Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Mike]

USA! USA! USA!

https://nypost.com/2021/06/27/olympi...ck-to-us-flag/

[Ghengis Jon]

That letter would have actually held water had the author not stooped to rightwing tripe in paragraphs 4 and 5. It is a example of a perfectly valid argument being undermined by injected political idiocy. Anyone who disagrees with the author is a "camouflaged communist". Equity, apparently to the author, is only enforced "at the point of a gun". What a fucking moron, on both counts.

That being said, the AMA's document being referenced is an equally abhorrent "social justice" document. Here's a novel thought for the AMA - stick to advocating good medical practices and leave politics in the dumpster. Looks like the AMA has ditched its guiding star of medicine and is following political claptrap, much like the GOP has abandoned conservatism in order to better worship at the altar of it's cult leader. IMO, the AMA's statement and the response it generated are symptoms of the malignant disease of identity politics. Underlying cause? Detachment from reality and general stupidity. I can't figure out who to and why all the pandering by the AMA. How can it possibly benefit from such a ludicrous document?

What is the AMA's motivation? To alienate large segments of the general population and the AMA's membership? Check! What does it gain by such statements? Power and influence? Nope. More paying members? Nope. Furthering science and medicine? Nope. Without this statement, would the AMA lose institutional credibility or funding? Nope. Hard to conceive of any rationale beyond "get us in the news".

Identity politics - quickly becoming the scourge of America.

[Ghengis Jon]

Mike -

"The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.”

Then find another country to represent. If you need a ride to the airport, give me a couple days advance notice and I'll give you a lift.

[iam416]

Euro 2020 is in full swing in, heh, 2021. And one fo the things I love about the event is the playing of each country's anthem before the game. The teams lines up together, the anthems blare, the respective teams are shown belting out the the anthem, almost to a man (some don't sing and that's ok), while their supporters sing around the stadium. It's a great moment. It's beautiful to see athletes that are actually happy and proud to represent their country.

Perhaps I'm drawing an artificial line, but very much see a difference in shitting on your country when you're playing for a club team or professional team, and doing so when you're actually playing for your fucking country. For the latter you've chosen to represent your country, to don their colors, to play for that nation. If you think your country is an irredeemably fetid wastehole, then don't play for them. But, if you do play for them -- if you're willing to wear their colors then at least avoid being disrepectful during the anthem.

For professional leagues -- whatever.

Anyway, they're great moments. From 1996 -- England! -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWBR_W1gKDw

Or hockey, if you like...fucking Canucks in Edmonton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meLpuF9UMvk

Or, even the US -- back in 1991 when we weren't run by White Supremacy and irredeemably racist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lCmBvYMRs

So, man, someone bitching about the anthem being played during a NATIONAL team qualifier can honestly go fuck themselves.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the Olympics had already come out and said protests during the anthems would be prohibited.

[iam416]

It's completely sensible, so if the IOC actually has said that then I can only assume they fell ass-backwards into a rare right decision.

[Mike]

In other news, 73 people were shot this weekend in Chicago. I hope to hell the police didn't chase after any of the shooters because that is A) against the rules and B) racist. I'm sure Gwen Berry is very upset by it.

[iam416]

AOC and Rep. Jamaal Bowman -- rising crime in cities is "hysteria" -- advocate defunding police. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...ties-hysteria/

Progs, man. Progs.

[Mike]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the Olympics had already come out and said protests during the anthems would be prohibited.

Correct. But that's an IOC decision that governs the Olympics. I don't think that applied to the U.S. trials. Hopefully she won't make a medal stand and have the opportunity to make an ass of herself again.

[iam416]

Well, if she's third in the US trials it's extremely unlikely she'll podium. I mean, as far as I know, the three US athletes are all actually women so they're fucked.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Hadn't looked at this in a couple weeks but lumber futures continue to fall. Down to $774, which is basically where prices were on Inauguration Day, and nearly $1000 below the peak of early May.

It generally takes months for price drops like that to reach consumers though, probably not until the end of summer. Retail stores and construction companies bought up tons of lumber at those sky-high prices and won't be wild about selling it at a big loss.

https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/commodities/lbs

[iam416]

Hopefully the inflation indicators are simply picking up short-term shortages like, e.g., in lumber. As opposed to longer term issues.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm not just hopeful, I am 99% sure that inflation is short term and mostly caused by the shit storm the pandemic has caused.

Meanwhile, property values for beach side condos in S FL have plummeted.

This is a big deal. Experts are carefully weighing in on the cause of last week's condo collapse. Facts TBD but things are pointing to a structural failure of the concrete that underlies the pool deck facing the ocean/beach and extends roadside into the ceiling of the underground parking lot.

You've probably read that an inspection report in 2018 identified "major structural issues" that need repairs but not imminently. 2y later the condo association hired a firm to develop a repair plan. I t was prepared and delivered. Roof and concrete repairs were included, roof repairs were underway. The repairs all toll were estimated to cost around $9M. Thinking about that and figuring there are about 300 condo units, that's roughly (very roughly but you'll get the point) $200K in assessments per owner.

In 2016 when we were looking at S. FL properties, we assiduously avoided beach front condos. First they were horribly over-priced and out of our budget range but more importantly we knew that condo associations can and do levy assessments for repairs. No way. We bought a duplex (recently sold) in Fort Lauderdale well W of the beaches.

Two things are surfacing: (1) people and heirs of those killed who owned collapsed condos may not be able to collect insurance for property inside the condos that were lost. Insurance companies are quickly building a case for negligence on the part of the Condo Association. (2) Miami-Dade and Broward County governments are mandating condo associations undertake engineering inspections to determine if building structures are sound. This increases the frequency of already required engineering inspections when a building over 4 stories reaches 40 years old.

Don't ever buy condo property in S FL that is approaching this inspection requirement. Buy new condos built in the last couple of years if you just have to have one and have money to burn (there's plenty of stick but it's pricey). Alternatively, buy refurbed condos that have already passed the 40y inspection requirement. It is not uncommon for condo associations to experience huge costs for repairs that exceed the balance of regularly paid condo association fees. Owners get assessed for them. There's supposed to be sizable reserves for big ticket items like hurricane damage and roof repairs and before you buy you can see the accounting statements.This isn't hidden at all but buyers get so excited about ocean views they overlook it.

[lineygoblue]

Well, if she's third in the US trials it's extremely unlikely she'll podium. I mean, as far as I know, the three US athletes are all actually women so they're fucked.

Speaking of women who could play defensive end in the NFL, Serena Williams says she will not participate in the Olympics. Seeing she's had her rather prominent derriere kicked in most majors lately, that's no great loss. She also mentioned that the Olympic Committee didn't want her to bring her kid with her to the games. Not sure why they'd object to that, but oh well...

[lineygoblue]

Liberal commentator Bill Maher of HBO runs afoul of the brilliant commentating talking heads of pMSNBC.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-host-scolds-bill-maher-tiffany-cross

Some black folks who learn big words at their liberal universities are so cute when they try to utilize them in coherent sentences. If they only knew how clueless they appear to be. Even MLK would smack them in the mouth.