Getting bookish on the Tuesday OPEN thread
Shot by Dan
“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.”
Isaac Newton
December 4, 2012 - 10:00 AM
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December 4, 2012 - 10:00 AM
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Monday, May 20, 2013
THE ROANOKE TIMES
Here’s a way of fixing Medicare that I could support. It saves $385 billion over 10 years and doesn’t raise the age to receive Medicare.
http://managinghealthcarecosts.blogspot.com/2012/11/center-for-american-progress-on-fixing.html
I was watching a early morning news program this morning and heard a commentator say something that I thought was one outcome we should hope for from the current debate over the fiscal cliff.
First, the Democrats should agree to stop calling things “revenue enhancements” and call them tax increases. Second, the Republicans would agree to stop talking about “entitlement reform” and start calling such efforts what they really are. They are cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
I agree with that statement because I believe it clearly outlines what each side is committed to doing and the public could clearly see and make its own decision about which approach to support.
_
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/03/papa-johns-obamacare_n_2233525.html?utm_hp_ref=business&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing6%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D241062
Good. There’s already too much cruddy pizza in the world. Apparently, witlessly and publically bagging on Obama isn’t an instant ticket to profit and success. I wonder how that cookie guy is doing these days…maybe the RT should do a follow up.
See also: US House, US Senate, POTUS…..
I do not believe Papa John’s is hurting.
October 31, 2012
Papa John’s Announces Third Quarter 2012 Results
EPS Increased 25.0% on Comparable Sales Increases of 2.5% for North America and 6.9% for International
LOUISVILLE, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended September 23, 2012.
Highlights
Third quarter earnings per diluted share of $0.55 in 2012, an increase of 25.0% over earnings per diluted share of $0.44 in 2011
56 global net restaurant openings during the quarter
2012 earnings guidance raised to a range of $2.53 to $2.63; comparable sales guidance raised for both North America (updated guidance range of +3.0% to +4.0%) and International (updated guidance range of +6.0% to +7.0%)
“During the third quarter, we achieved a significant milestone with the opening of our 4,000th restaurant,” said Papa John’s founder, chairman, and chief executive officer, John Schnatter. “Consumers and franchisees continue to put a premium on quality and that’s where Papa John’s wins. This translates into both strong global development and solid comparable sales results.”
Third quarter 2012 revenues were $325.5 million, a 6.5% increase from third quarter 2011 revenues of $305.7 million. Third quarter 2012 net income was $13.2 million compared to third quarter 2011 net income of $11.1 million. Third quarter 2012 diluted earnings per share were $0.55, compared to third quarter 2011 diluted earnings per share of $0.44.
Revenues were $975.4 million for the nine months ended September 23, 2012, a 7.0% increase from revenues of $911.7 million for the same period in 2011. Net income was $44.7 million for the nine months ended September 23, 2012 ($46.8 million excluding the $2.1 million Incentive Contribution discussed later in this press release), compared to net income of $39.7 million for the same period in 2011. Diluted earnings per share were $1.85 for the nine months ended September 23, 2012 ($1.94 excluding the Incentive Contribution), compared to $1.55 in the prior year.
Everybody who’s stunned that Boehner is lying on purpose in an effort to demonize Obama and then trying to pass it off as just a simple mistake, raise your hand. No hands raised?
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/12/03/boehner-caught-in-colossal-lie-about-small-business-tax-increases/
Newest trick in the health insurance market. Or at least one I never encountered.
Having been married for 32 years, I have almost always been on my husband’s insurance, which he has through his employer. Last year, we had to pay (and will going forward) a $600.00 fee to keep me on his insurance because I could have taken coverage through my own employer’s plan. This year, I have to PROVE I am his legal spouse with a certified marriage license, and a voided check with both our names showing the same address as his employee record, or a copy of our joint tax return.
Needless to say, like millions of other long married couples who have never needed to show it again, I have no clue where the original is so now I have to drive to Bedford and get a copy of it for $2.50.
If you lie on the application, isn’t that a reason for them not to pay your claims anyway? This is like voter fraud to me. How many people lie about being married so they can get insurance knowing they will be cut off and responsible for the bills if they are caught I wonder?
And in follow up to my #3 post…more fail!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/darden-obamacare-profits_n_2237667.html
“Darden Restaurants Inc. is cutting its profit forecast for the year, with the owner of Olive Garden and Red Lobster blaming failed promotions and negative publicity generated by its tests to limit health care costs for workers.”
Companies with inept management lose money and blame “the economy”. No guys…people want you to sling your mediocre food while keeping your half-baked political opinions to yourselves.
