Look at how many [____] Strong bracelets this fucking doof is wearing. At least one says Repeal The Death Tax Strong. pic.twitter.com/epgG32NJjp
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) April 23, 2015
… He’s also willing to gift the corporation millions of other peoples’ dollars. John McCormick, at Bloomberg Business, reports “Walker’s Frugal Shopping Tale Doesn’t Mention Taxpayer Millions“:
… The retail discounter is based near his suburban Milwaukee home, and the Republican lets audiences know that he’s mastered its check-out process, its promotions and its multiple coupons…
What Walker doesn’t mention is his biggest interaction with the third-largest U.S. department store chain: a state incentive package worth as much as $62.5 million. The credits, offered in 2012 when there was a chance the company would relocate to another state, arrived despite Walker’s limited-government philosophy…
The package was tied to making $250 million in capital improvements and hiring 3,000 more employees. If the company ultimately spends less on its headquarters or hires fewer employees, it will receive proportionately less tax credit, said Mark Maley, a corporate spokesman.
Slightly more than a quarter of those jobs have materialized. When the package was awarded, Kohl’s had 3,782 non-retail jobs in the state, according to the economic development agency. It now has 4,576, a gain of 794.
After announcing in 2012 plans to create a $250 million headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Kohl’s said the next year that it would instead add to its existing headquarters, citing disappointing financial results…
Walker’s predecessors also offered incentives to Kohl’s, but his deal with the retailer was many times larger than the total of all others. The state’s Department of Commerce, which Walker replaced with the WEDC, had provided the company about $8.5 million since 1989.
“Kohl’s is one of the largest employers and fastest-growing companies in our state,” said Laurel Patrick, a spokeswoman for Walker. “We are committed to helping job creators create and retain jobs.”…
Back in the Reagan years, essayist Calvin Trillin suggested that Congressmembers be required to wear NASCAR-style jumpsuits bearing the logos of all their corporate sponsors. Looks like it’s past time to implement that suggestion at the local level, too.
ruemara
Bah. It’s too early for the Republican idiots and the Progressive ones. I have to go find my PA tools. I swear, we better get our collective act together, because if this living sack of worm semen becomes president with a TGOP Congress, goddamn every single gain since FDR will be gutted. The fact that we’re pissing over whether Hillary Clinton should be allowed to run with this shit like the presidency being bought by two of the richest festering sentient pus bubbles that ever sprouted off god’s ass.
Just not enough middle fingers for this year and the next.
lamh36
Posted in last thread and but reposting here since it’s both open thread and politics thread. Then back to my regular scheduled commening :-)
My thoughts on 2016, at this point IDGAF!!!!
Fuq the scandals, fuq the pres, fuq the Repubs, and fug politicians in general, on both damn sides.
Just point me to my polling places on the correct election day or primary day, and I’ll vote for the Dem nominee.
I’m just done even talking about it, tired of reading about it, and just right now waiting for it to be over.
Hal
Damn. I was really looking forward to the umpteenth Benghazi investigation.
http://wonkette.com/583694/gop-will-release-benghazi-report-in-2016-to-help-hillary-clinton-obviously
I said before, if Hillary said no to another White House run, Benghazi would have disappeared with the 2012 election. Still, it’s ironic that this report might be delayed in order to have at least some impact on 2016 given that is what Republicans are alleging PBO did with the initial reports on the attack for the 2012 race.
trollhattan
@efgoldman:
I’m having mine cloned in China. There will be a WalMart sale, soon.
“An infinite number of middle fingers responded today to the Republican proposal to…”
lamh36
Native American Actors Walk Off Adam Sandler Movie Set over ‘Racist’ Jokes
Surprised this doesn’t happen more often on Sandler’s films. They always have elements of borderline bigotted jokes masked as just crazy frat boy fun
Violet
@Hal: Trey Gowdy? This Trey Gowdy?
