubi said...

@Lou,
Jerry Lewis is fun!
Never did that Oxycontin stuff despite my undercover Repug agenda.

Check out my HK-47

Akubi said...

California Congresswoman walked away from $578K mortgage

Casey Serin said...

Nice find, Akubi-Dooby-Doo™ ... sounds like the good congresswoman went to the Casey Serin School of Personal Finance, including the juicy $15K cash back at close.

Our Motto -- "Houses: you deal 'em, we steal 'em." ;-)

Akubi said...

Yes, I thought the same. Don't forget 100% financing and the Sacramento location.
The Shrillary superdel is currently denying the foreclosure report. This could be an interesting story worth investigating...

Casey Serin said...

I think Robbo may have taken a bit too many Percocets... he appears to be off in LaLa Land again, smiling to himself in an opiate-induced fugue state on the couch.

Next update for EN: June 10th, 2008. ;-)

w said...

I am worried that Rob has realized that life is short and we just aren't worth the time.

We better start warming him up with some stories about our favorite chablis or the time we were deciding which private all-girls college we are sending our progeny to.

wagga said...

Dawg, glad you are back.

Jesse Unruh’s principle of politicians. He was quoted thus:

"If you can’t take their money and drink their whiskey, and f**k their women, and still vote against them in the morning, you don’t belong here.”

Akubi said...

I imagine Dawg chilling on the couch and enjoying his Percocets – even feeling arugula might not be such a bad substitute for tri-tips – until Hillary Clinton’s maniacal face shows up in full form on the TV yesterday and he decides to unplug everything.

Anonymous said...

Dang Dawg, I'm glad you pulled through. Better lay off the bad stuff for awhile. Ranting about local gubbermint can't be good for you, nor is looking at too much hot ass. Best to avoid excessive excitement of any kind for the time being. Otherwise, it's back to Nurse Ratched, or worse.

Casey Serin said...

Erm... Robbo, we know you've been leaving "dawg droppings" at this LA Times Blog post. You left two comments yesterday, and even reminded the readership that I'm a serial con man.

I appreciate the hate, as usual... maybe it'll get me that much closer to a jail cell and all, but how about a new post here? ;-)

Akubi said...

@Edgar,
It is Fishnet Friday™ so perhaps a bit of hot ass is just what the Dr. ordered.

TJandTheBear said...

Not to pressure somebody in recovery, but when do we get your RiverPark rant?

Centipede said...

Once one procreates and settles down in an ExUrb, one might suddenly realize how insane the whole concept was in the first place.

The_Scum said...

Welcome back Mr. Dawg.

I always enjoy the snark on your blog.

Rob Dawg said...

I know someone who is buying in Riverpark so I have inside juice. I just have to obscure a few details for privacy but the concessions are epic.

No problems just need a little more recuperation time. 11 days after emergency open heart surgery is not quite enough.

w said...

I sure hope you find a way for the State of California to pay for your surgery. Did you give your real name when you went into the hospital?

Sac RE Agent said...

Dawg, glad to see you're back. Slow and easy is the way to recover.

Akubi said...

Happy Memorial Day!

Bakersfield Bubble said...

Welcome back Rob!!

Lost Cause said...

It is the day after Memorial Day. It is the day that we forget all of the mistakes that we made in the Vietnam War, and continue figting the War in Iraq.