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Full disclosure. I lived in Ohio for the first part of my adult life. There’s much to recommend, and until they (like Michigan) started trying to tax their way out of economic slowdowns I would have loved to return there at some point.
Have to say, I’m so glad someone there is looking into the utilities. Having just suffered through an 8-day power outage from a December ice storm with the idiots/morons/imbeciles from PSNH – Public Service of New Hampshire, our own outstanding electric utility, I can honestly say that they deserve to be investigated and fined…and sanctioned…and have criminal charges for stupidity filed as well. This is one of the rare instances where government can help (by, and this is important, protecting its citizens). I wouldn’t argue for any intervention if we had choices. In this case, the master regulator, competition, is absent from the equation. If I had any choice at all, I would never give PSNH another penny. Hell, I’d sign up for “Satan’s Electric Company” if I could, but I don’t have a choice.
I can only hope that across the country, the utilities get the message and start providing service for the exorbitant rates they charge. A little courtesy, honesty, responsiveness, and respect would be nice as well, but I’d settle for routine competence. My current feeling is that as soon as you’re able to pull off “You want fries with that?”, you have immediately passed the educational and intelligence requirements for running a public utility.
I hope they fine ’em till they bleed red ink.
Reading this story in the Times, and I was moved to comment…I say good for State Farm. I used to respect Charlie Crist, but somewhere along the the line he forgot what the Republican party stood for (like many of his colleagues). The state doesn’t get to price risk. Residents of Florida (and other Gulf Coast states) have tried to have it both ways for too long. You can’t live on a beach in the path of hurricanes and pay low homeowners insurance rates. To think otherwise is just dirt stupid.
The insurance industry (not my favorite by any means) deserves the right to price risk to maintain profits and reserves. If the state government of Florida thinks it can do better (and not cost taxpayers money), then they should be just fine with State Farm exiting the market. It will be an interesting experiment however, the first time that the state plan has to pay off massive claims from a Katrina or Andrew-like disaster. Obviously underfunded, they’ll have no choice but to:
- Raise taxes
- Raise premiums
If they raise taxes across the entire population to help pay off the claims of the fortunate few who live in harm’s way, don’t you think there will be some sort of political price to pay? I’m sure as hell betting that’s the case. If they raise premiums to account for the true cost of insurance, they’re most likely gonna find themselves squarely in the same zipcode that State Farm wanted to be in but was denied by the regulators.
I certainly hope Crist is the one to pay the political cost of this misbegotten policy – what a moron this guy has turned out to be. On a national level, those of us who choose to live in low-risk places have subsidized those who live in harm’s way. Katrina was a tragedy. Allowing New Orleans to rebuild was pure folly. I suppose we’ll be happy to pony up another $80 billion in federal (read taxpayer) relief the next time a major storm blows through and (quite predictably) wipes out the idiots who live on the beach.
If there’s a benefit to living on the water, in the path of hurricanes, floods, and other disasters – isn’t it the responsibility of those who choose to live there to pay for the costs that are associated with such a decision?
Once again another state decides that the only answer to its budgetary crises is to raise taxes. Let’s come up with some serious spending cuts before we look in this direction. These NY guys are second only to California in their idiocy. I can only hope that the truly rich rise up against this and deliver a hearty “Fuck You” to the New York legislature by moving to Connecticut or other lower tax states.
The top 1% pay 40% of the taxes. That’s not just unfair, it’s borderline confiscatory – although it’s roughly in line with the breakdowns for the federal income tax – it doesn’t make it right. Send the message that there’s a negative consequence to excessive taxation. One thing about the “rich”, they can generally afford to leave town. I really hope they flee New York (and California) and move to enlightened states like Florida, Texas, and New Hampshire, where the freedom of the individual from taxes is ingrained in the state culture. New Hampshire (where I live) will go bankrupt before we see an income tax.