Pictures at the link.
lamh36
Chinese Government Cracks Down On Funeral Strippers
Wow, China, you’re doing too much…”funeral strippers” …lol
lamh36
So the other day, I sat for almost 4 hours watching the classic, Cleopatra and I recall why I hate watching “historical” dramas based on true history. Cause you already know how it ends and it still makes ya sad. I guess that is the mark of really good chemistry and acting by the stars of the movie.
Ugh…I’m gonna imagine Mark Antony and Cleopatra with an HEA…damnit…lol.
Ugh, and the whole political intrigue aspects also just makes me angry too…ugh.
Still, I watched the whole movie. I read the movie received mixed reviews. But I enjoyed it, even if it made me sad and angry at the same time…lol
David Koch
Can anyone explain to me gay republicans? How can anyone who is gay and makes money off gays and gay marriage support someone who is running on denying civil rights to gays?
Now most people will say, it’s all about money (ie tax rates). But it’s gotta be more than that. For example, there are rich blacks who support republicans, but still, I’ve never heard of a black person supporting a segregationist.
trollhattan
@Violet:
Heh, sounds like first cousin to recently former CA assemblyman and Republican governor candidate Tim Donnelly, who was busted checking a loaded pistol onto a commercial flight. “Ooops, oh, THAT gun.”
trollhattan
@lamh36:
The real crime, of course, is the phrase “Adam Sandler movie set,”
lamh36
@trollhattan: IKR. I freely admit that I am a fan of the Wedding Singer and Hotel Transylvania, and the first Grown Ups movie I didn’t hate (but that was probably due to my weird attraction to Kevin James and my love for Chris Rock).
Otherwise, I’m not an Adam Sandler movie fan. It’s all just easy laughs for him, nothing special are unforgetable about any of the movie jokes, IMHO.
And yet, I’m embarassed to say I’ve actually seen more than a few of his movies.
Mike in NC
@Hal: The Benghazi investigations should be expected to run until at least 2020.
Mike in NC
@lamh36: Disappointed that a GWB biopic didn’t star Adam Sandler.
Elizabelle
@lamh36: I feel the same way.
lamh36
@efgoldman: I’m thinking the reviews were overpowered by the “scandal” of the Burton and Taylor romance that was going on at the time.
It’s funny though, they whole falling into passionate love while filming reminded me of Brad P and Angelina. But at that time, I guessing a “scandal” like this helped the movie Mr and Mrs Smith, and you could see the “chemistry” on screen that was apparently going on off-screen.
I’d say the same can be said for Taylor and Burton. The scenes with Rex Harrisaon and Taylor were good, I mean they were two of the best actors at the time, but the scenes between Taylor and Burton, were ELECTRIC, and jumped off screen, IMHO.
All that to say I liked it.
Karen in GA
Smudge the 16 year old sickly kitty made it through the night last night. Brought her back to her regular vet this morning, who then suggested I take her to UGA for an emergency ultrasound, which I did. The UGA vet wanted to try three medications — Hail Mary passes, really. As of 7 PM two of them didn’t work; they had one more they were going to give her, and they’d know by around 10:00 tonight if there was any improvement. The vet student told me that the vet would call and let me know. Now I’m wondering if the student even told the vet that I said I’d be awake and waiting for an update.
It’s 11:00 now, there’s no word, and I’m climbing the walls. Smudge was suffering when I left this afternoon. It would be nice if there were a way to call and ask how she’s doing now, but short of getting in the car and making the 45 minute drive, there isn’t. You know what? Maybe they have a reason for doing things this way, but it’s fucking vicious.
srv
You people and some bracelets.
Cervantes
Essayist and deadline poet Calvin Trillin, if you please.
Helen
@lamh36:
That’s how I felt when I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals. The last chapter started right after Lincoln’s re-election. I knew he would be dead soon. I put the book down down for at least 2 weeks. I fell in love with him throughout the book and I did not want him to die.
