Inferior Products and Labor Drive Modern Construction

Some "old-fogeyism" here, though there is something to the point that we just don't make things like we used to.

Inferior Products and Labor Drive Modern Construction - NYTimes.com:

Some things are much better quality now. Cars are safer, more reliable, will go farther on the same amount of energy, etc. Electronics use less power, run cooler, last a longer,.. remember changing tubes in an old TV?

Some comparisons are difficult. I'd guess a modern pre-fab, double-wide house is overall a better product than a 1960's house trailer but still, it may not last as long. A business telephone system may save the business money but is an automated phone system that pisses-off your customers really a better quality system than a real human voice?

But,.. there are a lot of crappy products and services out there. Cheap tools are terrible and sometimes will barely do the job. Appliances, though more efficient now, rarely last more than a few years. Clothing can be very poorly made. Lots of cheap plastic crap has replace more robust metal products through the years.

Crappy quality is sort of a feature of capitalism,... if someone can cheapen a product and sell it for a nickle less or save a business a little cash, it will be put into the market whether it's worth a shit or not.

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Links

Stumbling and Mumbling: When ignorance is power:

NSA is bad for business. The one thing that might change our master's minds on the NSA.

On Cantor's loss:


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West Bank kidnapping

News of the kidnapping is rather slow....

West Bank kidnapping - Haaretz | Israel News:

No updates here for 4 days: JPost-Kidnapping Blog

We've heard this....

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is "unequivocal" proof that the Islamic militant group Hamas is responsible for the kidnappings, but he has yet to provide any proof to back his assertion.

Wikipedia - The Timeline and this

A lawyer for the PA said that in the wake of the West Bank round-up, the number of Palestinian minors detained in Israeli jails exceeds 250, and that the hunt for the missing Israeli youths serves to cover up this fact

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Iraq - Our secret weapon

If only Iraq's new invaders had a Dick Cheney to give them advice - Los Angeles Times:




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Google's Customers

From Mathbabe

You are not Google’s customer | mathbabe:

As a gmail and Google Search user, you are not a customer of Google. You are the product. The customers of Google are the ones who advertise to you. Your interaction with Google is, from the perspective of the business operation, that you give them information which they harvest so they can advertise to you in a more targeted way, thus increasing the likelihood of you clicking. The fact that you get a service from these interactions is great, because it means you’ll come back to give Google and its customers more information about you soon. 

This misunderstanding, once you see it as such, can be clarifying. For example, when people talk about anti-trust and Google, they should talk about whether the customers of Google have any other serious choice. And since the customers of Google are advertisers, not gmailers or searchers, the alternatives aren’t hotmail or Bing. Rather they are other advertising outlets. And a very good case can be made that Google does violate anti-trust laws in that sense, just ask Nathan Newman. 

It also explains why something like the recent European “right to be forgotten” law seems so strange and unreasonable to the powers that be at Google. It’d be like a meat farm where the cows go on strike and demand better food. Cows are the product, and they aren’t supposed to complain. They’re not even supposed to be heard. At worst we treat them better when our customers demand it, not when the cows do.

Reminded me of this from Dylan's Ballad of a Thin Man

Now, you see this one-eyed midget shouting the word "Now"
And you say, "For what reason?" and he says, "How"
And you say, "What does this mean?" and he screams back, "You're a cow!
Give me some milk or else go home"
And you know something's happening but you don't know what it is
Do you, Mr. Jones?

or live.....



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robots

It's who owns the robots that matters.  Marc Andreessen and Al3x Payne | mathbabe:

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Sam Adams and Craft Beer?

Is Sam Adams Too Big to Be Craft Beer? | FiveThirtyEight:

Nope... It's too "businessy"/corporate.  Too national, with national advertising, limited local connections, no cutesy or in-your-face names/labels. Just a small national brand.

On that same note,... is IFC still an independent film channel?


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American faith in media

Americans faith in media at an all time low.

I wonder why....maybe blasting talking heads who just want to promote their ideology has something to do with it.

Neocons and Neocons

Misc

I guess he's never met the Indiana State Police. Mike Huckabee: 'The IRS Is The Closest Thing The U.S. Has To A Gestapo' | Crooks and Liars:

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Israeli teens

What evidence is there that teens were abducted?:

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Israeli teens

What evidence is there that teens were abducted?:

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Israel’s kidnapped Teenagers

A lot going on with this kidnapping... It could be real could be a false flag event. The PA seems innocent and trying to help. Hamas hasn't claimed responsibility, in fact, no one has, which seems odd. The Israelis are certainly using it as an excuse to punish the Palestinians. Their searches had turned up nothing, at least nothing they've made public. Maybe a radical Israeli settler group did the deed, knowing that it would trigger a vicious response from he Israeli government.