New York is especially assinine – I mean c’mon – a tax on soda? How moronic can you get? At some point it feels like the states have collectively lost all common (and fiscal) sense. When times were flush, they spent and spent and spent. Now, as they face the harsh reality of a near financial collapse, they want to tax more (147 new taxes in the NY budget) to keep the party going. Time to understand what families and individuals have known for years – smart people live within their means. Learn it, live it – stop spending.
I used to really love Chris Matthews. The journalist on MSNBC who hosts the show Hardball . There’s also a syndicated version of the show (up here on Sunday mornings) that got me hooked. I had always suspected he had Democratic (the party) tendencies, but for months/years he seemed to keep things pretty impartial on the show, playing his particular version of hardball with Democrats and Republicans alike. All that seemed to change with the last election. I watched as Matthews became more and more partisan, anti-Republican and very much pro-Obama. I got the impression that if Obama was in the room, it would be all Chris could do to keep himself from humping Obama’s leg, like one of my unruly, retarded dogs. The “Chill Ran Up My Leg” quote made me want to vomit. It’s a shame too, open-minded citizens need journalists with integrity, who can still be impartial, Matthews used to be one – he isn’t any more. If I wanted what he’s serving lately I’d watch Olbermann or O’Reilly. You can call it passion, but you can’t call it impartial. At least the syndicated show is still worth watching, the MSNBC version is pure tripe.
Is anyone else sick about the merchandizing of Barack Obama? Don’t know about you, but I haven’t been able to turn on the TV in the last month without seeing adds for some really tacky, worthless stuff that ostensibly captures the rapture of Obama-worship. Guys, commemorative coins and plates from such paragons of quality like the Franklin Mint are not an investment. These gewgaws are worthless, unless you’re one of the people who can envision his/her great-grandchildren at some filming of Antiques Roadshow 90 years from now in Seattle learning that their Barack Obama inaugural plate is now worth – wait for it – $300. These are not limited editions. They’re not rare, and other than making you feel good about Obama’s wonderful ride to the White House, they ain’t worth shit. What’s ironic (at least to me), is that the people who will be purchasing these are the people least likely to be able to afford them. I picture some little old grandmother, who lives on a fixed income in Harlem or Topeka, who’s spending money she doesn’t have to invest in this garbage. It’s targeted at a the same poor population that buys lottery tickets. The further irony is that many of these people are the ones who sent in $5 or $10 to support Obama’s campaign. It’s sad, and I don’t know why someone doesn’t expose this for the scam that it is. I’m also quietly furious that Obama himself does nothing to check this. My guess is that before these idiots issue a commemorative Elvis plate, they have to get permission from his estate to use his image and pay for that right. Why isn’t the same true for Obama? I’d be OK if he was receiving licensing fees from this that went to charity – otherwise, he should make this stop and denounce this shameful use of his image to fleece the American public. If the idiots sill wanna buy after that, I’m OK with it – it’s their money and I’m all about personal responsibility.
PSNH still sucks. I’m not changing my tune or dropping this until I hear that they’ve been fined as a result of the New Hampshire investigation into their behaviors during the December ice storm. I keep looking for it, but my guess is that the spineless idiots who now govern the Granite state (John Lynch = asshole), will drop this quietly as the event fades into the collective memory. In my own version of the Audacity of Hope, I’ll keep blogging away – representing the outraged voice in the wilderness.
