Regarding expensive art collections: they are not just decorations. High end art provides a way to store wealth. Also it can be moved around and converted to cash anonymously, It is more about utility and appreciating art.
you state that Heather Cherone has a somewhat different take on the story [Francis Parker/sex toys] that she expressed in no uncertain terms on this week’s episode of “The Mincing Rascals” podcast. i'm not interested in listening to the entire pod to get her opinion - is there a transcript available? or a link to the text of her opinion?
Actually, it’s not worth your time to isolate the moment that she expounds on this issue. I’ll summarize: Heather Cherone thinks that objecting to sex toy discussions with school children is a form of anti-gay bigotry.
'Crypto has surely made some of its early adopters rich, but that number is far outweighed by now by the many thousands of people it has robbed.' Robbed? by whom? who was it forced these 'investors' to invest in crypto? Matt Damon? was their hard-earned money taken by subterfuge? phishing? there was always a risk in investing in crypto, and the risk was in plain sight. pick your aphorism: a) a fool and his money are soon parted; b) there's a sucker born every minute; c) let the buyer beware. crypto isn't a failure of markets - it has proven the value of markets.
I'm surprised that Eric skipped right over the Federal Congress in his tax return ideas. If it makes sense to release the complete returns of members of the Executive Branch and the Courts, then why not the Legislative? All of the members of both houses of the Congress should be required to release their complete tax returns going back to the year before they came into office and for every future year, including 5 years after leaving office. And any member that uses 'Married filing separately' or 'Head of Household' should be required to release the returns of their spouse or co-habitant. We certainly have ample evidence of members insider trading, graft, bribery, accumulating wealth from investments related to legislation (like real estate projects), and employment after leaving office. And of course, they should also submit to annual audits by the IRS, as is required for some federal offices.
I agree. However, Congress is never going to agree to such transparency.
The "shocking" (not) part of Trump and his taxes is that the IRS stopped auditing the President's annual returns during the Trump years (although the IRS has a written policy - dating to the late 1970s - requiring an audit of the President's and VP's tax returns wile in office). They didn't revert to adhering to written policy until the Treasury Department was asked about during his presidency (2019, I think). And it appears that the day the press asked about the President's audits in 2019 was the day they started going back to commence audits for his 2017 and 2018 returns. Will wonders never cease . . . .
No kidding. It is always hard to parse out what is actually happening in big bureaucracies. This was also the period when the IRS was unable to keep up with simply processing regular returns. But I believe that the IRS policy is to reach-back/roll-forward on audits. They had not completed the Trump audit for 2015 until 2019. Which would have put them way behind the curve in catching up on 2016 through 2019. Since most tax avoidance (legal) takes place over many years (like carry forward losses), returns generally have to be audited in order. Why this could not have been accelerated in Trump's case, or why it was moving so slowly is a question.
Trevor Noah had an interesting discussion of the 'rules' regarding doing imitations in his book 'Born A Crime'. As I recall he was amused and bewildered by the guidance that he was being given when he began to perform for American audiences and how the rules differed based on the race of the performer.
One podcast listed above is "Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade". I subscribe and would recommend it to anyone interested in hearing SNL stories from the past. They recently did a salute to Chris Farley since it has been 25 years since he passed away. Dana and David found a way to walk the line of being funny while talking about a tragic situation. Their podcast is definitely worth a listen if you are interested in SNL, especially from the '90s.
Dana Carvey is hilarious. If you want to hear some great deadpan towel snapping, find the recent episode of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend in which he "interviews" Kevin Nealon.
Regarding the tweet about office parties held on Christmas Eve - In 1982, I was employed at a Michigan Avenue PR firm who held their office party on the afternoon December 24th. Attendance wasn't "mandatory," but if you skipped it, you didn't get your Christmas bonus ( a one hundred dollar bill that wasn't distributed until 4:30).
wrong, wrong, wrong, randy - eric nailed it - diluted support - best set of PS tweets ... maybe this entire year? reminds me of an old aphorism - opinions are like __ - everybody's got one, and they all stink.
Of all of the axiomatic rules and mandates that have come into vogue in the wake of political correctness becoming established as an actual pathological condition, few seem as ludicrous as the arbitrariness with which it is deemed whom is allowed to utter which ethnically or racially inflected accents where and when, and under whose directive. Certainly the author of “Chicago Street Names” must be drawn and quartered, even if it requires exhumation of their corpse (psst! I first heard it upwards of 40 years ago on “The Midnight Special”; better dig up Mike Nichols right now!)
Regarding Chancellor Keon, I was surprised that he said something like that. I had a television show, as host, and we had him on the program many times. I think it was a slip of the brain and tongue. As offensive as many have found the remark, I know this man, and harm was not his intention with this comment. Truth be told.
Regarding expensive art collections: they are not just decorations. High end art provides a way to store wealth. Also it can be moved around and converted to cash anonymously, It is more about utility and appreciating art.
you state that Heather Cherone has a somewhat different take on the story [Francis Parker/sex toys] that she expressed in no uncertain terms on this week’s episode of “The Mincing Rascals” podcast. i'm not interested in listening to the entire pod to get her opinion - is there a transcript available? or a link to the text of her opinion?
Great question. Or at least a reference to the exact time this is discussed. Plus a summary. It otherwise feels like clickbait.
Well it IS clickbait, of course. I want people to listen to the Mincing Rascals! The conversation begins at the 20 minutes mark here https://wgnradio.com/wgn-plus/the-mincing-rascals/the-mincing-rascals-12-21-22-snowstorm-willie-wilsons-taxes-francis-parker/
Actually, it’s not worth your time to isolate the moment that she expounds on this issue. I’ll summarize: Heather Cherone thinks that objecting to sex toy discussions with school children is a form of anti-gay bigotry.