Some links:

Israel’s top-notch cyber intelligence agencies draw a blank in search for teenagers:

"There has been no claim of responsibility for the abduction, and the known terror groups have disavowed participation or claimed ignorance. This too bolsters the theory of a small group acting alone, with no organized structure or hierarchy, which can easily stay out of sight."

Will Netanyahu use boys’ rescue operation to finally thrash Hamas in Gaza too?

No Trace

Abbas says "Those who carried out the abduction were harming the Palestinian cause"

The Israelis suspect Hamas but don't know.

While suspicions appear to be falling on Hamas as being behind the abduction,a security source says the wave of arrests does not mean that Hamas definitely carried it out. 

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ISIS and Iraq

The best explanation of our slow response that I've seen.

The ISIS Fiasco: It’s Really an Attack on Iran » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names:



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Economic Hit Men

... in action.

After Supreme Court loss, 'vulture funds' circling Argentina's billions | Al Jazeera America:

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Senate Roll Call on Stanley Fischer

Senate Roll Call #191 Details: On the Nomination PN1342: Stanley Fischer, of New York, to be Vice Chairman of the... OpenCongress:

The Democrats rolled over en-masse, voting to approve the Israeli citizen as the #2 at the Fed. Twenty-three Republicans showed some balls and voted against. This should cost the Dems some seats but in reality it will add to their campaign coffers.

More here: mondoweiss.net


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Bad Teachers

The Assault on Teachers Unions » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names:

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5 Principles for Iraq - NYTimes.com

5 Principles for Iraq - NYTimes.com:

"It is all about whom we train and arm. Sunnis and Shiites don’t need guns from us. They need the truth. It is the early 21st century, and too many of them are still fighting over who is the rightful heir to the Prophet Muhammad from the 7th century. It has to stop — for them, and for their kids, to have any future."

Hey Mr Friedman

Jews and Christians are still trying to take Jerusalem and the surrounding area (actually in the process) based on a book from earlier than the 7th century.

What's your opinion on that?

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American Wars

Iraq, Vietnam, and Why US Foreign Policy Elites Won't STFU | MyFDL:

 "And this notion that when America “squanders” (rare moment of honest nomenclature there) the lives of its soldiers in foreign wars, we’re doing it for the good of the people of the countries we invade, rather than for our own selfish ends? It’s the psychological gift that keeps on giving, enabling people like Gelb to go on supporting America’s wars because America’s wars really aren’t wars at all, no, America’s wars are in fact simply the magnanimous gifting of freedom and democracy to poor benighted peoples overseas, bestowed in beneficence by a generous, loving, enlightened people. "

We just don't get this.

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Dave Brat

Dave Brat’s unorthodox economics: Adam Smith ‘was from a red state’ - The Washington Post: "

Well, for Brat that's simple enough: Christianity. He realizes that markets can fail, but he doesn't think regulation is the answer. He thinks religion is. "If markets are bad, which they are, that means people are bad, which they are," he says in a 2011 paper. The answer is to "preach the gospel and change hearts and souls," so we can "make all of the people good"—which means "markets will be good" too."

People around the world kill each other every day over religion but this idiot thinks his religion can fix broken markets because it makes people good. What an idiot.

but.... at least Cantor is gone.

and,..... speaking of killing each other every day over religion. US evangelicals are doing their part....

Advocacy groups woo US lawmakers amid fervor over prayer at Temple Mount

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Cantor

Cantor goes down. For now.....

He could pull a Lieberman and run as an independent or maybe even run for president.

Be Happy?

Be Happy - Tim Harford — Article — The four lessons of happynomics:

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Rare

A  rare, interesting post.

You Need to Hear This Extremely Rare Recording  — The Message — Medium:

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Copying Vermeer

Vermeer's paintings might be 350 year-old color photographs - Boing Boing:

This is an amazing story but I'm not sure I believe it all. Will have to see the movie though.



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Police Contacts

Yeah,,, because nothing makes the people feel better than "Police Contacts"

EXTRA PATROL RESULTS IN 181 POLICE CONTACTS | Kicks96 News: "

 (Richmond, IN)–RPD Chief Kris Wolski Monday issued a recap of increased patrol efforts from last weekend.  Officers had 181 self-initiated activities, including breaking up late-night gatherings at the Uptown parking garage and Glen Miller Park.  The extra officers also broke up a fight at the Knights of Columbus.  Wolski said the plan is to utilize extra officers more during the coming summer weeks."