I’m so happy the inauguration is over – although as I write this the cable news channels are still showing footage from yesterday. Obama’s on the job now. Tell us what we’ve won. Full disclosure, I voted for neither Obama or McCain – I basically disagreed with both of their policies. Obama’s intelligent and likable, but I’m scared to death he’s a classic tax-and-spend liberal, and nothing I’ve seen lately makes me think otherwise. Latest numbers I’m hearing are for a “stimulus” of $825 billion. This on top of a projected fiscal year deficit of $1.25 trillion. That’s trillion, with a “T”. The inevitable result of this will be higher taxes, and you know that some of the programs this stimulus will support aren’t going away in 1 or 2 or even 10 years. Public programs from Washington tend to live forever – they’re like Dracula in those old Hammer films, every year they look close to death, but every year they’re back sucking funds out of the metaphorical necks of taxpayers. At my office, I’m gonna say a crowd of about 50 (1/2 the company) assembled in the lunch room to watch the inauguration. My guess is that with this type of approval, Obama’s honeymoon will last somewhat longer than normal for a newly seated president. I’m hoping that the senate republicans show some solidarity (and testicular fortitude) by standing together against the most egregious spending plans. I fear however. that political survival instincts will trump personal beliefs (funny how having to run for re-election elicits this very response) and many of them will roll over like the submissive, mangy dogs that they are, and allow the Democrats to preside over the greatest expansion of government in 40 years. I’m terrified.
Anyone else wondering about the nature of Obama’s tax cuts? I am still trying to figure out how you can cut taxes for people who don’t pay taxes. I guess it’s fine to offer tax credits (which aren’t tax cuts, but spending), but it’s more politics as usual to call these tax cuts. Even if you’re refunding payroll taxes, that’s still not a cut. I thought Obama would at least be honest about what he’s doing. Guess it’s hard to resist the call to spin things your way, even if you’re the chosen one. I’ll say it again – giving low-income people who don’t pay any income taxes, a $1000 tax rebate/credit/whatever the hell you want to call it – is not a tax refund, it’s spending, and Obama and his team ought to have the balls to come out and say it. I’ll start to respect a president who doesn’t lie to the American people.
So, today we’re being hit with yet another winter storm, which could deposit up to 1/2 inch of ice during the afternoon hours. Here’s a snippet from a Union Leader Article with comments from local utility spokespersons:
Martin Murray, spokesman for PSNH, does not anticipate a repeat of the historic ice storm of Dec. 11-12, which left 322,000 customers without power at its peak and kept some in the dark for nearly two weeks.
“I predict we won’t see that again in my lifetime,” he said yesterday. “We don’t need that.” Unitil, which is facing a customer revolt in some of its towns, was quick yesterday to detail its work in participation of today’s storm.
Spokesman Wesley Eberle said the company is prepared to immediately open an enhanced emergency information center with direct contacts for community leaders and elected officials; initiate a mutual aid request to arrange for emergency field crews to be available today; and provide overflow lines and additional staffing to handle customer calls.
Don’t know about you all, but it sounds like tiny Unitil which is (rightfully) getting it’s ass kicked in the arena of public opinion seems to be taking this a helluva lot more seriously than PSNH, at least from a planning perspective. I love the hubris demonstrated by the pompous asshole Murray, who claims we won’t see another storm like this in his lifetime. I can only hope this pig-eyed sack of shit means that he’ll be shaking off this mortal coil soon and a more enlightened communications professional will be taking his place. I’ve soon two multi-day power outages in the last 4 years in New Hampshire, both caused by ice storms. To think that we won’t see another, and that nothing has changed since the last time is myopia of Mr. Magoo proportions.
I’m guessing we’ll be without power at some point today. Trust me when I say I’ll continue to keep the heat on these PSNH assholes as long as it takes. Stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed.
Weather forecast for Tuesday night/Wednesday morning potentially calls for another ice storm. Wonder how my buddies at PSNH (which continues to Suck and be a blight upon New Hampshire) are preparing for this one? Probably drinking toddies and enjoying themselves. Can’t imagine they’d have the foresight to publicize some planning insights on their website or through the media…Oh well, if worse comes to worst, I’ll happily resume my hobby of publicly ridiculing and vilifying these incompetent jerks on behalf of the powerless everywhere. I’ll never let this die until I get a satisfactory explanation of how their communications processes will change during future power outages. I continue to hope that an investigation of these practices by the NH PUCO will result in some sort of fine, reprimand, and mandatory change in business practices. I fear however, that this is just a going-through-the-motions to mollify those of us who screamed loudly enough to cause our elected officials to take notice, however briefly. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that meaty penalties are coming.
