leh-nerd skin-erd

I understand your feelings about the relationship between the US and Canada. These are painful times to be sure, and it's fair to argue about the steps taken by the current administration to improve the American position. On the other hand, the build up to an attempt by the Japanese at world domination and subjugation during the 1930s culminated with an attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. For those of us classified with fathers and mothers that lived through WW2, we may be on this planet only because the war in the Pacific was ended in August 1945. In 1958, the first automobile manufactured by a Japanese company was offered for sale in the US. The first Japanese automobile was offered in Canada in 1964. In context, the relationship will survive and with luck, thrive in the future.

What do you mean by “I wonder if it’s too late”? Too late for what?

I was “gone”? Ah, ya sweet cranky bast*rd, thank you.

My goodness, you have two decades of experience in the insurance industry and have the social skills of a drunken monkey. Maybe a caveman can do it.

I’m actually surprised you clicked on the link. Did that Nigerian lawyer ever pony up the dead prince’s money?

I don’t watch either show, but in 2025, to compete with AI, I think some actors have to sacrifice a kidney or two in pursuit of their craft. That’s realism. Demand more, The Frank.

It’s on flip.it, Frank, and has received 17 ha-ha’s from 4th. That’s pretty much the gold standard, though admittedly dip.it and hit.it would be money in the bank. I’d run with it.

Thanks Andy, awesome reply and I appreciate it. The typical reply to questions people aren’t interested in answering is “straw man” or “whataboutism”. I get that, but at some point, the theoretical “we need to do something” boils down to “Great, what are you willing to do?”. A couple thoughts— 1. Your thoughts on “collective responsibility” are spot on, I have no issue with that. Like you, I contribute through all the usual means—tax, consumption, charity, civic participation, manage my life to avoid burdening others etc—and understand my good fortune. Like you, I believe in a social safety net, benefited from food stamps in my lifetime, and was raised in a family that believed we were all in it together. That said…there is nothing in my Collective Responsibility Charter that suggests I need to be fooled, duped or complicit in abject stupidity of programs vibe wild. Fix the spending, fix the corruption, fix the grift and when all is said and done, if my tax needs to go up to help others, I’m happy to contribute. 2. Helping immigrants is fine and noble, however, the illegal immigration issue must be dealt with. People are victimized on both sides of the border, and for those suggesting the cost of lettuce will go up because they support cheap labor and the victimization on the route to the country, I say eat less lettuce. We can have a safe, secure immigration system without madness, chaos and corruption. 3. “Fair share” is a myth, a fable, something that makes people feel ok about pointing the finger at the other guy with more and screaming “I don’t want to pay, he should do it!”. A sensible, progressive tax is fine—-and let’s not pretend that the early days of the country didn’t come with tax breaks, tax dodges, and ways to beat the system. I won’t take the time to search, but it’s widely accepted that the actual tax rate from the heavy days of the 1950s was about the same as it is today all things considered. That said Andy—-where the 🤬 are the millions of liberal do-gooders stepping up, demanding they be heard and revealing all the extra money they have sent to the govt to solve the crisis? We’re responsible, of course, but the assumption that the solution is just to throw more and more money at the problem and shouting “oligarch” and “billionaire” is not the answer. It’s akin to your family running up $100,000 in credit card debt on $50k in income and figuring the solution is to incur more debt. Hard questions must be asked, ingrained behavior addressed, and difficult solutions implemented. Btw—I do not know one supporter of DJT in my extended circle of family and friends who thinks and behaves the way you portrayed them above. Open your mind a bit. Almost forgot: 😂 to being willing to skim $60k off Fancy Fergie. From my perspective, that shouldn’t happen though it would be nice if he was a bit more concerned about collective responsibility and voluntarily contributed. He’s our resident oligarchian wannabe, I think.

Missed the part about the buddy trip. The problem, Frank, is that while I typically seek to portray you as a bumbling yet kindly aging barrister, if we travel, it will become apparent that of the two of us, I'm a homely Starsky, you oozing cool like Hutch (relatively speaking of course). I can't have it, Frank, I just can't.

The Trump thumpers would be the other side of the coin from people in government with lucrative careers from being in govt (and stumbling upon some amazing information that would put regular folk and Martha Stewart in jail)?

Be careful Frank, it's probably a playground for aging lawyers with thinning hair, a few extra pounds around the middle, and an enlarged prostrate, but the Lisbon girls may be after more than your charm and company. Oh snap. I've been told here that all Trump supporters are destitute and will be sewing Air Lebron's for Nike to survive. Now they got portfolios!

