339 COMMENTS

          • true story beavergopher……………………The department for a company I used to work with held a golf scramble every spring at Trysting Tree. I never attended because as I stated I don’t like golf and think it’s boring but they did basically what you stated. Turned into drunk fest 20XX. It had to be moved to Diamond Woods down by Monroe after Trysting Tree staff asked them not to return after some drunken shenanigans. Somebody crashed a golf cart and another guy passed out in the bathroom.

            Might’ve been my idea of fun 10-15 years ago. If I can give any advice about getting older? Don’t

    • Think about EVERY stage of your swing during the swing, try to over-correct, but not too much, JUST the right amount….that might keep you from pulling them. And doing something else with them.

      Or, have an extra beer/drink and relax a bit more.

  1. First! Off-topic!

    I know there are some guitar players here. There’s some pretty interesting guitars here. I checked out a Vertigo T-Top once, felt great, very light, good sounds. I don’t play well enough or enough to spend this kind of money.

    http://wallawallaguitars.com/t-top-guitars/

    Pretty sure one of the guitar-makers used to make recurve and longbows….

  2. Anybody here drive a Tacoma(double cab) who’s done a DIY brake job?
    Curious how long it took, or do you recommend taking it to a shop?
    I’m due for both front(disc) and rear(drum). Never done a brake job myself.

    • I don’t own one but I have done a brake job on one. Pro tip buy the factor pads, they were the only ones that didn’t squeak, rotors didn’t matter. Have those turned by your local machine shop unless they are out of spec. If they are out of spec call every local auto parts dealer and buy the cheapest you can find. Grease your caliper slide studs. It’s an easy job just takes some time.

    • Wait what year is it? The one I did was disc all the way around. If it’s drums and you have never done it, take it in. They aren’t hard but they aren’t easy either.

    • Brakes are one of the easiest things to do on your own vehicle. Just did the front ones on my F350 last weekend. Go look at youtube. I’m certain someone has put up a how to video for your specific application. Unless your calipers are sticking I’d just stick to pads and rotors. Rotors are so cheap now that most folks just replace them rather than take them to a machine shop to be turned. If your steering wheel shakes during braking it’s a surefire sign that the front rotors are warped. It really is an easy job that most guys SHOULD be able to accomplish on their own. Once you’ve done it, you’ll be a pro. Good luck.

      If you’re doing rear drum take a picture of the brakes when you get the drums off BEFORE you take them apart so you have a reference as to what springs go where.

      • If you’re doing a drum brake job, sell your ancient piece of shit and buy something with 4 wheel disc brakes.

        I hate drum brakes almost as much as points and condenser.

      • Agree… you can find this info on YouTube. You probably don’t need to change the drums. But if you do, a c-clamp won’t work on the piston because of the e brake. Most commonly, drums don’t wear because they’re not as heavily used. But that light use doesn’t mean they don’t require adjustment and cleaning when you replace the fronts.

        Btw, they put rear drums on tacos because discs freeze up due to off-roading gunk… and they don’t need to integrate the e brake. They put discs on tundras because they are the towing models. At least, that’s what they say.

      • seeing this thread within the thread about brake repair, I’m reminded of what my old friend and best-man told me forty years ago: “I don’t have any hesitation working on stuff that makes a car go, but I refuse to work on what makes it stop.”

    • Definitely some height coming in. Question is, how athletic are they? Kind of useless if they are just statues on both ends. Impressive length on the floor for the Beavs.

      Only a few under 6 feet next year.

      • question is – how athletic are they? My question, as well. OSU wbb sometimes seems to plod along. Pivec is quick but hindered by the system, imho.

  3. Why does Conforto stink? He has such a good approach at the plate. Yet, he either Ks or hits a weak pop up almost every time.

    With his swing and approach he should be a .300/25hr guy easily.

    • I watch a lot of Mets games on MLB TV.. It just seems like all he can hit are average fastballs off of right handed pitchers, he continually chases junk in the dirt. Did he do that in college, I don’t remember..

      • I don’t think he chased junk, but most college pitches threw average fastballs. Maybe he just can’t handle the heat? He has a good eye for the most part. He seems to get anxious and then k or hit popups, which is just a travesty with that swing.

    • Well numbnuts, he’s hitting .320 this year after tonight’s game. He’s had his rough patches in his two years since being called up, but he’s also had periods of success. He’s still developing as a hitter, but the adjustments he made this offseason seem to have taken hold. Keep it up with your hot baseball takes though, we’re all laughing at you!

      • A bit early in the season to crow about averages, no? It went from .286 to .320 in one game. He started off better than this last year and went all Mendoza in the end. So I wouldn’t go all Pankey’s mom just yet.

        The good news for him is that he’s young, and he should be able to figure it out on the mental side. When he does, his natural mechanics will work to his advantage.

        • Just throwing this out there. Barry Bonds batted .248 in his age 24 season. Its far from over for Conforto simply because he isn’t tearing the cover off the ball as a 24 year old.

          He’s been an average big league player so far at an age when most guys are still in the minors.

        • The big issue I see is that he isn’t a full time starter. He’d be the everyday LF for a lot of other teams but the Mets have never given him a chance to be the starter.

  4. Darling and Hernandez always say he fell apart last year when he started trying to pull everything. I don’t know, but other teams seem to have him mostly figured out. He has been striking out at an ungodly rate since his torrid first month last season.

  5. Back to baseball:
    Better start looking for a Ukranian friend; as far as I can tell only the Saturday game vs UCLA is televised – ESPNU.

    Weather looks to be high 70’s or above, advantage Beavs? If pitching holds up Beavs are likely to hit more long balls than Bruins……hopefully.

    Time to watch Fehmel? He has not been in early season form lately, I’m looking for a bounce back Saturday.

    Arms are rested now. The rest of the team won’t have lost their edge with the week off, benefit of the loss at Seattle?

    Next two Tuesdays vs toilet seat mob at Goss……..Tweedt gets a start?

    • Looks like radio only for tonight and Sunday. I don’t see anywhere that a live stream is being broadcast by UCLA.

      • That’s what I found, too. Pretty surprising the Pac wouldn’t broadcast the #1 team in America vs a solid (#2 in the PAC) UCLA team. Missed opportunity to promote NCAA baseball for sure.

        • All the Pac-12 Network games were scheduled before the season, not that it fully explains why certain games/series are televised and others aren’t. Friday they featured the softball matchup during the same time as the baseball game against the Huskies. Perhaps it is partially due to an attempt to balance men’s and women’s sports coverage.

          What surprises me much more is that UCLA doesn’t have their own live video stream. Oregon State does for every non-televised game at Goss (this has been better than being on Pac-12 networks because it’s Mike Parker audio). Other Pac-12 teams have provided an online live stream when the game wasn’t televised. The game at Portland had a live stream. Everyone does it. You’re UCLA and you don’t provide a live stream of baseball?

  6. Huge game tonight, UCLA Fri night guy is lights out. Held the Beavs to 1 run last year, luckily OSU pitchers were better and allowed no runs.

