Comment Archives: stories: News: Pith in the Wind: Last 7 Days
Re: “The Southern Baptist Convention Walks a Fine Line”
"It takes years to earn the rank of Eagle, Zoombah.
You can't just show up enough times and claim it. You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Now that you disagree with the BSA's new policy on gay youth, you're trying to smear them.
It's a pathetic dodge."
I am Woodbadge trained and served our local troop for 10 years as an Asst Scoutmaster and Committee Chair. I do know what I am talking about; you do not.
FYI, I know of at least one boy who did the entire program in two years start to finish. I suspect the father did a lot of the work for him and had some connections with the Council. There was only one goal - get Eagle so it would look good on his resume. And if there's one, there's ten or a hundred.
It helps to know your subject, matt.
Re: “In the Case of Pilot Flying J: Keep Your Eye on John Freeman”
Freeman and Stinnett are very close friends...not just co-workers.
Re: “In the Case of Pilot Flying J: Keep Your Eye on John Freeman”
You missed the even bigger story here, Betsy. The Knoxville News Sentinel is *finally* covering this investigation (although they're still not reporting much on all the lawsuits filed against Pilot). The Cleveland Plain Dealer has been all over this baby for months, because of Jim Haslam's ownership of the Browns, but the News Sentinel has been dodging it like crazy. That may have something to do with the fact that Pilot buys copies of the News Sentinel to provide free to its customers on Friday.
Re: “Meet the World's Worst Visitor to Nashville”
Since the Clampetts were obviously fictional (IMHO Hew Haw did more damage), what does it really matter? Northern concepts of Southerners is immaterial due to the fact that through our actions and those of our esteemed representatives, the current (GOP dominated) Krazed Klown (state) Kongress we do nothing to heighten Tennessee's reputation!
Re: “I Think I Know How the Republicans Could Use Scott DesJarlais”
Frank (whoever you are), I do have enough education to read and comprehend. If you will notice I noted your attack upon Betsy, and surmised it was because desJarlais was indefensible, but you just couldn't help your self could you?
Re: “I Think I Know How the Republicans Could Use Scott DesJarlais”
Nixon removed himself to avoid impeachment for conspiracy to commit burglary, violation of civil rights, and various election law offenses! Such crimes and bad acts are NOT limited to Democrats you douche, need I mention Lewis Libby, Karl Rove, Scott Block, Richard J. Griffin, Lawyergate, the Bush White House e-mail controversy, Jack Abramoff, 2003 Invasion of Iraq, Yellowcake forgery, Bush administration payment of columnists with federal funds to say nice things about Republican policies, NSA warrantless surveillance (keyword warrantless)..................really now need I go on? And this was just under BUSH II ! Selective memory and history revisionism is the hallmark of your arguments, along with IMHO occasional bigotry and hatred.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
"why in THE HELL would we do that???" [meaning extract out SS and military spending]
Well, frankly, I don't know why you would do it, because it blows your meme straight to hell.
*I* would do that because it's the fundamentally honest way to look at the data. If you believe the snake oil that is Social Security and those selling it, then that is not federal spending, but instead money being returned to people after they have invested it. Military spending is specifically authorized in the Constitution, unlike EBT cards used to buy lottery tickets and cigarettes, and military spending is (at least in theory) based not upon a state border, but upon strategic significance. There's not much point in having the Coast Guard or a submarine base in Oklahoma, for example. So that spending should also be extracted from the equation IF you are going to actually take an *honest* look at the data.
But then taking an honest look at the data was never the intent in the first place, as we all know.
Re: “Metro Council, Shrink Thyself”
Interesting concept, Kosh. I think it just may have value. Of course it will cause xray and little bobbsy to have an apoplexy of sorts, but then again, that is not entirely a bad thing now is it?
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
"I don't see the correlation others are expressing."
I stand by my assertion that Tennessee could not balance its budget without federal dollars.
And with regard to farm subsidies, ethanol subsidies are a joke. They should be ended today.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
Which is exactly the point,DR. In a state where the power structure and the majority of voting public look down on concepts of welfare, and deride state and municipal taxes, yet rely on income via the federal government for education, infrastructure, and other "quality of life" concerns, there exists IMHO a hypocrisy of sorts. The fact is the "quality of life" for almost ALL Tennesseans would be adversely effected without the input and assistance of the federal government and taxes of others. I am of the opinion that FREEDOM and the American Dream have a significant cost to it's citizens! Some pay with their life and/or service in our defense, others pay via their purse. Some may pay via both, and yes, some pay very little to nothing and only receive. Such is the characteristic of a free and (usually) just society. Equality can only exist in an HONEST effort at opportunity and through societal efforts at providing such.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
Disagree with the conclusions being drawn here.