He already walked it back considerably Will:
John Schnatter
Founder and CEO, Papa John’s:
“During that same interview, talking about Obamacare I said, though it wasn’t widely reported:
“The good news is 100% of the population (full-time workers) is going to get health insurance. I’m cool with that.”
“We’re all going to pay for it. There’s nothing for free.”
“And this way I get to provide health insurance and I’m not at a competitive disadvantage … our competitors are going to have to do the same thing.”
Papa John’s, like most businesses, is still researching what the Affordable Care Act means to our operations. Regardless of the conclusion of our analysis, we will honor this law, as we do all laws, and continue to offer 100% of Papa John’s corporate employees and workers in company-owned stores health insurance as we have since the company was founded in 1984.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-h-schnatter/papa-johns-obamacare_b_2166209.html
Frail, wheelchair bound Purple Heart and Bronze Star with valor recipient Bob Dole appeared in Congress today to urge ratification of a U.N. treaty pertaining to the disabled, but his fellow Republicans ignored the war hero’s request and defeated the measure.
The GOTP of today:
Making the world safe from the disabled, one frail old patriot at a time!
Yes Warren and these are the people who are supposed to keep us from the “fiscal cliff” so called “danger”? Sad.
This is a big first step forward.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/viewart/20121130/ESN01/311300031/US-sell-wind-energy-leases-off-Virginia?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Eastern Shore News|s
I have a hard time buying the fact that the otherwise intelligent, considerate Republicans I know support these jackasses in Congress. It makes absolutely no sense.
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the recommendations on anesthesia and other stuff. While I wasn’t knocked out, the topical and local anesthetic plus the nitrous made the process pain-free and incredibly pleasant. Thankfully, my mouth is still numb 4 hours later. After seeing my wisdom tooth, I’m really stunned I didn’t have pain…I should have.
I’m glad it went well for you, OJ.
Other John – hope you heal quickly and pain free .
Other John,
Glad your procedure went well. Who drove you home? I drove 2 of my sons home from this procedure and they said some interesting things during the ride.
The agreement I have with them is that what was said in the car those days stays in the car.
SCOTUS decision on an issue, in which I am very interested.
It went the way I was hoping. Unfortunately, way too many details remain to be litigated.
See: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/11-597_i426.pdf
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg opinion holds that temporary flooding can qualify as a taking — at least some of the time. However, SCOTUS tells us very little about how to determine whether any given case of flooding qualifies as a taking.
It’s the old narrow ruling practice — not unlike the natural born citizen issue that confuses some bloggers here — one confirmed other possibilities not addressed. Until more cases work their way through the courts, we really don’t have the full picture.
Outstanding read. Romney and key staff disagree with St Suzie on cause of the loss.
http://tinyurl.com/cslzm8g
**
Romney campaign did not expect Obama’s turn-out-the-vote results
By Kevin Bohn, CNN
updated 12:05 PM EST, Tue December 4, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
√ Romney aides thought intensity and enthusiasm would tip the balance in their favor
√ Campaign officials say they gave no thought to an apology for self-deportation comments
√ Obama advisers said the low point for his campaign was after his first debate performance
√ Officials were speaking at a Harvard post-campaign symposium
SNIP
**
—–
I particularly apprenticed,
**
Rhoades and others credited Romney for knowing he made a mistake and not blaming others.
“I remember speaking to him and there was a lot of negativity about our campaign as a whole, but he’s a person who takes personal responsibility about it,” Rhoades said. “And he would tell me … ‘You didn’t say 47%, Matt. Stuart (Stevens, Romney’s senior campaign adviser) didn’t say 47%. I did.’ And obviously it was not a high moment for our campaign, but I think it speaks a lot to who Mitt Romney is, and I also like to think it speaks a lot to who this campaign team is that we’re able to make a run and come back from that.”
**
Others noticing the emerging of terms like “fiscal cliff deniers”, “playing chicken with the fiscal cliff”, etc showing up the the “news” coverage?
Very interesting but scarier read:
http://tinyurl.com/cv44axw
12/03/2012
Five Degrees of Ruination: Scientists Forecast Dramatic Temperature Increase
By Christoph Seidler in Doha, Qatar
SNIP
Together with Corinne Le Quéré of the UK’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change and colleagues from the Global Carbon Project, Peters calculated just how far apart international goals and reality are when it comes to climate change. Their conclusions, published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change on Sunday, were the following:
Between 1990 and 2011, global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by 54 percent, and this is expected to jump to 58 percent based on projections for 2012. Humans will have released some 35.6 gigatons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in this year alone, with an average increase of 3.1 percent per year. That number was slightly lower in 2012, measuring 2.6 percent, though that was mainly due to the economic crisis, the paper says.
These emissions are in line with the most extreme scenario, dubbed “RCP 8.5,” from the world climate report that will be presented in 2014. This means that realistically, it would take more than a decade for CO2 emissions to sink. But that would be too late to reach the two-degree target.