Mike in NC
@efgoldman: South Carolina might be arguably the most gun-friendly state. Governor Nikki Haley has worked hard to bring gun makers to the state and has been photographed lovingly stroking assault rifles. The number of guns ties into the state being one of the worst in the nation regarding violence against women.
lamh36
@efgoldman: I loved Liz Taylor, but by the end of it, I was just so mad for Mark Anthony. When she thought he was dead, and turned her boat away, and he left his soldiers to just run after her. When the Roman troops and Ocatavian wouldn’t fight Mark Anthony so that he could die a “good death” and he had to run back to Cleopatra. I was heartbroken for him, and I swear my first thought was those crazy kids are gonna make it.
EVEN.THOUGH.I.KNOW.THEY.BOTH.DIE!
That’s ALL on Burton’s acting.
Oh and not to mention Roddy McDowell as Octavian…ugh, I hated him. That was some good acting too
Elizabelle
@Karen in GA: fingers crossed for you and Smudge.
Tenar Darell
@Karen in GA: I’m thinking good thoughts for Smudge. Sending calming thoughts too.
Helen
@Karen in GA: This may sound dumb. But try and stay calm. Smudge is trying the best she can. As are her carers.
You know, Karen, you are the first person who ever made me think that being a pet person may be a good thing and that maybe I may be one of you (pet person’s, that is) You and Iggy. I watched you with Iggy and I said “Oh now I get how and why those pet people are the way they are” I hear Iggy’s voice in my head “Hey Karen, hey can I have a poodle?” and think that I would like an Iggy of my own.
So don’t you think for a second that you are not doing the best you can for Smudge. Oh yes you are.
Elizabelle
@Helen: I felt like that during the 150th anniversary of the surrender at Appomattox.
Because something so tragic happened a few days after. I still ache for Abraham Lincoln not getting more time. Would have made such a difference.
Not that usual to love someone from a century before yours, but I do, as you do.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
@David Koch:
IIRC, James Meredith worked for Sen. Jesse Helms.
Mike in NC
@efgoldman: You sure don’t want to drive through it. The roads are the worst anywhere. I figured after driving to Florida we’d need four new tires and a front end alignment.
Karen in GA
Thanks. I just heard from UGA. It’s bad. I’m heading there now — she was suffering this afternoon, and it’s only gotten worse. I can’t leave her like that all night.
Hurts like a motherfucker.
NotMax
@lamh36
Stinkeroonie deluxe.
Bombed so big that it came this close to sinking the entire studio with it.
lamh36
@NotMax: yeah. that’s what I read.
I guess I’m not a great movie reviewer then, cause I liked it. I’d place in on par with The Ten Commandments as a classic “epic” film that I enjoy watching.
What I read was it was both the highest grossing film at the time, but due to the debt from the filming the movie was actually a bust so the highest grossing, but least profitable film of the time.
That’s just interesting.
cckids
Since this is an open thread, I’ve gotta share some GOOD (for once) news from my state: a straight kid at Desert Oasis HS here whose prom plans didn’t work out asked his gay best friend instead.
Link.
The pic & story are just too sweet. People still fighting against gay marriage or acceptance of gays? Go extinct already, you are most of the way there.
Violet
@David Koch:
Because they’re rich. And they put being rich ahead of being gay.
cckids
@Karen in GA: Oh, I’m so sorry. Hold on to the good years you had with her.
Suzanne
@David Koch: Gay Republicans: because rich white dudes still love patriarchy, even if they also love men.
@lamh36: Agreed. 110%.
Elizabelle
@Karen in GA: Sorry to hear that Karen.
Suzanne
@Karen in GA: Hugs to you and Smudge.
Violet
@Karen in GA: Can you look to see if they have an after hours number? Otherwise, I wouldn’t blame you if you got in your car and went over there. Sending you and Smudge good wishes. And a hug for Iggy.
NotMax
@Lamh36
Single-handedly killed the stupendous Hollywood epic genre.
If you wanna see Burton and Taylor ponderously stumbling through another romance, catch Dr. Faustus sometime, in which she plays Helen of Troy, directed by Burton.