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Police Contacts

Yeah,,, because nothing makes the people feel better than "Police Contacts"

EXTRA PATROL RESULTS IN 181 POLICE CONTACTS | Kicks96 News: "

 (Richmond, IN)–RPD Chief Kris Wolski Monday issued a recap of increased patrol efforts from last weekend.  Officers had 181 self-initiated activities, including breaking up late-night gatherings at the Uptown parking garage and Glen Miller Park.  The extra officers also broke up a fight at the Knights of Columbus.  Wolski said the plan is to utilize extra officers more during the coming summer weeks."

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Pro-Israel vanity license plates

Someone should start a "We support the Palestinians" plate.

South Carolina now offering pro-Israel vanity license plates - Jewish World News Israel News | Haaretz:

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America’s Credit Card

Americans like those credit cards.

America’s credit card addicts just relapsed - Quartz:



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Jobs of the future

Working for the elite, you know,... for freedom.

Those new service sector jobs, and how many people can actually be good butlers?:

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On Politics

CRISIS OF FAITH | Gin and Tacos:

The GOP has become a cargo cult of extremists, the white Christian American version of the Taliban. The Democrats, when in power, offer some improvements around the margins but on economic and defense issues essentially tow the same one-party line with a softer message. And more importantly, 90% of the time, nothing is happening. Elections have become bizarre spectacles that cost billions and take place in the intellectual sewer. And ultimately the GOP ends up doing better than it deserves because millions of people like you and I – people who occasionally read stuff and have better things to do than take a debate between Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid seriously – just give up. The GOP base, however, never gives up.

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Government since the Late 1990s

A Troubling Trend Has Been Taking Place in Our Government Since the Late 1990s - PolicyMic:

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Legalized Pot

Despite dire predictions, Denver crime falls over 10 percent in wake of pot legalization | Informed Comment:

the number of murders, sexual assaults, violent robberies and other assaults fell by 5.6 percent. The most dramatic decrease was in the number of homicides. In 2013, from January to the end of April, the city lost 17 people to murder. In the same period in 2014, only 8 died, a drop of more than 50 percent.

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About those Settlements...

Is Israel's announcement of 3200 Squatter homes on Palestinian Land Prelude to Ethnic Cleansing? | Informed Comment:

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US foreign policy

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

For US foreign policy, 'left' and 'right' have little meaning | Al Jazeera America:

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Paying Employees

One question all managers should ask themselves about pay — Medium:

"The alternative is far better: pay people according to the value their job provides to the company"

Yeah, like that'll happen.

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Bergdahl

I hope that our group reaction/freak-out/pant-shitting to the Bergdahl swap is the peak of the great American Stupidity bubble.

Bergdahl's hometown cancels celebration amid furor over desertion | Al Jazeera America:

Bergdahl

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Voting rights

When ‘patriots’ unite to restrict voting rights | Al Jazeera America:

I really get tired of the Voter ID Card arguments. I need an ID card to prove who I am a lot, Schools, businesses, government agencies, alcohol, cigarette, and pot stores ask for them all the time. Most people have them. How about we use some common sense on this. How about this.......

• Pass the damned law. You need a picture ID to vote.
• But, we're going to do a trial run in the next 2 election cycles to see how it works and how much trouble it really causes. You're supposed to have the card but if you don't,... well, we'll let you vote this time. You have a couple of years to get your shit together.
• After that, you have to have a card to vote.

I know,... there really isn't much voter fraud and it probably will stop a few legitimate voters but hell, they can always buy black market cards (did lack of a card stop you from buying beer as a teenager?) and it'll eliminate a stupid conservative rallying point at very little cost.

Anyway,.... This just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Put the law in place. give the people a couple of cycles to get comfortable with it and allow the Democrats to run some "get you ID" campaigns. Then everyone can set down and shut up.

Oh, and the card can double as your Gun Owner ID card that you'll need when you buy and register your guns.

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Israel vs Hamas

Israel to build 1,500 new homes in Jewish settlements in response to Hamas - Telegraph:

This headline is BS. Israel has been announcing and building new settlements on a regular basis for years. This is not a response to the unity government but just another Israeli excuse to appropriate more Palestinian land and change the "facts on the ground" in the West Bank.

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Where Your Electricity Comes From

A guide to Obama's new rules to cut carbon emissions from power plants - Vox:



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Feds vs States

Some Washington cities reject state marijuana legalization – but can they? | Al Jazeera America:

During the early days of the Kenyan-Muslim, Marxist, Black-Guy, Socialist oppression, we heard a lot about states rights, states wanting to secede from the union, make their own rules overriding Federal laws, libertarians dream of no Federal government oppression but I've always wondered,.....Do these people think the State is the right "unit" or can a county or section secede from the state? What about a city? A neighborhood? One Block? Three houses? My House? Where do they draw the line?

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