USCE Summer 2022: You can't change the crisis settings.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USCE Summer 2022: You can't change the crisis settings.

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Discendo Vox posted:

The FDA is also extending the comment period for its proposed rule that will render flavored cigars and all menthol-flavored cigarettes illegal.

Proposed rule for flavored cigars:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/04/2022-08993/tobacco-product-standard-for-characterizing-flavors-in-cigars
Comment docket:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2021-N-1309-0001/comment

Proposed rule for mentholated cigarettes:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/04/2022-08994/tobacco-product-standard-for-menthol-in-cigarettes
Comment docket:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2021-N-1349-0001/comment

There are about 140k comments on these so far, so there's clearly botting and form comment campaigns going on. What I'm finding unusual is how many comments appear handmade, including from both the pro and anti sides.

I don't smoke, but I used to enter a lot of online contests and stuff and the tobacco sites all gave away awesome crap - as such I have been getting tons of email from all of them urging to go make your voices heard against the menthol/flavored ban.

# ¿ Jun 21, 2022 02:02

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 03:36

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Biden is asking Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for 3 months (most likely dead in Congress) and to provide other forms of direct relief (almost definitely dead in Congress).

Since they are both likely dead in Congress, he is also asking states to suspend their state level gas taxes and provide "commensurate" direct relief through "delaying planned tax and fee increases, consumer rebates, or relief payments."

He says federal direct relief will cost about $10 billion and wants states to at least match that.

Unless Congress does actually authorize direct aid or suspend the gas tax, then this is effectively just asking states to spend more money. Some states might do that, but you probably aren't going to see a ton of movement in places where they haven't already been willing to do so.

His plan doesn't specify how Congress should make up the $10 billion that goes to the highway fund, so that is going to make it even less likely to pass. Democrats don't want to defund the transportation budget and Republicans don't want to raise revenue from anywhere else, so hard to see how they get 60 votes for that.

The White House is having a press conference with full details about the plan and a Q&A 3 PM today.

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1539534047210266624

Incredibly easy for congress to find money for war. For the American people? ehhhhhhh

# ¿ Jun 22, 2022 14:28

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

I feel like DeSantis is a much more dangerous president than Trump. Being able to accomplish just as fascist things with less of a veneer of bombastic idiot-ness. Am I overthinking that?

He does seem to be hot-headed though so maybe that would make him more prone to campaign ending gaffes.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2022 18:16

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

FLIPADELPHIA posted:

Trump murdered a foreign head of state and bragged about it on Twitter. He also suggested we use nukes against hurricanes.

So yeah, depends on what your definition of "dangerous" is.

Dangerous in the sense that he can likely get even MORE done based on the veneer of doing it in a less bombastic way.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2022 20:16

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Kalit posted:

Surprising news:
https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1540160301202640898
I'm shocked this actually passed. I don't think it'll make a huge impact, but much, much better than nothing. I guess we'll see how the phrase "serious relationship" is interpreted. Here's the full text of the bill: https://www.sinema.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/bipartisan_safer_communities_act_text.pdf

It's not enough and the Republicans will never vote for any more gun control ever again. Any shooting that happens now will just be "see gun control doesn't do anything."

I'd love to have the outlook of "it's a start." But the reality is that was it. The start and the finish.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2022 04:35

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

It's stunning that our country is doing a Gilead speedrun and goons can't trip over themselves fast enough to acckkshhually each other to death.

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ¿ Jun 24, 2022 23:51

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Willa Rogers posted:

Are you addressing a particular post with this response?

A whole host... But primarily all the gotcha bullshit with the filibuster ending stuff. But I'm phone posting and will follow up when I get inside

# ¿ Jun 24, 2022 23:55

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Shinzo Abe is Japan's first gun-related homicide for the year.

The homicide rate by guns has technically been 0 in Japan almost every year for decades, because the rate is calculated by deaths per 100,000 people rounded to the nearest tenth, and the gun homicide rate has been less than 0.05 almost every year.

It is incredibly rare for it to happen and the fact that the one time it has this year is the country's most popular politician whose party was likely about to return to power is pretty insane.

Edit: For a dark and wild comparison, the gun homicide rate in the U.S. is 20,501.2% higher than Japan. That is over 20,000 PERCENT higher.

It was also a homemade gun at that

# ¿ Jul 8, 2022 13:52

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

I'd assume those 6% are just people that identify as Dem but aren't plugged in enough to care or name someone else. Honestly 6% is way lower than I would expect from that subset of folks so that seems especially damning.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2022 13:25

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

That video is pretty brutal. They removed the sound of the kids screaming but left in the gun fire. Do not recommend listening.

