The very important under discussed aspect of health insurance (and contraception, and unions).

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Monday March 05, 2012 · 11:00 AM PST

2012/03/05 · 11:00

Good Day Kossaks.

There is an aspect of the contraception and health insurance debate that seems to be under appreciated. The leverage/group negotiation aspect of health insurance (and unions).

genethefiend

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Monday March 05, 2012 · 8:39 AM PST

2012/03/05 · 08:39

Good afternoon fellow Kossaks. We all know the famous Nietzsche observation and quote “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”
Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146 (1886)

I am wondering if there is any value in a liberal Rush-like monster, because I sometimes feel like one. Let me explain. You don’t know me, but my liberal bona fides are solid. Yet my political correctness is balsa wood weak. I understand and accept that one can achieve more victories by absorbing and converting the enemy than by fighting. Yet I also accept the flip side of the coin that one must stand up to bullies, or face a life of being bullied.

The diary “I've spent the past 2 days trying to convince my 16 y/o she is not a "slut" **Final update tonight” is the tipping point that caused me to write this diary. See, when I read a diary like that I have one thought regarding the males that disparage women in this way. It’s a thought I don’t see said much, so I’m confident it is not a nice or appropriate thing to say, but I’m going to say it this once to see how many troll rates I collect.

You ready?

Oh man I’m afraid to write this. Kissing my TU status goodbye right now…

Poll

21 votes Show Results

Can we call them losers?

21 votes Vote Now!

Can we call them losers?

Yes, it's true.

18 votes

No, it's inappropriate and beneath us.

3 votes

The Mortgage Crises Explained in 800 words or less

genethefiend

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Wednesday November 16, 2011 · 9:55 AM PST

2011/11/16 · 09:55

Hello. I have previously explained the CDS crises in 200 words or less here:

http://www.dailykos.com/...

I think it's good. Take a look. Now we'll discuss the mortgage crises. It took a bit more than 200 words, and I explain how the mortgage crises and CDS crises combine. I promise I know what I'm talking about.

There are numerous websites and people who have explained it well. This is my shot at value add.

genethefiend

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Friday November 11, 2011 · 7:44 AM PST

2011/11/11 · 07:44

Let’s pretend the three brothers sat around a table and placed bets on whether it would rain tomorrow. Tom bets with John and Dave, John bets with Dave and Tom, Dave bets with John and Tom. Some bets offset each other, some don’t. Everyone is betting and cross betting so much that no one knows what the final net end result is, but the guess is in the range of $10,000,000 in bets on whether it will rain tomorrow.

It rains the next day.

Tom, Dave and Steve all check their books, and low and behold no one has enough money to pay anyone else, even after they net out cancelling bets. So they turn to the rest of the family and say “guys we owe each other $10,000,000, you have to pay up or we won’t be able to pay each other.”

Replace Tom, Dave and John with JP Morgan, Goldman and BoA. Replace “whether it will rain tomorrow” with “whether Greece/Italy/AIG goes bankrupt”, and you have a pretty good understanding of credit default swaps (CDS) and the never ending CDS crises.

It really is that simple. When banks say they don't want CDS regulated, it's because they want to preserve the right to trade obligations they cannot pay, and turn around and scream EMERGENCY when they can't pay themselves.

Thanks for reading.

genethefiend

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Friday June 10, 2011 · 1:32 PM PDT

2011/06/10 · 13:32

Hey there Kossacks, longtime listener first time caller. I have recently read about this trolling hubbub. I would like to suggest to the community that we change our approach to more ignoring and/or more thoughtful engagement. I base this suggestion on the fundamental premise that we all live in the same country, and if we don’t start finding more common ground we are collectively fcked. As Ghandi says “Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding”.

Personally when someone writes a bunch of nonsense that makes you want to put your head in a blender, the instinct is to fire off something equally valueless like “go beat your meat BS”. However, in the case of one particular apparently infamous Diary, I found our rebuttal comments quite lacking. Short, they didn’t attack obvious openings, I know I’m being critical guys but I simply don’t believe you brought your collective “A” game.