Listening to the MIncing Rascals is ALWAYS worth you time!
Yes, that is correct, just not Cherone’s soap box screed.
'Crypto has surely made some of its early adopters rich, but that number is far outweighed by now by the many thousands of people it has robbed.' Robbed? by whom? who was it forced these 'investors' to invest in crypto? Matt Damon? was their hard-earned money taken by subterfuge? phishing? there was always a risk in investing in crypto, and the risk was in plain sight. pick your aphorism: a) a fool and his money are soon parted; b) there's a sucker born every minute; c) let the buyer beware. crypto isn't a failure of markets - it has proven the value of markets.
The Joseph and Mary tweet is missing the set-up.
Ah - the whole tweet is in your post, but not the poll.
I have edited the poll and had the responsible party beaten with sticks.
Eric, I think this is the best collection of tweets I've seen in ages! I call them the potato chip tweets- I can't pick/eat just one.
amen, chuck - best collection of the year - LMAO!😂
I'm surprised that Eric skipped right over the Federal Congress in his tax return ideas. If it makes sense to release the complete returns of members of the Executive Branch and the Courts, then why not the Legislative? All of the members of both houses of the Congress should be required to release their complete tax returns going back to the year before they came into office and for every future year, including 5 years after leaving office. And any member that uses 'Married filing separately' or 'Head of Household' should be required to release the returns of their spouse or co-habitant. We certainly have ample evidence of members insider trading, graft, bribery, accumulating wealth from investments related to legislation (like real estate projects), and employment after leaving office. And of course, they should also submit to annual audits by the IRS, as is required for some federal offices.
I agree. However, Congress is never going to agree to such transparency.
The "shocking" (not) part of Trump and his taxes is that the IRS stopped auditing the President's annual returns during the Trump years (although the IRS has a written policy - dating to the late 1970s - requiring an audit of the President's and VP's tax returns wile in office). They didn't revert to adhering to written policy until the Treasury Department was asked about during his presidency (2019, I think). And it appears that the day the press asked about the President's audits in 2019 was the day they started going back to commence audits for his 2017 and 2018 returns. Will wonders never cease . . . .
No kidding. It is always hard to parse out what is actually happening in big bureaucracies. This was also the period when the IRS was unable to keep up with simply processing regular returns. But I believe that the IRS policy is to reach-back/roll-forward on audits. They had not completed the Trump audit for 2015 until 2019. Which would have put them way behind the curve in catching up on 2016 through 2019. Since most tax avoidance (legal) takes place over many years (like carry forward losses), returns generally have to be audited in order. Why this could not have been accelerated in Trump's case, or why it was moving so slowly is a question.
from yesterday's WSJ - 'The IRS’s audits of Trump’s tax returns were thinly staffed and at times unusually deferential to the former president’s tax advisers, according to a nonpartisan report from congressional tax specialists.' https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-tax-returns-irs-audits-discussed-in-closed-door-house-meeting-11671571402?page=2
Well, "federal office" would include House and Senate seats.
Trevor Noah had an interesting discussion of the 'rules' regarding doing imitations in his book 'Born A Crime'. As I recall he was amused and bewildered by the guidance that he was being given when he began to perform for American audiences and how the rules differed based on the race of the performer.
One podcast listed above is "Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade". I subscribe and would recommend it to anyone interested in hearing SNL stories from the past. They recently did a salute to Chris Farley since it has been 25 years since he passed away. Dana and David found a way to walk the line of being funny while talking about a tragic situation. Their podcast is definitely worth a listen if you are interested in SNL, especially from the '90s.
Dana Carvey is hilarious. If you want to hear some great deadpan towel snapping, find the recent episode of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend in which he "interviews" Kevin Nealon.
Regarding the tweet about office parties held on Christmas Eve - In 1982, I was employed at a Michigan Avenue PR firm who held their office party on the afternoon December 24th. Attendance wasn't "mandatory," but if you skipped it, you didn't get your Christmas bonus ( a one hundred dollar bill that wasn't distributed until 4:30).
That's sadistic.
Now to the important stuff: This week’s slate of tweets is so bad that none of them got into double digits.
Not really. The support is diluted by the fact that there are 22 finalists instead of the usual 10. Its more a measure of parity than popularity.
So why don't we be like the cool kids and have ranked choice voting to determine which tweet wins?
If the template allowed for it, I'd do it in a heartbeat!
wrong, wrong, wrong, randy - eric nailed it - diluted support - best set of PS tweets ... maybe this entire year? reminds me of an old aphorism - opinions are like __ - everybody's got one, and they all stink.
Of all of the axiomatic rules and mandates that have come into vogue in the wake of political correctness becoming established as an actual pathological condition, few seem as ludicrous as the arbitrariness with which it is deemed whom is allowed to utter which ethnically or racially inflected accents where and when, and under whose directive. Certainly the author of “Chicago Street Names” must be drawn and quartered, even if it requires exhumation of their corpse (psst! I first heard it upwards of 40 years ago on “The Midnight Special”; better dig up Mike Nichols right now!)
You are referring to the Chicago Language Tape by dramatist Yuri Rasovsky as heard here https://youtu.be/-U4ctUHWFOk
Regarding Chancellor Keon, I was surprised that he said something like that. I had a television show, as host, and we had him on the program many times. I think it was a slip of the brain and tongue. As offensive as many have found the remark, I know this man, and harm was not his intention with this comment. Truth be told.