We don't rank #6 in amount of federal aid or even #6 in federal aid per resident. We rank #6 in the percentage of our revenue that comes down from the federal government. The conclusion I draw is that our state taxes are very low. If we raised taxes substantially, we would fall far below #6. If we eliminated taxes entirely, we'd be #1.
I don't see the correlation others are expressing.
Re: “The Southern Baptist Convention Walks a Fine Line”
Christians ARE supposed to be better-they are sinless(blood of Jesus and all that) and allegedly follow a better role model; one of self-less giving and love.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
Boeing has paid NO federal income taxes from 2001-2010(last year available statistics)
Ge, Verizon and many others have had several years in which NO taxes were paid---filthy welfare slackers!
Re: “Metro Council, Shrink Thyself”
Funny how the UK functions just fine with public financing of campaigns.
I'd suggest that contributions come ONLY from registered voters in a district.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
Well, there he goes again, ranting like a crazed old woman, loud and blustery, saying NOTHING accurate or significant. Regurgitating talking points from the Talk Radio Taliban via Valentine and Rush and G. Godon Looney! Just a whole plethora of gratuitous assertions there, xray.
That 'rebate is actually a legal IRS tactic, not unlike deductions that businesses receive up to and including the point where they will pay little to no taxes, and not unlike the deduction that Romney received on his supposedly 14% charity deduction. BTW: That 14% did NOT include the millions he has stashed away in overseas banks, avoiding his MORAL obligation as an American (IMHO) to pay his share.
What GM workers earn legally and by hard and honorable work, is really none of your business. If I am not mistaken, they pay taxes on those wages, and hence that is a boon to that state and the federal government. You don't like it, don't buy American cars. It is your right. The prices on "those cars" are comparable to the prices of most major imports, and are IMHO of similar quality. I notice you make no comment about the shameful wages of WalMart employees, most of whom are condemned to part time status!
Farm subsidies, with the destruction of family farming, are NOW paid to corporate conglomerates and you seem to have no trouble with THAT form of welfare. The purpose of farm subsidies was not so much price control, there are other programs for that, but more to subsidize production and control food availability in order to avoid dependence on imports. In the long run farm subsidies, which benefit only 1.5% of the population, can actually drive up the cost of food when considering the cost of such programs.
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
". And now the Obama phone cost to the nation is $2 billion."
You mean the program funded 100% by the phone companies? with not one penny of taxpayer money. That Obama phone?
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
wvfii: Quit repeating the lie. Romney paid his taxes, remember now. He paid a lot more than did Obama. He also gave fourteen percent to charity. How in the hell did Harry Reid ever get Romney's income tax records? Aided and abetted in breaking the law, that's how. Farm subsidies were to keep farmers going and consumer prices low - it worked. Nowadays a married couple with children who don't make enough to pay taxes will actually receive a $5,000 "rebate." That's on top of food stamps and feeding their kids in school. That is ridiculous. And now the Obama phone cost to the nation is $2 billion. Annd, if it wasn't for the unending increases to union workers the rest of us wouldn't have to play catch up. Effin GM workers getting over $150 thousand a year up north. How do you like the prices on those new cars?
Re: “Metro Council, Shrink Thyself”
>>a good Mayor like Karl Dean<<
Oh, sweet jesus, you've GOT to be kidding!!!! This is the same idiot who wants to add a new library to HH mall when there's a state of art library just around the corner? Antioch has THE newest library to open in Metro & Dean wants to add another one????? The other is woefully underutilized & Dean wants to make it even worse?
Meanwhile the Donelson branch was built in the 1960s & is an 8-track in a CD world. It's understaffed, over-used & packed to the seams. Way to go, Dean!!!!!!
Re: “Tennessee's Stiff-Arm Is an Outstretched Hand”
>>the state used to be so well managed <<
And TN used to not be overrun with illegals & FSA types either.
Re: “In the Case of Pilot Flying J: Keep Your Eye on John Freeman”
Yes Min I was in Cleveland the week after the raid, and it was getting almost as much coverage on the evening news there as it was here.