I’ll never buy a movie from iTunes or Amazon in digital form. Unless I can create a DVD for my own consumption, I’m not about to be tied to some hard drive somewhere unless I were able to download it multiple times and have assurance that if I lost it, I’d be able to recover it. I don’t understand the difference assigned to video in the discussion/handling of digital media. If I purchase and download music from iTunes, even the protected stuff, I can burn myself a CD which I can then play in my car. See, my car has a CD player, hell, just about all of ’em do. It does not however come equipped with the ability to play an iPod or other MP3 player (or read a hard disk) – I have to purchase that as a separate option. Apple, and the recording companies seem to get this, and allow me to burn playlists to CD – there are limitations with Apple’s DRM, but by burning and ripping, you can get around it. I’m not about piracy, but I want a similar acknowledgement of my investment/comfort with movies. I own a DVD player, it’s connected to my TV. I even taught my wife how to use it. I put a DVD in, punch some buttons on the remote, and in a couple minutes I’m watching a movie. I’ve gone through the setup and expense, and this works for me. I don’t want to configure an Apple TV, or some other desktop box to play digital media, and I refuse to do so. I’m sad that others have allowed the industry (and Apple is culpable here as well), to allow this to become the standard of digital video delivery. Until I have a guaranteed backup/recovery and the ability to play seamlessly with my giant 32-inch CRT TV and Bose DVD system, I’ll continue to purchase DVD’s from Amazon.
Amazon’s MP3 download service is far superior to iTunes. It ain’t as well integrated to Mac OSX, but it’s still damned convenient, and, it gets rid of the foolishness of iTunes DRM. Unfortunately, I still find myself purchasing music from iTunes because it’s so convenient and I forget to head up to Amazon and search for the tune(s) I want. I’m getting better however, and you’d be surprised how much content is available on Amazon now. Pretty soon it’ll become my first stop for any digital media; I’m hoping that others see this as well and start to put more pressure on Apple and the music industry to do away with DRM entirely. If the studios are too goddamned concerned about piracy to agree to DRM-less distribution, forget about ’em. Let them see how much they sell without Amazon/Apple to front them. And, let ’em see that piracy only increases with a restrictive licensing policy, while revenue falls like a stone. I can pretty much guarantee they’ll get with the program before long.
The iTunes user interface leaves a lot to be desired. I hate the fact that I can’t have tabbed displays of different items I’m interested in and browsing. Seems downright idiotic that this isn’t available, and I can’t imagine it’s hard to do – you already have the rendering engine. Make this happen. Similarly, dragging a large (> 100) number of songs from a Finder window into iTunes doesn’t seem to always do a complete import. Seems like pretty basic functionality if you ask me, but I’ve had trouble with this multiple times.
