Guard Dog

One thing I do like is the reduction on the corporate rate from 35% to 20%. I'd rather it were 0% but a big drop is a good thing.

I'd argue the right thing to worry about is how the money is spent more than how much money is spent. No it's both. We are paying for a whole lot of s--t that the federal government has no business doing, supporting, or being involved in.

Yeah that's just federal income tax. After they are done with you the state gets a bite in all but 11 states. And they also tax your property, retail purchases, your cars, your pets, your businesses, and God help you if you invested any of your money and made a profit from it. Capital Gains Tax. Now there is a real f-----g. And then when you die if it's over a certain dollar value the Government swoops in and takes half. A tax payer of average means could EASILY be paying half of every dollar they earn. We went to war with the most powerful nation on earth over what was really a 5% sales tax (in modern terms). What the hell happened these last 241 years???

I turned off the TV after the last out so I missed this: http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/11/02/260415808/carlos-correa-proposed-after-astros-world-series-win

The Senate is working on their own plan that has alot of the same bad ideas. What I'm not hearing from either is "Maybe we're spending too much of other people's money" Don't expect I will either. Not as long as we get the no-choice choice of Democrats & Republicans.

For Federal Income tax there are seven brackets that go from 10% to 40%. Your adjusted gross income (income after deductions) determines what bracket you fall in. If your adjusted gross income is under a certain number (I think it's $15k not sure) you pay nothing. The Republicans plan to lover the rates you pay for each bracket but eliminate the deductions that can put you in a lower bracket. So for example if you are in the 25% bracket and get a 2% rate cut but the deductions you lose bump you up to the 28% bracket that 2% cut has you paying 26% where you were paying 25% before. And your 401k gets capped for your trouble. This is a simplified example but you get the idea.

So the House tax plan is coming out today. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-tax-plan-lowers-caps-401k-cuts-state/story?id=50861872 They are eliminating State Income Tax deductions and capping tax free 401k contributions at $2400 annually. This is a steaming pile of oily b------t. So in exchange for a 1-3% rate decrease they are going to eliminate the deductions people count on and dis-incentivize retirement savings. In the end people in the middle brackets end up paying MORE in taxes after their tax cut. Especially folks whose states take a great big bloody bite out of whatever is left when the Federal Government is done feasting. So the Republicans passed their budget a few weeks ago with more spending than Obama and now they are giving us a tax cut that means we pay more in taxes. Someone please explain to me the difference between Democlins and Republicrats again? Taxes go up, spending goes up, and now we have combat troops in 138 of 204 sovereign states. It does not HAVE to be this way you know: https://www.lp.org/

That throwing error to Darvish in the first was the back breaker it seems. It was all bad for the Dodgers after that, For all the drama of this series Game 7 didn't have much. Although a LOT of base runners got stranded last night. But in terms of drama and lead changes this WS was a sight to see. I don't know if it was the best ever but it was certainly in the top 10.

Someone once said "Rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for the House in blackjack"

Darvish does not have it tonight.

In '65 project Gemini was big news and the Twins were i the WS. It just works as a space theme.

The last time the Dodgers played a WS game 7 was 1965. A friend sent me a picture of the program from that game:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000870711/article/brock-osweiler-will-start-for-denver-broncos-vs-eagles

The Dodgers bullpen is spent. They are going to need Yu to go at least 6 and then maybe have Kershaw come in. If the Astros can hit Darvish they have a real good chance tonight.

Game 7 ?!

I doubt that will happen. It did after 9-11 a little bit but there was back lash from it. Most folks are pretty decent people. The problem is the media focuses on the 100 people who show up for "White Lives Matter" and it makes things sound much worse than they are.

No beyond this one book I'm not familiar with Joe Hill. I've been reading a lot of history the past few books and wanted a change of pace. The library had a selection of books for Halloween and I thought this looked interesting.

Never mind. Here I go on a tangent off topic again.

OK, I'm with you so far. That is a true statement. OK, now he needs to read a history book. South Carolina seceded in December of 1860. James Buchanan was still President then. But they did it because they expected Lincoln to come in and end slavery. Not because he (or Congress more accurately already had). By April when Fort Sumter actually was attacked (and the war officially began) nothing had changed regarding slavery or the seceded states by the Lincoln Administration or the 36th Congress. So the war was started by the south over something that had not even happened. So it's disingenuous to say the war was over a lack of compromise. There had been many compromises leading up to the secession.

I read this last night. I started web I got home and finished around 3 AM. It was pretty good. Not deep or earth chattering but certainly entertaining.

What-a-game!

This is an interesting case. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/29/us/politics/peace-cross-maryland-court-first-amendment.html Setting aside the legal merits of each side ( and I will admit I'm conflicted on this one because it sets two of my core values in opposition to each other) and consider the social aspect. The court will likely take away something that many, indeed most, of the people in the area place importance on. It's something that has always been there and honors war dead that are related to people who still live in the area. But more to the point the court may take away something that was built privately and many people consider a piece of "heritage". When we hear people say they want to "take their country back" the common response is "who took it and where did it go?" But this is the kind of thing that drives people to that and gets people like Donald Trump elected. Sometimes it's best just leave well enough alone I think.

Not really. Seems like it'd be different to people based on age. One of those hijacked symbols. Yeah I think that is the right answer.

It's about time: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/nationals-hire-dave-martinez-as-new-manager-report-says/ar-AAucbyu?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp I've always like Dave Martinez. He was the Rays bench coach for many years. Several teams have flirted with him. About time one married him.

So I've been playing GalCiv III a lot the past few days. It doesn't suck. It's fun it it's way. It's better than the new Master of Orion, no doubt. But it could not carry Stellaris's jock. Despite it's flaws, Stellaris beats it coming and going.