I’m suggesting that BS’s diary should not have been troll-rated (I know I know, everyone disagrees), rather, we should have collectively taken a minute to compose a proper skull-(begins with F ends with G). To that end I have done two things. One, composed a rebuttal which I hope is fun to read, and two, signed up with RedState. In the process I learned something that honestly shocked me. For those who don't like suspense skip the rebuttal and jump to the end.

genethefiend

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Thursday September 28, 2006 · 5:16 PM PDT

2006/09/28 · 17:16

I'm pretty sure I'm breaking the rules right now because I'm not on the phone. But, I'm not 100% sure MoveOn.org has tapped the dkos community as well as they should. So I, a somewhat anonomous MoveOn member, am letting you know about the Call For Change Campaign. I should be making phone calls right now, but I know you folks are going to come through for me so this is time well spent.

MoveOn is attempting the largest GOTV capaign in the nation. We need MoveOn members to sign up to make some phone calls. From the people I've talked to that scares some of you. Does it scare you more than the news today?

I've got the goods after the flip. Read More

What Bill Napoli's law might look like

genethefiend

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Saturday June 03, 2006 · 9:47 AM PDT

2006/06/03 · 09:47

I'm sure you have all heard about Bill Napoli, the South Dakota legislator, and his opinion on what might be a valid reason for an abortion. To see just how crazy this man is (he is a legislator mind you) I decided to codify his idea of the law.

For the actual law see here. For his comments click on Bill Napoli above.

After the break is what Bill Napoli's abortion law would look like. Read More

9-11 nuts just went mainstream.

genethefiend

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Saturday May 20, 2006 · 5:05 AM PDT

2006/05/20 · 05:05

This diary is not as long as it should be, but I have to make a diary of it because the 9-11 conspiracy nuts (I'm one) just went main stream. The Thom Hartman show, a great radio show if you don't listen (heck I can't listen that often) is openly discussing whether 9-11 was a purposeful conspiracy or just extreme incompentence. Thom's theory (this guy is not a nut job or stupid if you don't know him) is that Bush knew something was going to happen in New York and Washington but didn't know the specifics.

More after the break. Read More

I am NOT scared.

genethefiend

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Wednesday April 12, 2006 · 9:34 PM PDT

2006/04/12 · 21:34

Caution. This diary contains profanity and much emotion, and is not suitable for children of any age.

As of right now 63% of the dkos voters responding to tlh lib's question "Is this country going to remain safe to live in as a democratic state" have responded "No". Well f you. If I may quote my favorite ex-crackhead, "Well allow me to retort".
Read More

Eugene trashes an internet "economics" lesson.

genethefiend

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday March 25, 2006 · 5:06 PM PST

2006/03/25 · 17:06

My Mom's friend sent an email along proporting to be a quick lesson from an economics professor providing a simple tale about income tax. While it's a cute tale, with Ann Rand as a clear influence, I felt the need to publicly bash it. After the jump find an income tax "lesson" winger's might try and use with you, and find a kick ass response. Read More

Wilkerson suggests Cheney could be charged with War Crimes

genethefiend

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Tuesday November 29, 2005 · 2:12 PM PST

2005/11/29 · 14:12

Seriously. Frontpaged at the BBC here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/...

(I promise I will learn to make the nifty links.)

This is huge. I have never heard anything like this from a serious high ranking government or ex-government official. For those not inclined to look at the article he says and I quote:

"Certainly it is a domestic crime to advocate terror," he added.

"And I would suspect, for whatever it's worth, it's an international crime as well."

This means that some big boys want Cheney to go down.

The Limits of Hard Power

genethefiend

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday November 20, 2005 · 9:13 AM PST

2005/11/20 · 09:13

Today the NYT has an article titled "China Wages Classroom struggle to win friends in Africa". A small article that illustrates how China is out maneuvering Washington in the never-ending battle to expand each countries power and influence for the benefit of each countries elite. One of the fascinating aspects of current culture in America is the open acceptance and much greater understanding of "hard power" vs. the lost appreciation for the art of soft power. Read More

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The very important under discussed aspect of health insurance (and contraception, and unions).

Is there value in a liberal monster? (Can we call them losers who can't get laid?)

The Mortgage Crises Explained in 800 words or less

Credit Default Swaps in 200 Words or Less

On BS Ambassador, having lunch with Trolls, and having Trolls for lunch

Want to do something concrete to take back Congress?

What Bill Napoli's law might look like

9-11 nuts just went mainstream.

I am NOT scared.

Eugene trashes an internet "economics" lesson.

Wilkerson suggests Cheney could be charged with War Crimes

The Limits of Hard Power