bernorange

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/finland-says-outside-activity-likely-damaged-gas-pipeline-telecoms-cable/ar-AA1hYPVx I'm not sure what to make of this as yet. Russia lashing out at Finland for joining NATO? Maybe it wasn't a deliberate act at all and a submersible had an accident?

This is the angle that intrigues me. Saudi Arabia was noticeably drifting away from American influence since Obama's term when we refused to be their proxy in slapping Iran/Syria around. KSA has gotten more aggressive since MbS came to power (brazen Khashoggi murder and oil production cuts designed to hurt USA at election time). They even went so far as to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran (talks of re-opening embassies) at China's behest so they might join the BRICS. It really seems like there is a tug of war happening between the West and the BRICS for Saudi Arabia's favor and the BRICS could not allow an Israeli/USA - Saudi accord.

To the surprise of no one, Senator Graham is broadcasting calls for war with Iran if things escalate. Anyone think things are not going to escalate?

Wordle 843 2/6 🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Nice! Daily Quordle 624 6️⃣8️⃣ 7️⃣5️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟨 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ I did a dumb guess on #4 using a letter that I knew didn't belong. Haste makes waste. Daily Sequence Quordle 624 4️⃣5️⃣ 6️⃣7️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I stared at the first panel for a long time after guess #3 before seeing it. ClickWord.org Daily 248: 590 points (top 30% 🎉) 13 words: ⚛️🟪🟪🟥🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟨🟩🟩 💪 Best word: 240 points 🔥 Streak: 2 days #ClickWord #ClickWordDaily248 Not bad... Almost broke 600.

Back in April, Iran and Saudi Arabia started making overtures to each other (as a condition for being invited to the BRICS table). I wonder how this issue will affect relations between them. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/china/saudi-arabia-iran-china-beijing-diplomatic-relations-intl-hnk/index.html

FWIW: The Tribune article I linked in the OP breaks down each amendment and includes links to the gov website where you can find the text of the actual amendment.

President Hector Dwayne Mountain Dew Camacho approved.

So... I did not see that coming...

Clicking through from the Tribune's explanation, I found the text of the Amendment here: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/SJ00075F.htm After reading more about it, it seems like a no brainer Yes for me. I guess what confused me was the renaming of a Fund that seemingly already exists for the stated purpose. So the only real difference would be that the renamed fund gets to siphon off funds from the rainy day fund? I clicked through and found the text of the amendment here: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HJ00003F.htm I don't know enough about the economic stabilization fund to determine if this is wise or not. My instinct is that while a noble goal, funding a fund like this should be done directly/straightforward, not backdoored by siphoning from a different fund that has a different purpose. It does seem like a convoluted Frankenstein mish-mash of different ideas.

Damn bro! You're more extreme than Ron Paul!

All the more reason for folk to become informed, think through their own positions and vote next month.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/09/israel-hamas-live-updates.html Talking tough.

Just because it happens doesn't mean that I care for it. Elect me dictator and I'll do something about it.

Which kind of cuts are you talking about here - actual budget reductions or slower rates of increase ("cuts" as D.C. critters know them)? It's too bad that Ron Paul's advocacy for merely freezing current spending levels didn't get more attention. It's a "cut" by D.C.'s standard without being disorderly to markets (or GDP) though it would have been much easier to do when we had ZIRP and low inflation. At some point we have to recognize the feedback loop / spiral and realize that we are in a hole and we need to stop digging.

Since this topic has generated so much excitement, I'll throw in my 2 cents for what it is worth (not much, I know): Proposition 1 - Yes. Seems like a no brainer Proposition 2 - No. I don't like special exemptions. Proposition 3 - Yes. Nip stupidity in the bud. Proposition 4 - Yes? This one seems complicated but appears to put safeguards and restrictions on the taxing power. Proposition 5 - No? I don't understand the need for this one, but is sounds like a great way for insiders to funnel funny money around. What is the National Research University Fund and how does it currently work? I don't know (yet?). Proposition 6 - Yes? Seems like a good idea - as long as the board that oversees the fund is responsible. What oversight or guardrails will exist? Is the board elected or appointed? Proposition 7 - No. I don't care for this intersection of government and free enterprise. Proposition 8 - No. Let the market handle this. Proposition 9 - Yes? I'm don't know the history of this fund or if it's really justified, but I'm guessing it probably is. Proposition 10 - No. I don't like special exemptions. Proposition 11 - Yes. Choice is good. Proposition 12 - No. Let's not make corruption/grift/graft easier. Proposition 13 - No for a variety of reasons. Proposition 14 - Yes? What oversight or guardrails are there on how this money will be spent? Who is spending the money? Some lawmakers going to get rich selling their land holdings to the State?

Wordle 842 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟩🟩 ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 notimpressed.gif Daily Quordle 623 5️⃣6️⃣ 4️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟨🟨🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Sequence Quordle 623 4️⃣5️⃣ 6️⃣7️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟩 ⬜🟨⬜🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Weekly Quordle Challenge 16 4️⃣6️⃣ 5️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟨🟩🟨🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ClickWord.org Daily 247: 421 points (top 40% 👏) 15 words: ⚛️🟪🟪🟧🟨🟨🟨🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 💪 Best word: 176 points 🔥 Streak: 1 days #ClickWord #ClickWordDaily247 ClickWord was tough for me today. I tried too hard for the double word cross using 2x letters, that I had to make a lot of short single words. Probably not the best strategy today.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/07/politics/us-officials-israeli-intelligence-concerns/index.html I guess they didn't discuss their plans on Twitter/Facebook...

Election is a month away. DYODD: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/15/texas-constitutional-amendment-voter-guide/

All this hate for woman that's running down a dream.

I remember the old days when these reports had to be submitted via PM to Derka.

Why not? Irrespective of your opinion of the Laffer curve, total tax revenue as a % of GDP has been largely range bound between 16 to 18% throughout our lifetimes. Revenue (as a % of GDP) is a fairly constant known that fluctuates moreso with business cycles (health of the economy) than tax policy. Congress doesn't can't effectively target tax revenue because of variables outside of their control, but there is a practical upper limit to revenue. Spending on the other hand is 100% within their control.

Also etched into the Babylonian tablet is an essay on the history of pussy being undefeated.