    He’s improved from LY so I’d expect another low scoring game tonight. If they can knock him out early, the UCLA bullpen isn’t deep at all.

    • JoeBeav radio still in the dark on Rasmussen, expect direct info from Casey on the pre-game program tonight. Reports are that he hit low-mid 90’s recently.
      BTW, if you care, Parker was pulled from a rip current by the Bay Watch crew late this morning.

    • What would ya think of taking a page from Meggs book and sending Drew out for the first two innings on Saturday, then bring in Fehmel?

      • Hate to give him the credit but it worked. This staff is good enough that the only way you know you’re going to pitch for sure is being the starter.

  7. Situations where Rasmussen makes an appearance,

    1. Game is out of hand, either way so there is immediate pressure to come in and be lights out.

    That’s it. There’s no reason to all of a sudden to rely on him to get outs in his first live action in over a year.

    Tuesday would be a nice day to start. Go one or two innings on a strict pitch count.

  8. Mighty Kwan singles, moves to 2nd when KJ walks, and comes around to the plate on a Larnach single. Then Canning K’s the side.
    1-0 Beavs going to the b4.

    • 2 down in the b6, Luke with 8 K’s so far. Beavs lead 2-0.
      Only Bruin baserunners have been BB’s, an E, and HBP……wink wink

      Madrigal playing ss today, Grenier at 2B

  9. Through 7 full it remains 2-0 good guys.
    With two down in the b7 bruins get two consecutive singles to spoil the no hitter, Luke K’s a pinch hitter to finish the 7th. He is at 113 pitches.

  10. Classic “too late nate”? Luke is sent back out for the b8 despite a 113 pitch count.

    EDIT: No, no, Nate is too smart, not too late. Has Luke face one batter-get a GO to deep ss and leave with season high 117tp.
    In comes Verburg.

  11. Despite two BB’s in the t9 the score remains 2-0. Middle of Bruins lineup coming to the plate to face Mulholland in the b9.

  12. Bruins tie it up with a two out triple followed by a pinch hit HR. Mulholland fortunate to get a DP before the triple.
    On to the 10th, Mighty Kwan to leadoff vs Jake Bird.

  13. UCLA ties it on a 2 run HR off Mulholland.

    Hate to say it but it was bound to happen eventually. Kid can’t be invincible. Still a good change to win this one

  14. Bird throws 5 straight balls, then balks. Why oh why does KJ then start swinging?? KJ strikes out with Kwan at 2nd. 1 down, Malone on to ph.

  15. Beavs 4, Bruins 2. On to the b10 with Mulholland still on the mound and……..wait for it…Drew up in the pen. And, finally, Max E. up in the pen also.

  16. This was the type of game the beavs needed. Tough game where they thought they had it the whole way. Mulholland blows the save but the team picks him up in the next half inning.

    This team will just not go down.

    • Jack, you and every other liberal are just so butt hurt by this last election that you just can’t get on with your life. I have liberal friends that are in the same funk. Get over it. The main stream of people in this country were willing to take a chance on Trump rather than take 4 more years of a known flawed political insider.
      You and all of the other elitist minded academic should actually follow your own mantra to be open minded. Learn from this rather than just name calling and putting down those that don’t think like you.

      In short, get over yourself, and get on with life.

      • This isn’t a funk, junior. Get over what? Dipshit Donald, the dumbest diddle, is POTUS now.

        That’s now, not in the past. If it was in the past, it would be over. But it’s now, and the normal is that we have one of the most contemptible and highly stupid people (not just politicians) sitting in the White House.

        Speak to people in the military. CinC is not a part of the CoC. He is dumbfuckery personified.

        His crony cabinet is more “insider” than any cabinet ever, including Warren Harding’s cabinet. Most of them are the antithesis of the position they hold.

        And to top it all off, you want to blame the leebruls for all of this.

        Fuck off, sucker. You wanted this, and you are going to get it with every single breath until the Boss of Bankruptcy takes everything from you. Yesterday he was talking about work visas and American labor being screwed by employers. Yes, the asshat who hires Eastern European labor to build and staff his properties is whining about something of which he has zero clues. The stupidity, naivete, cronyism and hypocrisy are so fucking apparent that any word of the man has to mention any one of those metrics just because they are who he is.

        If you fail to do so, you are either one of the corrupt or one of the willfully ignorant. But I need stupidos like you. Your offspring are the ones who need to go die in one of Dipshit Donald’s wars caused by his bombastic ignorance.

        This is the new normal. If you don’t like it, tough shit. Get over it.

      • Oh… and since the GOP controls everything, it’s the evil leebruls who are at fault for possibly the most inefficient, crony, inbred and nepotistic first three months of any American Presidency ever.

        Right?

        Fuck off, sucker. This is your bed. Lie in it.

      • In short, I will continue fighting for you while you don’t do so for yourself.

        Here’s a neat deal. If your state participates in Interstate Crosscheck, you can find out if your vote was counted in the last election. Type your name (or any name you want) into this database, and any matches disqualify your registration simply because your name matches. Sure, they’ll give you a provisional ballot, and you can vote. But unless you physically go to your county clerk within a week or two (depending on the state) of the election to prove you are a valid voter. Imagine having to do this after having spent hours in line to vote in the first place.

        http://projects.aljazeera.com/2014/double-voters/interactive.html?

      • I think you’ve got the wrong idea. The election is ancient history. We’re not butthurt about the election. We’re embarrassed, frightened, and worried about the current state of the country. There’s a yuge difference.

  17. What a close game hats off to UCLA as they fought every inning. There were some unusual calls last night would have like to seen some of those calls at least Parker did not sound suicidal tonight I mean that in the most metaphoric since

  18. Since I’m posting today I will weigh in on the Thompson issue and why people on this site are being hard on Angry.

    I don’t agree with Angry that Thompson is not a great pitcher this year. Baseball is not the same as football or even basketball in that physical ability is not the biggest factor of results. Having all of the tools will still be a differentiator, but the mental aspect of the game is the key. Obviously, Thompson has the best tools as the scouts are saying, his challenge has always been between his ears. The difference between a good pitch and a very hittable pitch is a couple of inches. This year he has a large enough body of work to show he has turned a corner. The hard part with baseball and the reliance on mental stability is that he could lose it and revert back. The hard part is that Fehmel or Luke could have the same issue.

    Now on to Angry. I really appreciate this site for the strong Beaver info. I also really appreciate Angry’s take on football and player evaluation. I have read this site for years now and this topic comes up every year during baseball season because Angry tends to apply the same analysis to baseball that he applies to football and basketball which is a mistake because of my reasons above. Then, he has a tendency to hold onto his original opinion for a long time even when the results don’t back him up. Again, this works with football, Pankey being a great example. He didn’t have great tools and Angry pointed that out, when Pankey would have a few tackles some would challenge Angry, but the reality is that just because a running back would run into Pankey didn’t change his lack of skills.

