statsman

Thanks for all the comments. As I ponder this, I’ve come around to two things I believe to be true: 1. The original contract allowed Allstate to change the expected benefit (this is verified), due to a long run of low interest rates 2. Allstate was not losing money, because of these low rates. They were investing my premiums in whatever financial instrument (or portfolio of instruments) they believed would yield the best returns. They are doing this because they can, not because they were forced to by the economy.

After stints in jail for spousal abuse and non payment of child support, Sims turned his life around by leaning into full Okey-ness. The Oklahoma economy used to be like a stool with three legs- methamphetamine production, Indian casinos, and stealing copper wire. Recently, the state added a new major economic pursuit- selling legal cannabis products. Anyway, Sims got his life back on the straight and narrow by becoming a greeter at an Indian casino. Boomer!

To be fair- this last year was the first time that Gundy didn’t spend the summer planning UT and stealing practice days during the season to install the UT plan. Meanwhile, Campbell had “special stuff” for UT, like he always did. So UT might not work well as a transitive property

That is actually pretty damned wise.

I see a greater resemblance here… (Is Gibbs still an analyst in Stillwater?)

Not a huge problem, but an opportunity to share, and help others avoid the issue… In 1997, we wanted to start a family. We decided to get life insurance, a stand alone policy not dependent upon my employer. I bought a universal life policy. I was 33 years old and it was structured thusly: $161/month premium, $450k term life, for 30 years $200k universal life, promised to be good until 93 years old, as long as the premium was paid. I liked the idea of leaving a chunk of cash to whoever was stuck holding the bag when I passed. I got a letter from Allstate (the guy who sold the policy got out of the business 20 years ago, and the policy was moved to a different office). They say that because of low interest rates for so long, the cash value didn’t increase enough, and the universal life portion would only last until I was 77. Unless I started increasing my premium by $200/month. I talked to my current agent (who I really like and trust). She said this is real, that she feels bad because she sold those policies (and bought one for herself) making the same promises. She said that if I looked at the original agreement, there is language allowing them to do this; they just never thought it would happen. This is not a crisis. I have some savings now, and expect to leave something. I am disappointed. I bought the policy as a hedge against a premature death, and an investment for a later death (my dad, 88, has a $150k whole life policy- it is absolutely an investment now. I told him that if he ever struggled to make a premium, to let me know and I would make it for him). Choices: do nothing. Pay $161/month, have $650k life insurance for three more years and $200k 14 years after. Pay $200 more per month and have the $200k last until I’m 93. Cash out the $21k cash value and just get by with my (other) term policy until I’m 70. Lord knows there’s no shortage of things to do with the cash. Lesson: Don’t look for insurance to be anything more than insurance, a hedge. Buy term life insurance. Any thoughts are welcome, although admonishments that I should have known better are wasted. I know better now.

They showed Ingrit on the track, watching the replay of the finish. He had the GOB Bluth “I’ve made a horrible mistake” look on his face. He absolutely opened the lane up for Hocker while he drifted right to impede Kerr.

OK, five.

I know that the coaches poll is just a starting point, and that teams will rise and fall through the season, but at the start, here are the B12 games between two ranked teams: Utah at OSU Arizona at Utah OSU at KSU (same day as Ari at Utah) KU at KSU WVU scheduled PSU and UH scheduled OU, but none of the preseason ranked B12 teams scheduled ranked teams for OOC.

The 100m has become (perspective- “become” to me, a young boomer. If you’re a millennial or younger, it’s always been this way) such a technical event, with detailed focus on how the sprinters come out of their blocks, at what pace their center of gravity rises to regular level, to stride lengths at different points. Weight training, upper and lower body, is done with a purpose. Bob Hayes ran a 10.0 in 1964, in a chewed up lane 1 and someone else’s shoes. Silver went .2 seconds slower. Upper body weight training was seen as harmful by many sprinters. Video analysis was non existant. I wonder how fast he would have been with current training?

I remember the knock on Schmidt was that he neglected playing defense to focus on scoring. Hey, it was the ‘80s. Stil, there are other parts of the game. Durant’s overall skills, enabled by his unique combination of height and agility, are a huge part of his greatness. FIBA basketball rewards ball movement and stretching the court. Durant plays unselfishly and can acquit himself at positions 1-5 as needed, like few players can. This of you proposing Schmidt- would any of you, needing a player for a FIBA game between two evenly matched teams, pick him (in his prime) over KD (in his prime)?

I remember Oscar Schmidt. His game didn’t transcend the sport like KD’s does with FIBA.

Soft targets are more their style.

The big argument for the SEC to go to a nine game schedule is that, if they (we? Gotta get used to this) did, the networks might close the revenue gap the SEC has with the B1G. Argument against- the middling and less SEC programs are afraid to surrender a gimme win. Oh, well. I can’t imagine any eight game schedule format where Texas plays OU, TAMU and Arkansas every year. It’s understood that the RRS is the game we’re not giving up. The league wants us to play the Ags, and the Hogs are dying for regular games against Texas. If they refuse to go to nine games, we’ll just have to get by without playing g the Ags or Hogs.

It’s like you’ve never heard of Baylor

But,…do they (FSU and Clemson) have somewhere to join? Big XII?

One thing to note about the “hostage negotiations”: after ten months, Hamas can’t or won’t provide an accounting of the hostages.

AMLO is backing Maduro. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexican-president-says-no-evidence-fraud-venezuela-elections-2024-07-31/ Mexico may become a regional problem.

I think Hamas’ planned negotiation was: “we’ll trade hostages for prisoners, let’s say at the rate of a a couple hundred of ours for every one of yours. Then, we’ll pretend it’s October 6 again”. I’m sure a lot of Israelis miss October 6. Here’s the thing about October 6- October 7 is just around the corner. I can see why so many of the Israelis see that as a non-starter.

It’s comforting to think that if that one guy were gone, everything could work out, but it’s rarely true. If you want to argue that eliminating Hamas altogether is an unrealistic goal, well, that would be an interesting discussion. It’s not going to get anyone closer to peace, though, nor the Palestinians any closer to a state.

I see an argument for depth of support against Netanyahu. I don’t see an argument against breadth of support against his negotiating goal. That’s ok. Numeracy is hard for almost everyone.

I thought the hold up was: Hamas wants to exist after a removal of troops and hostage release. Israel insists Hamas cannot exist after a removal of troops and hostage release. My understanding is that the Israeli position has broad popular support in Israel.

…and “width”…

I will choose to take that as a compliment