SiubhanDuinne
@Karen in GA:
Poor baby. No, you can’t let her suffer. Even though releasing her from her suffering means more suffering for you.
It sucks. And it’s all worth it.
Violet
@Karen in GA: Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see this comment before my previous one. Wishing all of you the best. Hugs.
Frankensteinbeck
@David Koch:
People have always leaped at the chance to oppress themselves, especially on gender and sexual issues. If things get very stark, you can get overwhelming support on one side, like with African Americans in American politics, but even then you have Clarence Thomases. I don’t think the gay rights situation is quite stark enough. Yes, one side supports equality and the other side supports gays being beaten and dragged behind trucks, but there are enough white gay men who suffer only mildly from Republican abuse that they can vote instead their hate for someone else. Andrew Sullivan is a FINE example.
Elizabelle
@Karen in GA: Pets don’t live long enough.
But they bring out the best in us.
Violet
@Frankensteinbeck: I don’t think you see a lot of poor, non-white gay men voting Republican. Not a lot of lesbians in that Log Cabin Republican group either.
trollhattan
@lamh36:
I’ll concede on “The Wedding Singer,” which worked for me. One of those cinematic miracles, like that time I didn’t hate Jim Carrey in something. (When recalling Carrey was once the highest paid actor I have to stop myself from shoving matched #2 phillips screwdrivers in my eyes,)
Omnes Omnibus
@trollhattan: Jime Carrey was very good in In Living Color where he was not the centerpiece of every sketch. Sense then, not so much.
lamh36
@trollhattan: I did like Bruce Almighty and the Truman Show
NotMax
@lamh36
If you like long, sweeping tales (and don’t have an aversion to silents), catch Greed if and when you can.
One of the tragedies of filmdom is that most of the footage cut from its original 8 hour running time was lost or destroyed.
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@Karen in GA:
I’m so sorry. Sometimes we have to make decisions for our pets, and since they can’t tell us what they want, we just have to do it and live with it as best we can. You gave her 17 years, which is a good long run for a cat.
lamh36
@NotMax: um…I do kinda have an aversion to silent movies…sorry.
But I’ll google it anyway…but wait…8 hours!!!!!
Really I already have a job to go to…lol
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@cckids:
That’s kind of what we did for my senior prom — a bunch of us platonic friends got together and went as a group, though we did pair off as boy-girl since it was the 1980s. I would highly recommend doing it that way to any teenager — it was way more fun than the pressure of having a Big Important Date.
Howard Beale IV
@Karen in GA: I had to put my 16-year old Himalayan Minuet down due to cancer a week before I had to relocate. Two years prior I had to put a tortie kitten down due to FIP.
I feel for you.
Helen
OK pretend I’m Little Boots.
Needs more Omnes.
Emerald
@Karen in GA: I went through this just last month with my beloved, precious Emerald Cat (yes, I nymed myself after my kitty). She was only ten years old, and I was told she’d be lucky to have two weeks left. We were luckier than that and had four, but it was clearly the end then. I waited an hour too long and missed my vet’s closing time before I realized she was uncomfortable. After that it got much worse, and she really was suffering. I found an all-night vet and did the deed.
We can only do what we can do. You tried your best for Smudge (a wonderful cat name). That’s all we can do. Then remember them, and cherish the time we had with them. You’ll never lose that.
Omnes Omnibus
@Helen:
Let’s not.
Helen
@Omnes Omnibus: LOL Hi. I’m just bored.
Omnes Omnibus
@Helen: You were also overcapitalizing if you were being lb. Please don’t post any Marshall Tucker Band or Elton John songs.
Mike E
The blog finally broke.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mike E: I blame Hillary.
Helen
@Omnes Omnibus: OK so don’t blame me. No clue about Marshall Tucker Band, but your friend LB told me (I do not know why) to STFU. Then he realized that that was NOT acceptable and apologized. So I said “post me some Billy Joel and I will forgive you” And then he did. Old stuff too. I am old too.