    Bottom line to me is that I appreciate the site, I value Angry’s football analysis, I don’t put much into his baseball analysis.

      • Correct, highly involved in sabermetrics as well, and wrote much on the history of baseball for esteemed sites. If you ever need a scouting report on Dan Brouthers just let me know. My writing and analysis don’t start or end with AB. I just don’t talk about the other work because of creeps like you who stalk, then jerk off into their sock puppets while thinking about me.

        • You are so sensitive. Why do you attack me personally? This is the same thing I was saying about liberal elites above, if you disagree with you then they are horrible people doing deplorable things. I didn’t realize that reading without posting is stalking.

          I take back my full analysis on Angry, people attack him because he is a bully.

          • Sensitive? Ha.
            When did I insult you? I was talking about creeps like A@A. Follow the response tree — the response is at him. You don’t stalk me, dude.

          • Spark, I see people be labelled deplorable for being deplorable, not for disagreeing. And I see liberals having a reaction to what trump is doing/not doing in the present. We’ve all gotten over Clinton losing and have moved on from that. If you voted for trump, then you should be able to defend your vote and support your position. What I see and hear from most trump voters is nothing when he lies, fumbles, and falls on his face daily with his amateurism.

    • That’s fine, your loss, but you should probably go back on my recruiting class analysis (which I stopped doing because it was time consuming and nobody cares about baseball) because I nailed almost every player. I’m actually better at analyzing baseball since I played it at a high level for years. Just one example, before anyone even knew about LH or saw him pitch: ” Luke Heimlich is the guy I expect to move into the #2 slot, or higher, at some point this year. I think he’s better than Rasmussen and maybe better than Andrew Moore.” Called Gabe Clark for what he was. Called “Khrod” for what he was. Etc. I miss on about 5% of guys.

      Very aware of the mental part of the game.

      My issue with Thompson is that I’m not convinced that’s over. E.g. Take many MLB who get the yips. They can go weeks without issues, then suddenly it’s back. As mentioned by others here, Parker et al have even questioned JT as recently as last week live on the air. It’s a real question that hasn’t been answered. Given his past, he has to make it through tough competition and high pressure games all year to prove it. I’ve already moved him from garbage to serviceable, so as new data comes in that is in favor of him at least controlling the mental side more, I am willing to change. Also, I don’t see dominating “stuff” when I watch Thompson. A lot of luck so far.

      What is more concerning than my opinion on him, is that people believe a couple handful of starts erase two years of mental problems and Pac-12 shelling. It’s definitely possible the theory above is correct and he was young/needed to grow into his role, and I’m looking for the signs of that and amending my opinion as I see them. I’m very aware a player can develop. As I said, when I think that process has been completed I’ll let you know, but as of today, I still have no confidence in him in big spots/good teams and view him as serviceable. If you do, that’s your right, but I have a feeling you’re going to get burned eventually believing in him. If not, great, it means we’re probably in the CWS and he’s one of the 5% of guys I miss on, and I’ll gladly say so.

        • From memory, he was, but I didn’t cover recruiting back then, so maybe he wasn’t. I explained it to you like a million times. Others have chimed in and said he was under the radar and you’re just gay for him, much like Casey. When Casey was putting Gabe Clark in the 4 hole vs Pac pitching I didn’t hear much from you, of course.

          • If anyone believes Buck was under the radar, they don’t know what the hell they are talking about. So I couldn’t care less who told you that.

            And recruiting wasn’t followed back then like it is today. So maybe you hadn’t heard of him. That doesn’t mean he was under the radar. He recruitment may have been hindered by his desire to go pro after high school, and that he liked football more.

          • (a) Sparky, you’re getting overly sensitive. And where do I say I don’t like gays? Find that quote.
            (b) A@A, how many times are you going to mention Dallas Buck?

          • Spark – I chose to ignore that part because with people like Angry it just isnt worth it. He is a bully. Prove him wrong and he calls you names.

          • Angry, I’ll make you a deal… tell us what this “high level” of baseball you played for years… and I’ll stop reminding you and everyone else how when you’re wrong 5% of the time you aren’t just wrong you’re really really really wrong not even fucking close wrong

          • I think “Anon” was the stalker, if I remember correctly. A@A is just the guy with an axe to grind, for no apparent reason other than hurt feelings on a blog. Or maybe theyre the same guy/gal?
            Might want to check those IPs

          • They’re both stalkers. A@A’s MO is a little different. He thinks if he keeps repeating the same thing over and over people will believe it. He does this in an attempt to bring down the site, because he doesn’t like anyone criticizing OSU, especially Casey. His method for this is to purposefully misunderstand/misconstrue what I say and spin it just slightly different (in an obvious attempt to make me look “wrong”, which he is obsessed with as well), which is why I always make the quip he should stay out of nuanced conversation. But eventually I realized he does this on purpose as a tactic.

            Anon is Aaron from Blitz, who has always been obsessed with me. Though, it could be JT-theCreepySockPuppetFucking-Beaver.

            If only these people put this much effort into something productive…

          • I’m not sure how stalking would apply… all you ever do is talk of all your life’s accolades but there’s never any proof to anything. That’s the beauty of the blog life for you. You’re an accomplished genius and you never have to prove any of it. My life experience tells me that those who talk like you, it’s usually just talk.

          • See, perfect example: he’s just dying to use information I gave (soap) against me. Sure sign of a stalker who is keeping notes. So creepy! I have his IP. Restraining order could be in the offing with this one.

          • That’s funny that you’re such a celebrity you worry about stalkers, but not long ago you gave out your wife’s twitter.

            Nobody knows who you are how is anyone stalking you?

          • That’s JP the sockpuppet.

            Jeff has some really serious issues given his online history here. He’s a little on the other side of disturbed.

            But it’s all good. He’s a smaller penis in person than he is online.

    • Heimlich and Fehmel haven’t had issues like Jake has. That’s why Jake is the third pitcher, not the first or second. I guarantee he would not have the same results as the other two if he didn’t have two full games to scout the opposition. He also doesn’t have the pressure of facing their aces. So he typically gets better run support, also lessening the pressure.

      He’s doing great this year. But don’t just write it off as if it’s in a vacuum. That’s very shallow analysis that deserves the trolling angry has been doing. Though, I do have to admit this particular dog whistle has been fun to watch.

      • Good points. I believe last week when the butthurt crew was getting on me, I did bring up that he’s an upperclassman going against other teams 3s. His ERA/Whip are still solid, though, which implies he’s doing his part, but what I’ve seen is a guy with average to slightly above average stuff, a great team behind him, and some good luck. He has made strides vs last year, but do I have confidence in him in big games? Nope. And nobody should.

        Now A@A, here you go:
        http://i.imgur.com/9l2gdWA.jpg

        • I think you have to give credit for how Casey has managed jake this year. Being the 3rd starter has meant he has only had one must win game this year for the Beavs to win weekend series. Can’t forget if this team as good as we all think Jake won’t pitch in the super regionals.

          • Agreed.