Why would the idiotic Cleveland Browns settle for a coach, Eric Mangini, that hasn’t done Jack-shit and that nobody else wants? Compare the records of Mangini and Crennel:
Mangini:
Year Age Tm Lg G W L T W-L% G plyf W plyf L plyf W-L% Rank Notes
2006 35 New York Jets NFL 16 10 6 0 .625 1 0 1 .000 2
2007 36 New York Jets NFL 16 4 12 0 .250 3
2008 37 New York Jets NFL 16 9 7 0 .563 3
3 yrs 48 23 25 0 .479 1 0 1 .000 2.7 Avg Finish
Crennel:
Year Age Tm Lg G W L T W-L% G plyf W plyf L plyf W-L% Rank Notes
2005 58 Cleveland Browns NFL 16 6 10 0 .375 3
2006 59 Cleveland Browns NFL 16 4 12 0 .250 4
2007 60 Cleveland Browns NFL 16 10 6 0 .625 1
2008 61 Cleveland Browns NFL 16 4 12 0 .250 4
4 yrs 64 24 40 0 .375 0 0 0 3.0 Avg Finish
Admittedly, Romeo boasts a terrifying .375 win percentage, but it’s not like Mangini was the second coming of Bill Walsh. His career percentage with the Jets is, at .479, still below .500. So I ask, is this really the best we can do? Why not go after Marty Schottenheimer or Mike Shanahan? Why not go after a good high-school coach for one year till Cowher decides he’s ready to coach again? How are you improving the organization with another Belichick retread? I just don’t get it. Add to all of this the fact that apparently he (Mangini) is a bit of a prick to the players – veterans didn’t really like him at all – and I wonder what the mystique is. I mean, I understand bringing in a disciplinarian – by all rights we haven’t done squat under so-called players coaches, but still, wouldn’t you be looking for someone with a pedigree? What about Brian Billick? I mean, I didn’t particularly like the guy, but didn’t he win a Superbowl with the dog-assed Ravens?
It sucks to be a Cleveland Browns fan. I know most of my Facebook friends are probably Bengals fans, and in fairness, it probably sucks equally (or worse) to be a Bengals fan, but I got hooked on the Browns during the 10 years I lived in Columbus and that’s that. At least the Bengals have been to 2 Super Bowls in the last 30 years. And, as I recall, although they lost both times to the 49er’s, they were close and entertaining games, one could argue that during that 10 year stretch in the 80’s to early 90’s, with the exception of that (’83?) Raiders team, that the NFC thoroughly dominated the AFC in the Superbowl except for those two Bengals games. But I digress…
To cheer for the Browns is to become well acquainted with suffering. I still remember “The Drive” – as it happens I was at that game. And, one year later, I watched like a rubber-necker in a car moving past a devastating 10-car pile-up as Ernest Byner fumbled away the AFC championship again. Now, even though I’d gladly pay to have these memories removed from my consciousness, I’m forced to relive them any time Cleveland gets near the playoffs. Fortunately this happens only very infrequently. Actually, I think ESPN is under some sort of contractual obligation to play clips from “The Drive” and “The Fumble” every year during the playoffs just to twist the knife a little bit more in Cleveland.
I watched as Marty Schottenheimer left rather than give up control to a GM (Chargers fans are probably having similar fond thoughts about Marty), only to see him replaced by football genius, Bill Belichick. Trust me nothing sucks worse than suffering through the mediocrity that was Belichick before he left with his tail between his stubby little legs, only to see him re-emerge as the next Vince Lombardi in New England. Understand too, that I live in New England, and have to live with his success, and the obnoxious asshole fans who love him as well. Trust me, nothing prepares you for this. Interesting side note, I’m officially soulless as of last year’s Superbowl. That’s correct, in a Faustian bargain, I offered my soul to Satan if he’d only let the Patriots lose to the Giants. I can only assume he’ll be coming to collect in the next 7 – 10 years, or whatever the going rate is for a soul these days. Some people may feel that I got screwed – not from where I’m standing.
I watched while Art Model packed my team off to Baltimore. I watched as they proceeded to make it to the Superbowl, sporting a dominating defense I haven’t seen the likes of since 1985. I was torn about who to root for. I finally constructed an elaborate fantasy that allowed me to root for the Baltimore Browns. It went something like this. I have to root for them for Ozzie (Newsome). He deserves the ring he never got in Cleveland. Wouldn’t it be great if the Browns win the Superbowl on a last-minute drive culminating in some outrageous one-handed catch in the corner of the end-zone. And, just before the game-winning catch, wouldn’t it be awesome if Art Model suffered a massive, fatal heart-attack? But I’m not bitter about Model.