SNIP
**
@10 Did you even read what was in that treaty?
Why would anyone in their right mind let themselves be subjected to UN control. The USA would be best served by dropping out of the UN and have them transfer the headquarters to Europe. The dues paid to the UN could then go to help the poor in this country all millions of dollars worth.
“Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), the leader of the opposition said the Treaty would create an “unelected bureaucratic body [which] would pass recommendations that would be forced upon the United States if we were a signatory.”
Inhofe elaborated: “I do not support the cumbersome regulations and potentially over-zealous international organizations with anti-American biases that infringe on American society.”
OJ, glad you feel ok. I thought of you after the Lions game the other night.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/jan-brewer-trip_n_2238246.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cipad%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D241404
Maybe they’ll get lucky and she won’t come back.
It’s a toss-up…face lift or rehab.
Maloof:
“Why would anyone in their right mind let themselves be subjected to UN control. The USA would be best served by dropping out of the UN and have them transfer the headquarters to Europe.”
+1
Maloof,
Frankly, given your other posts here, and given the general paranoia about “UN control” that reigns in some Bircher-type quarters of this nation, I sincerely doubt your suggestion that passing the treaty would have been tantamount to UN control of this nation.
Then again, I must have blinders on when it comes to the black helicopters. No UN police have knocked on my door demanding my guns wither. When did they seize yours, btw? Wait — you mean they haven’t? How could that be?
In truth, the UN is an advisory body and little more. Doubt me? Read more here.
Thanks, everyone. My wife drove me home, though, I could have done so myself…but I was thankful for the help regardless. Only now is there any pain now that the local anesthesia has worn off, and it’s more a dull ache. Only time it really bothers me is when I try to talk, chew, our otherwise move my mouth…but the pain is manageable.
Thanks, Kristen…my Lions just aren’t a winner this year. Too undisciplined, too many mistakes, and a touch of bad luck. They have resumed their normally scheduled mediocrity.
Dumb crook of the day?
“Inhofe elaborated”
Quoting Inhofe? Google “C Street.” The guy’s certifiable.
Dan:
“Dumb crook of the day?”
UFB
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/fox-news-karl-rove_n_2240883.html
“New York Magazine reports that President Roger Ailes is limiting Rove and fellow contributor Dick Morris’ presences for the time being. A Fox News representative affirmed the situation to NYMag, adding that programming chief Bill Shine conveyed “the election’s over.”
Seriously? Being afraid of the UN is kinda like being afraid of Miss Manners. The United States (and probably every other member nation) blithely ignores even the rules and issues they “vote” to support. This is truly magical thinking writ large with the TP/R loons. I actually hope someday, someone, does come after all of you fearful people, at least then this hysteria would be retroactively understandable. Aliens who take you to their planet “To Serve Man”, would be my hope for you all.
The UN is bent on destroying our Second Amendment. If our counrty plays along with it to its goal, we will be a weak nation that is easily pushed around. The US should boot the UN.
An interesting quote from Arthur C. Clarke.
“One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have a necessary connection. But the basis of morality is really very simple and doesn’t require religion at all. It’s this: “Don’t do unto anybody else what you wouldn’t want to be done to you.” It seems to me that that’s all there is to it.”
–ARTHUR C. CLARKE
This is my favorite Arthur C. Clarke quote.
“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.”
–ARTHUR C. CLARKE
JohnW, does it occur to you that the UN has bigger fish to fry than one little American amendment?
#32″ The UN is bent on destroying our Second Amendment.”
Yeah, I noticed a real bad shortage of guns in the U.S. recently.
Oh for crying out loud John Wilburn! NOTHING about the gun culture or the gun racketeering the UN is fighting gives our nation strength. We are not a strong nation, not easily pushed around because so many damn conspiracy theory fools are armed!
@Ron May, when I was 12 years old, my younger brother had a serious accident and my parents had to spend a lot of time with him in the hospital. I stayed with my grandparents for an extended period of time. I was bored and looking for something to do and walked to the library. I stumbled on several of Arthur C Clarke’s science fiction books. I credit him with getting me interested in reading.
“In truth, the UN is an advisory body and little more”
If that’s the case then the USA would be best served by dropping out of the UN. The USA is the last super power and greatest country on earth. Why do we need the UN’s advice?
You should share your view on these treaties. Law of the Sea Treaty, the Small Arms Treaty, and the Internet Regulation Treaty. They involve more than “Advice”
“No UN police have knocked on my door demanding my guns wither.”
So you admit to owning guns while bashing aspects of guns and gun ownership in the RT and on your blog.