            Lost in all this crap is that Casey and Nate have done a pretty good job managing the team this year. While the talent is well above average, they don’t just throw the ball out and tell them to play.

            And I would be fine (other than having already lost a game) with Jake pitching in the supers because it would be his normal rotation, and we have a ton of depth behind him. I’m pretty sure the leash would be quite short in an elimination game.

        • I gave one opinion and you talked about your extensive knowledge, then you gave your analysis of my leisure activities. I guess you could have been responding to me and disparaging other angry.

  19. Nine of the top-25 teams lost yesterday, which should keep the Beavs on the path for a seed….at least for another couple of weeks.

  20. Conforto hitting 2nd vs a lefty today. Big test. I love Conforto as a hitter, btw. He should hit .320 vs RHP and .270 vs LHP with about 40 doubles and 25hr. Mets just need to sit old man Grandersen and admit it’s a new regime.

  21. On a side note- I am suffering from minor depression, first time in 9 years that I have no sons playing baseball. One now plays soccer year around and the other gave up baseball for Lacrosse. I’m trying to sell them off on Craiglists, but no takers yet!

    • Soccer, that’s tough although LAX is pretty fucking awesome, despite the douchebaggery among some of those who play. My kid played football and LAX, I feel your pain; but, all little birds have to leave the nest at some point.

      • Football and LAX seem to be a combo for youth sports. My youngest sons football coaches recruited him to play LAX thus leading him to give up baseball (for one season anyway). The other just doesn’t have time for baseball. Competitive soccer is a beast of a time sucker.

  22. If you followed a thread I wrote last week I was complaining to a local radio station that they were ignoring the Beavs baseball team. It’s not in the AP feed they said. After writing them, they did report it, but missed this morning, so I gave them my report which they read on the air word-for-word. Made my day:

    (…..),

    I was listening intently to hear whether you would report on the OSU baseball team this morning. Here’s the story:

    The number one Oregon State Beavers continue their march toward the playoffs with a victory over UCLA yesterday. OSU took a 2-0 lead to the bottom of the ninth and were one strike away from the victory when UCLA’s Nick Kern, a redshirt senior hit a two run home run, his second career home run, to tie the game. In dramatic fashion OSU scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to beat UCLA last night at Jackie Robinson stadium in UCLA.

    It’s on the net if it’s not covered by AP.

    Thanks, Associate (….) reporting.

  23. OT: Went to the Gopher baseball game vs Nebraska decked out in an orange Go Beavs shirt. As I assumed, within two minutes of entering, I got the question. “How did you feel when Riley left? Were you pretty bummed out?” My response. “I felt like the guy the guy stranded on the island when he realizes the rescue plane has spotted him. I am going to live.”

  24. Apparently McM had a 4.0 in high school, is darn close in college, and is an introvert. I gotta root for him now, come on McM!

    (Yes I’m living under a rock)

  25. This is another type of game that the Beavers need to toughen them up for the post season. Down early and will have to use almost everyone in the bullpen.

    We’ve seen that the team doesn’t quit when things have gone wrong this year. So let’s see if the bullpen can hold and the offense can get the team back into the game.

  26. Trying to find Obama’s Syrian red line on a map. jack, can you tell me where it is? Or does it depend on the definition of is? Or red? Or do I need to inhale, oe am I being deplorably intolerant? Love it when jack spins out of control. If I like my doc, can I keep her? Good thing Obama got all the chemical weapons out of Syria before he left on vacation. But really I blame it all on Bush and an anti-Islamic movie.

    • The definition of is was Clinton, dumb ass. Thankfully we won’t be seeing them anymore. Hopefully I’m not tempting the ju ju with that statement.

      The red line was done in by Congress in 2013 when Obama sought Congressional authorization for military action against Assad. And Dipshit Donald, the duly dumb, was bigly against going down that rabbit hole. He even tweeted it.

      Such a stupid hypocrite.

      So Obama wrenched Putin’s arm and they made Assad turn over something like 1500 tons of chemical weapons. They thought that was all of them because they’ve only been using chlorine bombs since, a desperation tactic by a tyrant.

      Those weapons, btw, were given to Syria by Britain in a deal done by Reagan. If you truly want to lay blame on pretty much all our Middle East problems, Ronnie Ray Gun is your man. North Korea is idiot boy’s fault. When Clinton wanted to bomb North Korea in the mid-90s, Carter convinced him that they just wanted to be propped up with aid in the form of wheat. Carter walked the talk and got that deal done. idiot boy broke that deal in 2001 like they were a bunch of American Indians. I still remember the day the North Koreans called the governor of New Mexico because we had what I incorrectly thought was the worst POTUS in my lifetime in office.

      But let’s not forget in all this that there are real people who need to be brought to justice, not just the oligarchs you defend with your ignorance and stupidity.
      http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/07/syrias-chemical-weapons-kill-chain-assad-sarin/

      I didn’t like Obama’s foreign policy positions on a lot of stuff. Dickbag Donald, the dookie dildo, rightly ripped him on some stuff, even if his words were impotent talking points designed to con marks like you. Now that he’s put Obama’s worst ideas into overdrive and added utter stupidity to the mix, there’s not much any of us can do but ride out what will be the death throes of the GOP and the neo-liberal agenda begun by Nixon.

      So thanks for asking. I have great faith in the people of this nation despite their illogical actions up to now. I think you asking maybe means you finally care about what might be real.

      For some fun, you should google “periods for Pence.” That should be some great reading for you.

      Matthew 25:31-46

      Sucker!

    • Oh… Benghazi was the fault of the CIA, as was pointed out by some tens of millions of wasted tax dollars.

      The head of the CIA at the time was David Petraeus, the guy who hid a shit ton of classified material in his attic space… and passed info on to his girlfriend.

      But we know you don’t care about that… yet.

      • Too many facts presented for a conservative response worth anything. Don’t worry, we’ll be great again sometime. Next year maybe?

        • Meh… I give him credit for asking. The words were all tired talking points repeated ad nauseum by Drudge for years. My hope is that he will some day think for himself and discover there is something real beyond the con.

          I know it’s embarrassing to admit you have been suckered into giving away everything that should be yours. The squeakiest wheel (or whiniest) gets all the attention. So logic loses. There are people out there who actually think that if all government oversight, laws and all, disappear that a “free” market will make everything and everyone magically benevolent.

          And these are people who mostly believe man is inherently evil and needs to be “saved.” It’s like arguing with someone taking five different pills every day, each one mitigating the previous. I don’t know why she swallowed the fly… dear Liza, dear Liza.

          I was once maddened by it. Now I accept it as dumb people doing dumb things. I don’t apologize for that. If dumb people are offended, that’s not my problem. Stop doing dumb stuff.

          Fixed.

          Alas, we’re back to that guttural utterance of “elitist” whatever crap all the dumb fucks think is smart rhetoric. Ooooh! I can read. I’m elitist.

          Fuck off, dipshit. Math isn’t hard if someone as dumb as me can get a bachelor of arts in it.