Over capitalizing? Really? Is it lb? Pedantic much?
Omnes Omnibus
@Helen: Well, if you are pretending to be little boots, you should adopt his capitalization technique. That was all I am saying. Want to fight about HRC? It seems to the current thing in entertainment. I think that she is the obvious frontrunner, but she has some major weaknesses. I’ll be interested in seeing what happens in the primary. There, those are my fighting words.
NotMax
@Omnes Omnibus
don’t hate on the lb imitators.
Okay, go ahead and hate. But don’t.
because you’re loved.
where’s Steep?
(All the above in attempted mimicry.)
Kropadope
Curious, not one mention of whether reduction in tax credit was enforced. I have a good guess why…
Helen
@Omnes Omnibus: Fight about HRC? Nah not for a billion dollars.
I don’t like her; don’t hate her. She is a symbol of how fucked up we are. AMERICA the most exceptional place EVA. And she is what we produce as our leader.
I will vote for her cuz the alternatives are horrific. And because I am one of those people from the last generation of “America yes, work hard and you too can make good.”
And I did. First in my generation to get a college degree. MEGA first to get a post-graduate masters degree. And I’m taking it to my mom’s homeland and retiring.
I have an out. Genuinely sorry that others do not.
Helen
@NotMax:
Ponder that.
Yeah you made me LOL. That was you, right?
NotMax
@Helen
:)
You betcha.
Omnes Omnibus
@Helen: Me, I am staying in Wisconsin because is where my family settled before Wisconsin was a state and fuck the assholes. It’s my state too. And, fuck them.
askew
@Mnemosyne (tablet):
Hey there – If I remember correctly you suffer from Rosacea correct? Have you tried the new drug Soolantra? My Dr gave it to me as a sample and I am pretty shocked by the results after just 1 week. Face is noticeably better. So far with no weird side effects except making my lips go numb if I get it on them.
ruemara
Is there anything worse than writing a resume? Yes. Writing a statement of qualifications. When you have to be up before 5 am.
mai naem mobile
@Karen in GA: I’m sorry Karen. You obviously took good care of her and loved her.
Suzanne
@askew: Does it work on perioral dermatitis, too?
Redshift
@Omnes Omnibus: In a bizarre coincidence, I was behind the Marshall Tucker Band tour bus on the way home tonight. Apparently they were playing at the Birchmere tonight.
Mnemosyne
@askew:
You remember correctly and, no, I haven’t tried that one yet. Since the one I prefer, Noritate, is now $1,000 retail for 25 grams (no, that is not a typo), I’ve been looking for another solution that doesn’t require me to send my prescription to Canada to be filled, so I’ll ask my doctor about it the next time I see her. Thanks!
Omnes Omnibus
@Redshift: Dear god, they still exist?
Peale
@cckids: sigh. Crazy mean stuff that still goes on, I still get high on stories like that. It makes me wonder what would have happened if 30 years ago I would have been braver than i was in high school, but then I remember that bravery wasnt well rewarded at that time.
hamletta
@lamh36: Naw, baby. Watch the old Cleopatra with Claudette Colbert. It made no pretense about accuracy.
The ladies of Caesar’s court all have marcelled hair and talk like extras from The Women.
Colbert, of course, is perfect. Though not even close to historically correct. Which was the intent of the director. He wanted to make the story more contemporary so people could relate to it.
hamletta
@Cervantes: Try some pie.
Or you will die.
PurpleGirl
@Karen in GA: Hugs to you and Smudge. Be careful on the drive.
askew
@Mnemosyne:
They have coupons for the drug so it is $25 for the first six prescriptions if you end up liking it. Anything that will help me avoid the painful laser treatments is good for me.
Karen in GA
Thanks for your kind words. I drove tearfully, but safely. Got home a little while ago.
Smudge was on an antibiotic, and she hated when I had to give her her pill. No more pills now.
Off to bed. I want to sleep for weeks.
hamletta
@NotMax: Greed? Really?