Gee, who suspected ol’ Bob Dole is among the one-world-government loving radical socialists trying to help the U.N. take our guns and trample our freedom? It’s interesting to have gotten both Maloof and John W to imply that, since Dole’s unafraid of the U.N. simply adopting the tenets of the Americans with Disabilites Act. With their compatriot pammala they can be the new patriot fife and drum trio, and Maloof can be the one wearing the head bandage.
Maloof: “So (Dan admits) to owning guns while bashing aspects of guns and gun ownership in the RT and on your blog.”
I’m not sure he did, but in any case:
I admit to eating some fast food while bashing SOME ASPECTS of the fast food industry. So?
I admit to watching some television while bashing SOME ASPECTS of television. So?
I admit to following some sports while bashing SOME ASPECTS of sports. So?
And “I, Maloof” spelled backwards is Foolam I. So?
@39 Bill Perdue. Agree on the Arthur C. Clarke. How about Asimov?
Maloof,
I don’t own guns, but some authorities believe I do, because I have a concealed carry permit. I obtained it as an exercise to demonstrate in some 2009 columns how easy it is to get one in Virginia, even if you have never touched a handgun in your life. Like I had not when I got my CC permit.
A few weeks ago, when I was pulled over for having a burned-out headlight on the way home from work, the officer, before wishing me well and advising me to fix it nonchalantly asked, “by the way, do you have your handgun with you tonight?” That came after he did a status check on my license. So there’s a record out there that has left some authorities believing I own guns.
And, they have never knocked on my door and asked to see the guns they believe I own.
However, even if I did owns guns, I fail to see how that somehow prohibits me from bashing certain aspects of gun ownership on this blog.
For example, I’ve criticized on this blog the beer-rinking CC permit holder who shot himself in the leg in a Lynchburg pizzeria ( spite of the law that bans concealed-carriers from drinking in a restaurant when they are carrying). In your way of thinking, it’s somehow hypocritical for me to do that. Do you also believe that it would be hypocritical for me to criticize a drunk driver, because I’m a car owner?
I read a lot of Clarke, Heinlein and Asimov as a teenager. They will always be, in my mind, the seminal science fiction writers. Heinlein I would almost compare to the Shakespeare of the genre.
Later I graduated to Philip K. Dick and some others. Loved “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” (which became the movie Bladerunner and “A Scanner Darkly” which looked at the drug war from a science-fiction perspective.
#40 Maloof, I own two bowling balls but I also criticize some of the ways the sport is run and the way the lanes I bowl on are kept up. Should I stop doing that?
Alfred, Yes, Asimov too!!
When I was 10, I had finished reading all of the mysteries in the kid section of the library. The next shelf was science fiction. I read Heinlein’s “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” and it was like the heavens opened onto things, places, and ideas I had never thought about before.It changed the way I saw the world . . . no . . . the universe.
Gee, it appears that my quotes from Arthur Clarke stirred up some old memories among my fellow bloggers. Glad to be of assistance.
Warren, are you just trying to score points with Casey?
Drunk Driver vs bashing gun ownership is not the same thing. Prove your not a hypocrite by running a positive article on guns and gun ownership? I have better chance of winning the power ball jack pot than reading that future article in the RT. Perhaps using your “post of the day”
“Drunk Driver vs bashing gun ownership is not the same thing. Prove your not a hypocrite by running a positive article on guns and gun ownership? I have better chance of winning the power ball jack pot than reading that future article in the RT. Perhaps using your “post of the day””
Maloof, I don’t recall ever bashing “gun ownership.” Bashing silly rules that make concealed carry too easy is not bashing “gun ownership,” fyi. Bashing guns in bars is not bashing gun ownership, fyi.
I wrote a positive column about shooting guns in Oct. 2009. And the last thing I wrote about gun owners on this blog was earlier this year, and it was positive, too.
Ooops! and oops! again.
Spare us the sanctimony, eh? You’re only making yourself look silly.
Ron, the Clarke quote about morality and religion rings so true. That the two seem to be inextricably linked in today’s world is personally disappointing. I try very hard to conduct myself ethically and morally. When acquaintances discover that I am not particularly “religious,” they seem confused that I could demonstrate one without one without the other.
By the way, I think the first real book I read was “The World of Null-A” by A. E. Van Vogt, a lesser known by very good sci-fi author.
Dan that’s great 2 articles in your 19-20 year career with the RT? Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back. I have only been reading the RT blogs for about 6 months and read the RT less and less. Congrats for actually learning to shoot. The handgun and rifle classes I teach require range time for certification.
Maloof, you asked for one, in the future, because I had never done so in the past (you alleged). I gave you 2 already written — and it’s still not enough! You’re just another conservative who’s grasp of the facts is — how shall we put this — about as solid as a bowl of jello.