          • When you or any progressive can explain your theory of “equality” but want absolute power over those you deem “less intelligent” (the south, fly over states, ruralites, uneducated) only then can you have a seat at the table. Until then? You’re just as big of a hyprocrite and part of the same problem as a Conservative Christian clamoring “Because God said so”. You’re just on the opposite side.

            I have yet to hear a rational explanation despite my many attempts. Most often I just get called a racist, homophobe, xenophobe, misogynist, etc. I didn’t even vote for Trump. Hypocrisy is hypocrisy no matter where it comes from.

            Still waiting…………………………..

          • You didn’t say anything. You created a straw man, and you somehow turned equality into some theory.

            Here’s a hint. Equality isn’t a theory. Equality is just equality. If the equation is not equal, it has nothing to do with equality.

            The “flyover” regions are creating their own problems because their leaders scare them into believing “others” are taking from them. In fact, their leaders are the ones doing the taking. The power given to them by the “flyover” people allows them to keep “others” from having any semblance of equality. The problem is that the programs designed for the “others” are also those designed for the “flyovers.”

            When these leaders decry social programs, for example, they do so with classic racist overtones. You yourself may not be racist in your mind. But when you passively accept Reagan’s propagandized form of the black welfare queen with the big screen TV, you act as a racist. So do I go by your actions, or do I take you for your word? The reality is that whites in the “flyover” regions are much much more numerous within the ranks of welfare recipients. Yet they elect leaders who want to take away those social safety nets simply because “others” are the ones receiving them.

            In simple economic terms, less stability for these “flyovers” is being created by their own leaders cutting off their own rural noses to spite the urban “others.” There has been a redistribution of wealth over the last 40 years, and it has almost all gone to an increasingly shrinking upper tier.

            That which made our country “great” was an understanding that that upper tier gained their luxuries because they were lucky enough to live in an enlightened society who valued the health and education of the masses, which in turn formed the foundation which would support that largesse. When you have a million dollars (an arbitrary number for the sake of argument), you don’t need any more money to live comfortably for the rest of your lives. Anything more than that is simply luxury. Since it’s a free country, you can go ahead and get that luxury if you want to do so. But you must know that luxury isn’t something to which you are entitled in a society based on freedom. The marginal utility of one’s luxury comes at a cost to everyone else. If that cost isn’t paid, equality does not exist.

            Voting against your own self-interest just to spite “others” allows those who would hoard luxury to do so without paying for it. They piss on you, and they tell you it’s trickle-down. As a result, gentrification occurs at the same rate in rural areas as much as in urban areas. But because people aren’t stacked on top of each other, it’s not as noticeable. Entities who are allowed to hoard luxury tell the rurals that creating solutions to defy gentrification are inequitable because they help those urban “others.” In fact, they help the rurals just as much.

            So anyone who would resist these programs in the name of a very narrow vision of freedom obviously developed in focus groups and repeated until it becomes rote inanity deserves to be called dumb. They have no freedom of thought, therefore, they have no freedom.

            A great example would be Wal Mart. I’ll paint this in broad strokes for simplicity. Wal Mart wants to build a big box in your rural town. You don’t need it. You have 10 mom and pops who sell you food, clothing, hardware, gardening, automotive, etc. And when you purchase anything at those m&p’s, 70% of the income earned by them is returned to the local economy. They pay their dues to participate in society, and society rewards them with their patronage.

            But Wal Mart tells you that you can be lazy and do your one-stop shopping with them. And you can save 5% in the process. What they don’t tell you is that 5% and more are being paid by you in the form of lost local revenues because their big box is subsidized. They get reduced property taxes. In return for not paying their fair share, they get brand new infrastructure which is maintained better than the road in front of the m&p’s. You save your 5% at the check-out, and the m&p’s are shuttered because they no longer receive your patronage. Nor do they receive local, state and national subsidies like WM does. That’s the vision of equality you seem to be supporting here. In reality, you might be acutely aware of all this. But you also might vote for the same people who think this is just dandy, thus enabling them. Why?

            Businesses who were staples of rural downtowns were also good citizens who knew their patrons by name. They paid for their place in society, and society paid them back… until society was convinced that subsidized short term gain miraculously gifted to them by some unknown owner of some national retailer was a good thing. Were they educated well, they would not have made that choice, because the long term results are precisely what people like me said they would be. But they bought into this lord of the flies anarchy that resembles nothing of which Adam Smith wrote. And they shouted down people like me with sneering chants of SOCIALIST PIG WHO HATES CAPITALISM.

            They gave up their own equality for the promise of a quick buck.

            So forgive me for thinking that people who do dumb things then blame others for their own actions are just dumb. Forgive me for thinking that anyone who enables a loud, stupid, pussy-grabbing, racist wannabe wall builder is just dumb as hell… unless they are the same as him. Forgive me for thinking that anyone who believes that a trust fund asshat who received $400m from a father who owned city hall then turned that $400m into maybe $1b over the course of 40 years has zero clues about what a successful businessman looks like. Forgive me if I think people who elect gerrymandering cronies who tell us (literally) that if a single parent who works 60 hours a week at two different minimum wage jobs wants health insurance, they should just get a job as a CEO or a Congressman… are just complete idiots.

            Or don’t. I don’t need forgiveness. Just not having dumb neighbors would be reward enough. When that happens, I’ll assume they can pick up a dictionary and read the definition of equality for themselves.

          • And in case you were wondering, anyone who aligned themselves with the Clintons or Obama in terms of economic and foreign policies were just as dumb. They also cannot in any sense call themselves liberals. This was a contentious point in the Dem primaries last year. Those who were “with her” simply could not understand that the policies advocated and/or enacted by them were simply GOP ideas brought about by the neo-conservative/liberal movement. I present it this way because they are no different. Neolibs are neocons are anarcho-capitalists. They seek broad solutions by gifting private enterprise immense subsidies, both direct and indirect.

            So you are correct to point out that some people who think they are liberals just because they support a black man or a woman just are not so. They were dumb enough to think that only those shallow metrics counted, and anyone who spoke truth to reality was only heard by them through that lens. That does make them hypocrites, whether they like it or not. And they sure didn’t like it. They first called people like me “Bernie bros,” going so far as to say they didn’t need us to beat Dipshit Donald, the dry dookie, in the election. I think that was pretty apparent at the Dem Convention. Then they lumped anyone who bought 4D5’s blatant campaign lies as deplorables, when in fact it was only the Breitbart, Infowars and Fox propaganda machines who were the misogynist bigots.

            Setting the bar where they did missed the reality that all the major media outlets are well to the right of center. Reagan (or whomever was running the White House in his later years) did away with the fairness doctrine. And Clinton absolutely killed impartial news with his telecommunications law about a decade later. Since then, the corporations who own the news got to set the agenda for what news was fit to be shared. They got to conflate neocon Dems with liberals, and they pitted them against neocon Repubs for their own ratings, taking profit in the process.