No, I do not believe the things you believe. On the other hand, I cannot really think of a President in my lifetime that didn't live a life tilted toward their own self-interest with a heavy dose of narcissism mixed in. I think prior to January 2025, most sensible people felt the trajectory of spending by our government was out of control, that waste/fraud/abuse was a significant problem, and that something significant needed to be done. In fact, virtually everyone I've ever spoken with has felt the same way. So, here we are. That my be a different zip code as you say, but I'm pretty sure the postman delivers some of their mail to you from time to time. Next town over, maybe.

I don't believe that...over time, we tend to see the good and decency in people rise to the top. These are difficult times to be sure, but things tend to work out over time. We all have our hot buttons, obviously, and it's fair to say that most years, half the people are p*ssed off at the government for one reason or another, the next it's the other half. Personally, I wish you well in your journey to purchasing a place in Portugal and applaud you for chasing your dream. We don't agree on much, but I certainly can respect that. Andy, well, I can't speak for him and his socialist leanings. He may be out right now with his culturally misappropriated dreadlocks agitating explicitly to separate you from a few of your dollars for this very type of transaction. On the bright side, sounds like you're a 1%er and have plenty more to give if only the right people know how to ask. 😎

@Andy1, just gauging your thoughts on what Fergie has shared here as it relates to your perspective on collective responsibility for the current situation in our world. Assuming what's been shared is accurate, Fergie is a retired businessman who enjoys country clubs, golf, travel, fine wine, the beautiful beaches of Cuba (oddly devoid of Cubans as I recall), liberal politics and a robust discussion on the future of the country. He would also fall into the Boomer category, one of the groups you suggested needed to do more as a sort of fiscal penance for the state of the world as it exists today. Fergs is looking to invest in a property in Portugal. A quick check of real estate available revealed a 3 bedroom villa (new build) near Lisbon sells for $600,000 US, though that's just one of many I am sure. My question, Andy...would you think that money be better served spent here, in our country to assist those in need and fund social programs? If so, should a wealthy American be assessed a fee (or tax) on the overseas purchase? Let's use 10% as an example---would it be unreasonable to ask/require a wealthy American to contribute $60,000 based on the knowledge that his/her success was really all our collective success? This, of course would be in addition to whatever tax requirements exist for a US citizen living abroad. We struggled to find a number you might be comfortable to contribute the other day, but if people like Fergs were willing to help out just a little bit more, maybe people like you and I can keep the lights on.

Both. I like both smart, and clever.

Depends if you take the actual Michelle Obama approach, or the jazzy quotable quote Michelle Obama about getting high when someone else goes low. As for her being a man...I tried to steer clear of that as there were plenty of reasons to be anti-Obama-agenda and that one didn't really do it for me. On the subject of calling people dolts, honestly, I'd have confessed to being petty and small-minded myself from time to time had you mentioned it, but I needed a place to start and this was about you, not me. 🫡

First, storming around calling people “dolts” is silly and makes you appear small-minded. Second, kudos to you for recognizing Biden as a failure. One could certainly argue rather persuasively that the 80m +\- that voted to put him office, and those that supported the crap festival that was his admin—and where he was in/out/in before Harris was anointed to lead actually lead us directly to this point in time. Enough people wanted a change to the status quo that what happened, happened. Maybe a few less doors kicked in might have reduced the number of disillusioned voters on your side and in the middle. Third….401ks “tanking”. One thing I’m certain of, the markets march on, always. True, they are often driven by emotion and/or the desire for big players to make money, often feasting on the emotion of people thinking their 401k is “tanking” over a very short period of time in the grand scheme of things. At this point in time, the DJIA has tanked all the way back to a level not seen in forever—-or at least 9/11/24. The S&P 500 index has not been this low since….9/5/24 using real time data. At the time, the balances held in a well-diversified portfolio built over a number of years and decades looked pretty good as I recall. Time, commitment and dedication to the long haul seems to matter most if success is the ultimate goal. As for Trump and “winning”, the ultimate determination of wins and losses remains to be seen and is best viewed through the prism of time. I’m comfortable waiting, recognizing that people will be running around like “their heads are on fire and asses- a’catchin” as they always do. Best to ignore them. In closing—you might be right when the benefit of hindsight is in play. On the other hand, you might be wrong.