The Browns finally returned to Cleveland in 1999, and to put it mildly, they’ve sucked. I’ve watched a non-distinguished series of coaches, GM’s, and botched draft picks accompany their descent into (even mediocrity is too kind) well, general shitty-ness. Who remembers their first coach after they returned? Me either (actually it was Chris Palmer). Butch Davis made some headway, getting ’em to the playoffs, and actually beating the Steelers (in Pittsburgh) for 3 quarters before they went into the prevent defense and gave the game away.
I watched as one of the Sorcerer’s apprentices (Romeo Crennel) took the reigns, and a “real” GM was hired from the hated Ravens. I even got my hopes up as they managed to win 10 games last season. Didn’t make the playoffs, but hey, we can build on this! I watched as Kellen Winslow Jr. tried repeatedly to screw up his career and his health by doing stupid shit that most teenagers wouldn’t try. I watched as Braylon Edwards went from spectacularly promising last year to surprisingly lukewarm in the current one.
I watched with hope as Crennel and Savage were fired. And now, I’m watching in horror as we entertain interviews with the likes of Eric Magini – although he’s got a really strong resume from the Jets, wonder why they fired him (sarcasm) – and worse still, Krik Ferentz, the coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. I mean, what is it about NFL owners that continues to make them take flyers on college football coaches? Other than Jimmy Johnson, has any college coach ever made it to the Bigs and had any type of success? And yet, we’re still willing to give another one a try.
Look, I wanted Cowher. We ain’t getting him (in fairness, I don’t think he’s going to coach next season, but we’ll see what happens if Daniel Snyder decides to break open the piggy-bank). And, I don’t think Lerner will bring back Schottenheimer, although I think he’s the right fit for the team, and sure, he probably wouldn’t get ’em outta the playoffs, but there’s a helluva lot to be said for actually getting to the playoffs. This week, I was also shocked to see Shanahan come on the market (what was Denver thinking?), and I would absolutely favor making a run at him! He hasn’t had a lotta success since Elway retired, but nobody can say he isn’t a great football coach, and after what we’ve trotted out the last few years, he’d be one helluva upgrade.
In the end, it doesn’t matter. Like a junkie looking for that cherry high, I’ll keep coming back every year, drinking the koolaid, and getting my heart broken all over again. It’s calloused now, and I can take it. And, I only had one soul to sell. But, I’m betting the Devil wouldn’t jump on this one, I imagine that the human misery associated with Browns fandom is enough to keep him smiling all year round, allowing them some measure of success would spoil all of that, and I don’t see that happening. So, we’re screwed on a cosmic, existential level. I realize cities like Chicago have a bitch, but they had a Superbowl in 85, and Cubbies are at least decent of late (let’s not even talk about the ’95 World Series). Philadelphia could whine up until this year when the Phillies finally came through. Other than Seattle (and God help me, it does suck to be them), I don’t think anyone else has a claim to the righteous misery that is Cleveland sports. I can’t wait till next year!
PSNH still sucks. I vow to not let this theme die even though my power has been restored. I do know that as of Christmas Eve there were still some 2-3 thousand customers in the Peterborough area that were still without power. I can only imagine what they were feeling, and how difficult PSNH made things for them by not providing them with any status information or updates as to what was being done to restore their electricity. I did hear that there would be an investigation into their “communications practices”, but I don’t expect much to come from it. Who knows though – this was a cluster-f*ck of biblical proportions, and I imagine that someone’s head needs to be on the block for this. Let’s start with the exulted “Project Managers” who didn’t bother to tell anyone who was answering the phone Jack-shit about what was going on. Interesting postscript to this saga. In the almost 2 weeks (now) since my power was restored, I’ve had umpteen calls from PSNH asking if I had electricity. From time-to-time they’ll just leave a message to that effect on the machine. Don’t know if my constant verbal and blogging tirades gave me any prominence, but I’m egotistical enough to hope that’s the case! So, just to make sure the searching engines are primed appropriately… “PSNH Sucks” “PSNH Incompetence” “PSNH Incompetent” “I Hate PSNH”
RJ's Musings 