            I used to think that there was nothing inherently evil about this, that they were simply taking advantage of Greenspan’s Randian deregulations to scoop up niche markets, a natural oligopolistic phenomenon given the trade-off of civic responsibility for profit.

            Now I’m not so sure of that.

          • If you’re wanting to read a more comprehensive summary of how dumb people vote themselves into increasingly worse conditions despite being promised the world, I suggest Thomas Frank’s books, What’s the Matter with Kansas and Listen, Liberal.

          • Thanks for the op-ed on why you hate Capitalism. Again, NOT what I asked. Here, I’ll phrase it differently……………

            Why do progressives want absolute power over those deemed not intelligent enough to think for themselves or make their own decisions?

            It’s a simple, honest question. I’m still waiting……………

          • Thanks for the op-ed on why you hate Capitalism.

            Hilarious! You prove my point with the first words you type? I’m going to guess you didn’t even read it. Again… just hilarious. If you don’t want me to think you’re dumb, don’t continue to do dumb.

            Why do progressives want absolute power over those deemed not intelligent enough to think for themselves or make their own decisions?

            Again with the straw man that really makes zero sense. You forgot to add the “theory of equality” bullshit this time, but it still makes no sense. You point out all the progressives who voted for the PATRIOT Act… or want to get rid of net neutrality… or want to jail people for smoking (or eating or drinking) pot… or want to tell a woman what she needs to do with her body… and I will show you a null set. So long as you don’t impede your neighbor’s freedoms, I do not want anything to do with you in a managerial sense. I’ll tell you that you can’t steal from your neighbor or deprive him or her of sleep by mowing your lawn at 3am. If you want to call common decency and cooperative liberties “absolute power,” then you have serious issues with reality, not progressives or leebruls.

            It’s a simple, honest question.

            Simple is an overstatement. Honest is a lie. I don’t even believe you concocted the amalgam of stale, contrived focus group talking points that have been repeated ad nauseum for a couple generations now. You put your own twist on it, but the thoughts are not yours.

            Absolute power, indeed. If knowledge is power, who needs the gubmint to have it over you? Wake the fuck up. Pay off all your debt that you can. And hope the Trumpster fire doesn’t kill your boys in any of the number of possible foreign wars he has seeded with his immense stupidity in the last three months.

  27. Another chance for the team to respond to adversity that they will definitely face in the post season.

    And Thompson will likely be the guy to pitch in must win games. Let’s see if he can respond two weeks in a row.

    One trend I have noticed in college baseball this year is hitters are having a lot of issues dealing with velocity. Heimlich and Thompson are both 90s guys. Fehmel is only in the mid 80s.

    • Certainly a big opportunity today for Jake to answer the questions many have had. What do y’all think it will take?
      For today, I’d be happy with 7 innings and (if he gets flawless D) only 1 run. Too harsh? If he gets off to a good start I believe it is possible.

      • Bryce has to be pefect with his spots or it is glorified batting practice. Looked like the game I saw in Surprise. Good news was that Gambrell battled and had a pretty good performance. Team is taking too many called strikes. Go Beavs.

      • The offense is the side of the ball that needs to step up. Can’t keep counting on the pitching staff to be lights out for the rest of the season. They’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting early in the year. Offense needs to help them out.

        • As if to put an exclamation on that thought, the Beavs biggest threat to score is right now in the t7. A walk and balk contribute to having a runner on 3rd with two down.

  28. Mighty Kwan singles to move Madrigal to third, runners at the corners with one out in t8. Beavs down 1-0 after Jake has done as asked and goes 7 allowing only 1 run.
    Malone at bat, can he tie it up?

  29. This one had the feel of post-season. Lots of tension and another reminder of how dicey things are with this offense.
    Anyway………GO BEAVS!

  30. Beavs essentially have an MLB bullpen. A luxury that other teams do not have.

    I think Jake was pulled to save his mental psyche If he were to falter there again, it would be a big blow for a freshman. Luckily, someone eventually closed the door.

    Rasmussen will likely get the start on Tuesday. Limited to 1 inning or 25 pitches. Good to see that he was up in the bullpen on Friday. Gets some jitters out of the way.

    • Good point about the jitters, applies to maybe a lesser extent, to all (EDIT: to some of) the guys from the pen who stepped in today as well.

  31. According to Danny Moran (and the schedule) 15 of the next 19 are in Goss. I’ll be there next Sunday.
    Go Frickin’ Beavs!

  32. Fighting Horton’s get swept at home by Stanford. 5 straight losses for that joke of a program. Let’s give them a warm Corvallis welcome on Tuesday as the Beavs kick the ever loving shit out of them.

  33. Good move by the coaching staff not bringing in drew today. Must have been extremely tempting but he did not need to be in that situation his first outing back.

    • Also they can treat the rest of the year like spring training for him. Slowly stretch him out and get him ready for the post season. As with any injury rehab, results don’t matter, it’s how the arm responds the next couple days after. The adrenaline in the first outing will mask any pain signals the brain recieves so he’ll need to calm down to find out how the arm responds.

  34. Anybody know if the Beavs plan to make up the Gonzaga rain out (and wasnt there a UP rainout?)
    Do those mid-week gamrs typically get rescheduled?

  35. OT-

    Scored a ’91 MIM Telecaster off Craigslist. Black with a maple fretboard, has Duncan Broadcaster set in it. Restrung it and polished the back of the neck with 1000 grit and it’s nice. Found I need to drop down a step in string gauge from what I put on my Les Paul.

    • What’s your opinion on MIM vs the Americans?

      I had an interesting experience on CL today. The guy bought and paid for the item via paypal on the honor system alone, and I shipped it to him. Pretty weird.

      • I’m not much of a fender guy so I can’t really say I have an opinion. Kinda trying to broaden my horizons and maybe break myself out of a guitar rut by changing things up a bit.

        Also recently scored a set of chrome cover Dimarzio Super Distortions that I’m going to swap in to my Les Paul. It’s my rock/metal/punk guitar and I had experimented with the SD P Rails pickups. They were cool and there are a lot of nice sounds in them but I didn’t love any of them and that’s not ok with this guitar. It needs to rock and I need to love it. I’m perfectly fine with it being a one trick pony as long as i love it’s trick.

        • Why the rut?
          What’s your training, WFO? Like do you know some theory, etc, or are you stuck in the “pentatonic rut”? To get out of the rut you have to know the cause of it, buddy.

          • I don’t have any training. I really honestly don’t know shit about playing guitar. I picked up the basics really quickly and I went immediately to playing rhythm (power chords and cowboy chords) and singing. That’s been my focus since day one. I have played my share of 50s type Chuck Berry/ Social Distortion style leads but I really have no concept of the how’s and why’s of it all. I look back and I think the fact that I picked it up so fast and then immediately got in to bands playing what I wanted to play at the time was really a hindrance to any type of actual development as a player.

            I need to kinda rewind and start back at the basics that I skipped at the beginning and really try to make the fretboard make sense rather than just figure out where and how a song is played and move along like I always have.