Ya want sweeping epics? Giant is your game.
It’s adapted from an Edna Ferber novel, so it addresses race, class, and feminism.
Greed is nine hours long. I tried to sit through it when TCM aired the pieced together director’s cut.
It was excruciating. I checked out around Hour 5.
The Strawberry Blonde was much more charming.
NotMax
@hamletta
The restored (with still photos and redone title cards) version created by and run on TCM is 4 hours. Oh, and it was also originally a novel.
Not everyone’s cup of tea (but then, what is?); I find it riveting and can’t not watch it when it happens to be on.
Diff’rent strokes and all that. Giant is watchable in its way, but have always found it chockablock with overlong stretches of tedium bookended by fistfights, and displaying an unsavory knack for virtually clubbing the audience with a message. Once Mercedes McCambridge’s character shuffles off, the entire structure begins crumbling. Rock Hudson’s character wouldn’t recognize a third dimension if it ran up and bit him.
Zinsky
Kohls is a shitty place to work (big surprise!). There is one near my house and a neighbor who works there is always telling me how badly they treat her – juggling her schedule without asking her, making her clock out to go the bathroom, etc. People like Scott Walker and Herb Kohl are just shitty, broken people who want to foist their broken, dysfunctional view of the world on everyone.
Tyro
@srv: my take on this is that now that he’s no longer president, he no longer has to be careful to manage a “man of the people” persona and get instead indulge in some expensive toys for himself. I live in NYC and used to work at a bank– I am pretty zen about seeing people enjoy some nouveau richey indulgences.
WaterGirl
@efgoldman: Ishtar! I had forgotten all about that. But it was truly the worst movie I have ever seen.
docg
@lamh36: Chinese goverment interfering unnecessarily in people’s lives. Time to make it so small it can be drowned in a bowl of egg drop soup.
Paul in KY
I guess it is ‘bipartisan’ as Herb Kohl was a Democratic senator.
Paul in KY
@Karen in GA: I think a 16 year old cat that is suffering probably needs to be given the shot.
Paul in KY
@Karen in GA: Saw you did the right thing. Please remember all the great times y’all had. She did live a good, long life & you helped her at the end.
J R in WV
@Karen in GA:
Hi Karen,
I just wanted to share my sorrow with you. I know Smudge was a cat in your life, and cats are important to cat people, more important than other non-cat people can understand.
It is awfully hard to let go of your cat when that time comes, but it is that last best hardest thing you can do for them. They need you most of all at the end.
Mrs J was in the hospital a couple of years ago, and was very sick, so I tried to spend most all of every waking day with her, especially when she couldn’t even be sure I was there for her. During that spell our two oldest cats failed, one after the other. Kidneys.
Rufus was a really big white cat with red-orange spots, hence the name. The last several years of his life Rufus would sneak into bed once he thought I was sound asleep, and lie across the top of my head, to keep warm. It kept us both warm, and his gentle purr helped me sleep every night.
He was nearly 19, and suddenly was so thin, and needed to be lifted into bed. So one day on the way to the hospital, I HAD to take him to our vet clinic for that last ride. Now our vets are great, and did everything that could be done to keep Rufus comfortable and happy. So they were disappointed that his last moments had come, but the knew it was the right thing to do.
And then I went to the hospital, where I would hold Mrs J’s foot and talk to her loudly, all day and into the night. I couldn’t really hold he hands, as there were IV lines. This was before the central port.
Now Mrs J is well, and we travel together, so don’t feel bad for her, she made a full recovery. And Rufus and Harvey had great catty lives here on our wooded hills. When we went for walks around the hillsides, Rufus would go with us, and the sun would shine of his spotless white coat. You could hear him purr 20 feet away when he was happy, which was all the time, nearly.
I’m telling you you did the right thing for Smudge, the thing she needed you to do. And it will stop hurting, as you care for Iggy and the other fuzzy people in your life. Your dog is crazy, you know! but you knew that…
Hugs.
J R