Concern is understandable and admirable to a point. Recognition that it's our collective problem...well, that's where things get a bit hazy for me. It is, but there's more to it than that. The most common refrain I seem to hear is that "The solution to our collective problem is for those people, over there, to do more than they are already doing.". A few years back, the target zone for "those people" who needed to do more was annual income of $250k+. Last go-round with Team Harris was "those people" who have an annual income of $400,000k+, presumably because focus groups and pollsters established the sweet spot that would encourage otherwise fair-minded people to be comfortable enough to reason "Not me, them!". I've said it before, I'll say it again. Medicare has a math problem, but most solutions offered come from the political realm where votes, feelings and short term thinking carry the day. Social Security, ditto. These programs could be figured out in relatively short order by some smart people applying actuarial standards that consider cost v benefit offered. The challenge to the nation is that as the government perpetually offers political solutions to math problems, and then comes around with hat in hand begging for solutions--it always starts with the assumption that the money already in the system is untouchable, and the collective must accept that the only way forward is for someone, somehow to do more. Thus....an individual in the 37% tax bracket is the enemy, the hoarder, the money grubber who in reality is often a small business owner who took risk, invested time, heart, soul and money to earn the right to be the person 'not doing enough' because the real tax number should be 40%...45%...50% or whatever dopey number is thrown around by politicians and people on the sidelines looking for someone else to tote the rock. Back to the beginning. Before paying more and ceding more control to politicians who don't plan/prepare/spend wisely, let's address the giant elephant in the room--if the money already flowing through the gates being spent wisely, efficiently and carefully. In the meantime--by all means--you and those who feel like you can contribute more to the greater good at literally any place and time, but that seems mostly not a practice that people ever seem to employ.

My god your posts just scream hipster doofus!

First, I want to suggest that you and I would likely agree on a lot of issues, but I feel like I'm coming to these moments of clarity later in life that shape the way I look at all this. At the same time, I'm acutely aware of all the things I don't know on a macro-geo-political-economic level...and increasingly feel like those who claim they do are mostly full of ****. I don't mind paying taxes, in fact, I think it's my duty to contribute to the greater good. To what level is the question, I think. A sensible place to start on what's "fair" (a political marketing phrase if there ever was one) or "reasonable" really starts with a deep dive into whether or not we are anywhere near efficient in the use of the massive volumes of money rolling through the system. Spoiler alert--I think the American tax payer has been getting bamboozled forever. I think the tax situation is out of control and while Trump may appear quite brutish and crass in approach--and there surely is an ugliness about it--when you have a system that feeds itself the way ours does, that's probably what's necessary. I do agree we hear an awful lot about how someone else, the other guy, the rich, isn't doing his part. I saw the Harris campaign partnering with lots of billionaires and multi-millionaires under the guise of the rich paying more...but not one of them has actually seemed to pony up as is their right as an American citizen. That's why I wanted to go the direct route and ask you what you would be comfortable contributing now, at this time. I'm +50, have lived a good life, contributed to the greater good and feel pretty good about where I am at. I don't feel any compulsion whatsoever towards shouldering the blame for political decisions made over the decades I've been around, and respectfully reject your insinuation that I owe any great debt beyond what I have offered thus far. That said--if the government in all it's forms is truly beyond reproach, and the only sensible solution is for me as one of the silver sneaker crowd to pony up another percent or three, I'd be happy to oblige. For now though, I'm a hard pass. I've got you marked down for $7,500.

I was in a dance marathon in college. 24 hours of reckless rhythm and two-left-footedness. I believe this extended yapfest will move Booker as close to the Obama mystique as my experience moved me to the status of Pat Swayze in Dirty Dancing.

How much can we put you down for, Andy?

Ironically, 19 hours of virtual non-stop chit chat from Sen Booker and no time for "Hey, remember....no guns!". https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/04/01/congress/cory-booker-staffer-arrested-00263354 Capitol Police arrested a staffer for Sen. Cory Booker for on charges of carrying a pistol without a license, the department announced Tuesday. Authorities arrested the staffer, named by Capitol Police as Kevin Batts, Monday evening after Batts told officers outside the Senate galleries he was armed, the department said. Batts had been led by Booker around security screening at a Senate office building earlier in the day, according to the department.

Absolutely fascinating to watch, and seeing this poser scramble to block the testimony was pretty funny. “Nooooooooooooooooooo”, he was likely doing the math and watching the clock to run it out.

What got you here, I believe, was in large part due to Biden et al going Ultra Left, kicking in doors and raiding houses and seeking to jail his enemies for life. Glad to hear some common sense on the dangerous criminals being deported. As for the impact on the economy if deportations continue, well, I have to go with Americans paying less for eggs through the exploitation of people here in violation of our laws doesn’t leave a warm, fuzzy feeling either.