          • Yeah, without understanding the “why” behind it, you’re simply going to be in a rut rehashing the handful of licks you know. If you have any questions let me know here or via email.

            Since it sounds like you have dexterity and can play, I’d avoid all those type of exercises and focus on pure theory. Start with something simple like triads (major and minor, how to build them, why they work, etc). People think theory leads to ruts and justify that as a reason not to learn it, but it’s the opposite.

          • Agree with Angry on learning and applying triads. It really is a basic theory and an intro into playing lead. I’m not there yet either and much like you can play rhythm with some filler in between. But don’t ask me to play a lead solo worth two shits. Yet. I just never got enough interest into that part until recently. I’m sure there’s plenty of youtube vids on triads but here’s an article I found somewhat helpful on understanding them.

            http://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/guitar/basics-of-triads-and-chords-on-the-guitar/

            There’s also a book by Ralph Denyer (I think) called the guitar players handbook that lists pretty much any possible way to play a certain chord. If you can understand chord progressions (I was taught using I-IV-V) then you might understand triads a little better. Triads just kind of build off of that theory of how chords are made up.

            Hope that made sense.

            Don’t even ask me to explain modes because to this day I still have a hard time with that one.

            And why is it called a key change in any other style of music other than classical and jazz (where it’s referred to as a tonal center shift?)

            Some of it can make your head spin.

  36. As far as PayPal deals on Craigslist, make sure there’s no way he can reverse the payment after he takes delivery. That would suck.

  37. Conforto with another big night. Hopefully it’s not just a hot start like last year. This guy is too good a hitter to be in the low to mid .200s.

  38. Expectations for the week –

    1. Beat Oregon. Offense was outscored 10 – 7 in the UCLA series. Offense needs to show up for the weekday game. Getting ahead is key. In almost all of Oregon’s recent losses, the opposing team has scored in the first inning. Beating Oregon during a season like this would be great. Losing will sting.

    2. Win USC series – USC struggles on the road. 4-12 on the road. Beavs undefeated at home.
    – Fehmel needs to bounce back. If not, Tweedt might take the next start.

  39. jack-o, I’m bored. Spew some more of your bullshit political philosophy. Spinning like a spinning top. Clean it like with a cloth. Love it.

      • Would you like to talk about Article 2, Section 1, Clause 7 (not to be confused with Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8) and how the fuck stick who occupies the Oval Office is breaking it and shitting all over Article 2, Section 1, Clause 8 in the process?

        Or are you just another sucker who thinks old bone spur is a true Murikan?

        Btw, in which ankle did his bone spur miraculously heal? He didn’t know when asked. But maybe you can enlighten us on the future revisionist history of his magnificence. I mean… he’s not a draft dodging coward who used his daddy’s money to get into the country club reserves. And he’s not a draft dodging coward who used daddy’s money to buy a bone spur. Deferment Donald, the despicable dodger, is a bona fide miracle Murikan who had to sacrifice in the night clubs of New York instead… so he says.

        Mucho respect to that pretend man!

        • If you want to build a wall around that first word, make out an invoice and send it to Los Pinos. I’m sure they and every other country in the world won’t think you’re a joke.

      • Heh heh… and it hasn’t even been a hundred days yet.

        I really didn’t think I would enjoy it this much, but the schadenfreude is better than watching the Ducks lose. Sure, we’re going to lose a couple coastal cities and reenact the 1930’s sooner than I thought. But man! The stupid is just non-stop and in your face all the time, and it is fun to watch.

          • “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.”

            Rule number 9 of the Jack and liberal mantra that is well, 50+ years old. Although Jack is more of a hybrid liberal/socialist.

            Go read Alinsky and you’ll see right thru his and any other liberals bullshit. Dude can’t even answer a fucking simple question without going off on some 5 paragraph diatribe that has nothing to do with the question that was asked. And then claims you’re an idiot and he’s a billion times smarter than you and anyone else. We’re just dumb sheeple.

            Skeered little boy who cried wolf.

            Dear Jack, if you are so AWESOME, SOOO much smarter than the rest of us and know what is best for everyone? You claimed in an above post to be “fighting for those of us not smart enough or capable of thinking” (or some horse shit like that. I’m not going to look through your ranting novels again). You’re gonna fight for us? Run for President in 2020. Shit or get off the pot.

          • Dood thinks this is a question:

            When you or any progressive can explain your theory of “equality” but want absolute power over those you deem “less intelligent” (the south, fly over states, ruralites, uneducated) only then can you have a seat at the table.

            So who knows what he thinks?

            He’s just upset because I said this about his simple, honest question-not-question

            Simple is an overstatement. Honest is a lie. I don’t even believe you concocted the amalgam of stale, contrived focus group talking points that have been repeated ad nauseum for a couple generations now. You put your own twist on it, but the thoughts are not yours.

            His response is not atypical.
            https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=12+ways+to+use+saul+alinsky+rules+for+radicals+against+liberals

            Yawn!

          • I should point out that it’s strangely ironic not only because the content he chooses speaks directly to his sock-puppetry. If you look deeper than that “12 ways to use” echo chamber tripe, you’ll find that it all started with David Brock back in the 90s.

            Aligning himself with David Brock is just plain funny stuff.

            More, please.

          • “Do you think anyone who voted for trump was actually thinking?”

            Substitute Hillary Clinton and ask the same question. Can we all at least agree that this last election was a no win situation for anyone?

          • If you think Clinton would’ve been worse than trump, then you can propose that and tell me how. When I’ve seen a trump voter try to convince me, they have nothing. They identify negatives with Clinton that trump has, multiplied by ten. Clinton corrupt, okay fine. But don’t tell me trump is less corrupt. The dude is a con artist and is currently using his role as president to make his business more profitable.

          • I think the argument that Clinton is only one-tenth as bad as Trump misses the mark. Bad is still bad. Where Trump is just wildly swinging a dull broadsword, she would have continued a legacy of death by a thousand cuts. The best remedy would be to forgo all the bleeding and start healing. But we have a country that doesn’t want to pay for bandages for anyone but their own, going so far as to cut themselves in the process. Getting placed in the emergency room later rather than sooner is one helluva choice. But that’s the choice we had.

            We now have to play out the Punch and Judy script to its end… or Faustian, if you like. Just know that, unlike entertainment, the devil will win in the end.

          • I’m a believer in supercycles. So I think this is an apt description of what just happened.
            http://amomai.blogspot.com/2008/10/hl-mencken-bayard-vs-lionheart.html

            Also, there’s this:
            https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cy4xycFVEAEUgGr.jpg

            Bonus points to anyone who can correctly tell me how many Nobel Prizes for Economics have been awarded. I will be impressed if someone gets it correct.

            I will give some advice to all of you here, because I’ve not encountered it here yet. When you are talking or writing about national economics, and you think you have proven a point (no matter if you have or haven’t), abstain from finishing your opus with the surefire moron-indicator of, “That’s just basic Econ 101,” or something like it.

            “Ummm… no. It’s not,” I usually respond, “That might be why we can’t reach a consensus. We’re discussing Econ 102.”

  40. I’m not for deleting posts in general, but any posts that pokes Jack to go political should be promptly removed as he will never have the self restraint to just let them go.

    • I disagree. Aside from Angry’s call it like it is viewpoint on Beaver Athletics, what makes this “sports” blog interesting and why I’ve been coming here almost daily since I think 07′ is that we take on:

      Religion, Politics, Finance, Guitars, Music, Soap, Chicks, Hunting/Fishing, Sciences, Travel, TV/Entertainment and about everything in-between. Currently our baseball team kicks ass, and there really is nothing else going on. It’s why the MOD’s toss in a feel free to go OT. There isn’t much to talk about.

      There are frequent commenters that I cannot stand and almost fundamentally disagree with everything they say. I’ll still read it and give it some thought. I also know there Avatar and could skip over their comment if ‘m so inclined. It really isn’t that difficult. The old Howard Stern Mantra: if you don’t like me, then just turn the dial.

      This is a big part of what’s so fucked about our current society if you want to call it that. People cannot seem to read or talk to someone with a difference of opinion without getting turned sideways, and then spinning it into hatred. Who cares if you don’t agree with what Jack thinks. I appreciate his perspective, even if I don’t agree it can create a healthy dialogue. At least he’s done his homework and is laying it out there. Do your own research. Decide for yourself if it’s bullshit. Or don’t, skip over it and move on about your day. Should have no effect on your life. He’s just some anonymous dude on a blog.

      • That I am. And I read every word. I am careful about following some links that I know to be sketchy, however. But I usually find workarounds for those by copying and pasting text into the google in order to find the thought origin.

        If you do so with my political phrasing, for example, you will find a lot of Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Thomas Malthus, Montesquieu, Thomas Paine (a lot) and Sam Kinnison.

        Some of my proudest moments are when I’m arguing with someone about an idea that they obviously copied and pasted into their heads about someone like Adam Smith. I will quote him word for word without acknowledgement, and I will just get hammered on the thumbs down.

        It’s simply awesome to watch this as it’s happening.

        Song lyrics, however, are a lot harder to slip past this crowd. I have a very very low rate of success there.

      • I was actually just being a bit sarcastic, I wasn’t trying to get any posts deleted.

        Since, dwill, you are responding sincerely I will reply in kind. I don’t mind Jack or anyone else responding on off topic subjects. Unfortunately, rarely is there anything of real substance that tales place, as Jack usually pontificates along with berating the person who pokes him. To Jack’s defense, there are plenty of negative pokes towards him as well. It is just a microcosm of public debate in this country that people just go personal rather than letting their argument stand on its own.

        And when it is all said and done I end up skipping ahead in the blog a bunch of posts to get back to Beaver info, which usually does have substance.

  41. Let them go? Why should I let them go? They’re fun as hell. When you’re watching football, do you tell yourself to let football go?

    I poked the dumb. So I don’t know why you blame them. You should cry and whine about me picking low hanging fruit.

    • If you’re lucky, you’ll only hear my guffaws for another 1300 days or so. The people have spoken. The people will get what they deserve. And I get to giggle the whole way.

      • 8 years is more than 1300 days. That’s what you will have to deal with.

        There I said it, and I’m glad….best prepare yourself JJ.

        • If he manages to convince the GOP to spend on infrastructure, you may be correct. That would push the window for economic collapse out a little further. I’d be surprises if that happens, but BIP is one of my core stocks.

          So I’ll be good if that happens.

  42. So I’ll give you an example of what I mean by how Dumbshit Donald is going to unwittingly blow up shit that I never liked in the first place.

    I know many of you have rolled your eyes at my mentions over the years that 401k’s are scams designed to take your money. If you bother to run the numbers, you will see this. But don’t take my word for it. Take the words of Herbert Whitehouse and Ted Benna.

    But that’s beside the point. Two things will happen to 401k’s that will likely doom them to the scrapheap of bad ideas in the near future. And I’m not talking about all us baby boomers who took out loans against it to pay for our kids’ college educations. Yes… there is, in fact, a 401k bubble that is related to the school loan and housing bubbles. Defaults on those loans are underreported, and they will come back to bite the system in the ass. But even that’s beside the point.

    The first that will happen is something that was already existing. Since Deferment Donald and his cronies are going to do away with the fiduciary rule that would have mandated managers work in your best interest, fund managers will work in their own best interests. It’s what they do. Not mentioned in that action was that they also will open up 401k’s to private equity funds.

    Yay! Yay for you! Yay for anyone dumb enough to have a 401k despite the numbers never adding up!

    The second is even better.

    Gary Cohn and Steve Mnuchin will also (their idea to enrich Wall Street with the first… because they’re… um… outsiders?) guarantee Congress that their corporate tax giveaway is going to be revenue neutral over ten years. They won’t be, of course. They never have… ever. But they have to pay lip service to the idea so a Congress who already knows the truth can go to their constituents and be shocked that there is gambling at this establishment when it all goes the way it will go.

    And how will they do this? One of the many ways they will retrieve part of that revenue shortfall will be to take away the tax deferral on 401k contributions.

    So that money now becomes taxable under your current fiscal year, not when you take disbursements in your old age when they, any pensions and SS (if they don’t also take those two away from you) are your only incomes.

    Does anyone want to run the numbers again? In the end it may turn out that people who are stuffing cash in their matresses are the smart ones.

      • Why? It’s the most efficient government program ever. It’s overhead has never been above 3%. And it still has funds in reserve to carry it well into the future. It is sort of a scam because not every dollar of personal income earned is taxed. If it was it would be even more of a shining example of American know how and ingenuity than it is now.

        The GOP has done all they could to weaken SSA over the years, starting with Reagan. The Dems were complicit in that one. But it still chugs along despite them trying to take it away from us. People retiring now paid more into the system than their parents because of that deal in the 80’s. Greenspan thought he could kill it if he could convince people that it just wasn’t… *sniff*… fair that they did this. But it persists because it is such a strong program.

        401k’s take 15% off the top before anything is done with the funds. Over 35 years it will bleed 30%+ from your personal potential earnings when compared to social security’s stable and low overhead.

        This isn’t even apples and oranges. Why would you even think that way.

        Oh yeah… Pete Peterson wants the trust fund to be his personal slush fund. Or… idealogues think that it will lead to Communism taking over our shining city on the hill… just like they have every year since it was established. AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! COMMIES BAD… or something… SOMETHING, PEOPLE!!!!!!

        If you want the real skinny, read this:
        http://angrybearblog.com/2013/12/setting-the-record-straight-on-social-security.html

          • Awwww… did I hurt your widdle feewings?

            Sawee.

            You’re so cute when you cut n paste your extraneous monosyllabic rants. I’ll bet you grumble them under your breath every time you hit submit.

            Get some rest. That’s one less day of fun in the books.

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