It also just utterly shuts down any bullshit good guy with a gun argument by orders of magnitude.

I mean we knew that but it's just utterly terrible to watch

# ¿ Jul 13, 2022 00:55

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Schumer confirms they are looking for a Senate vote on the Respect for Marriage Act.

https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1549769461938405377

Graham was already one of those opposed, but he made extra clear that he is still opposed:

https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1549769828164149248

Thune has also been opposed and says... he's still opposed, but respects the court's decision. Possibly opening up for a switch, but not clear.

He does predict there will be some GOP crossover for it, but doesn't specify how much.

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1549767541492518912

"And I don't think it's an issue right now that anybody's talking about"

You're right - something Thomas has explicitly stated should be revisited (with the intention to overturn) and that many Americans are now worried is in danger and have explicitly stated publicly is not something "anybody's talking about". Galaxy brains through and through.

# ¿ Jul 20, 2022 16:04

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

He had an Australian/Scottish hybrid accent in real life though, right?

And Sir William Wallace, son of Sir Malcolm Wallace, who was a vassal to the Lord of Scotland was a weird peasant man who lived in a hut and wore furs and leathers into battle, right?

Braveheart wouldn't lie to me that badly, right?

Why do you hate our FREEEEEDDOMMMMs?

# ¿ Jul 26, 2022 12:47

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

The new details:

- They would apply the forgiveness to ALL federal loan types. That includes Grad and Parent PLUS loans as well as federal loans owned by private entities.

Oh interesting. So, theoretically if it were to pass like this, this would apply to FFELP loans? That's what I have and was looking to consolidate to a Direct loan to take advantage of potential forgiveness. Would love to not have to do that.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2022 16:38

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Under that scenario, yes. Your FFELP loan would count, but only if it is owned by the Department of Education. If it is a private/commercially owned loan, and not just serviced by a private company, then it isn't part of the DOE's balance sheet and they can't forgive it.

Oh this

quote:

That includes Grad and Parent PLUS loans as well as federal loans owned by private entities.

says owned and not serviced so I was getting all excited.

Mine is owned (and serviced) by Mohela.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2022 16:46

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Oh, you actually may be correct on that. The Politico piece doesn't go into details on that provision, but I assume they are counting subsidized FFELP loans if that is their definition of a federal loan "owned" by a private entity.

You got the loan through the DOE directly via FFELP that paired you up with Mohela, right? You didn't go directly to them and get it from them?

Correct. It's been *checks notes* 20 years but I def didn't go through Mohela directly. I was applying through the school.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2022 17:08

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Professor Beetus posted:

Yeah I'm gonna have this Navient poo poo hanging around my neck until the end of time huh.

Man I hear you. I've been paying for years. I'm finally down to where I'll finally be done by 2025 - and sooner if I can get this forgiveness. But holy crap, every time I've gotten a raise my IBR would go up to where my new payment would eat up any raise I got.

Now I'm making good money but my loan payment is the size of a second mortgage (b/c I'm over the threshold for IBR). I still drive a beater '08 Honda Civic! It has completely obliterated any class movement opportunities.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2022 17:12

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

So, yikes at all the cretins being boosted in Arizona. From the NYT

quote:

Blake Masters, a venture capitalist and political newcomer who received enthusiastic backing from former President Donald J. Trump, captured the Republican nomination for Arizona’s Senate seat, according to The Associated Press, and will face Mark Kelly, the Democratic incumbent, this fall.

Mr. Masters also had the backing of Peter Thiel, a technology mogul who spent more than $13 million supporting him in the primary. He defeated Jim Lamon, a former businessman, and Mark Brnovich, the Arizona attorney general.

Mr. Masters, who campaigned heavily on militarizing the border, repeatedly claimed that Democrats were trying to bring in more immigrants in an attempt to change the nation’s demographics and electorate. He embraced the term “nationalist” and said that gun violence should be blamed on “Black people, frankly.”

He also repeatedly made false claims that there had been widespread fraud in the 2020 election, and raised new fears of fraud before even a single ballot was cast during this year’s election.

At one point this spring, Mr. Masters suggested falsely to Republican activists that the F.B.I. had set up the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

In the final weeks of the campaign, Mr. Lamon attacked Mr. Masters for his relationship with Mr. Thiel, calling the billionaire a “globalist Facebook board member” and claiming that Big Tech would “own” Mr. Masters in the Senate. Mr. Lamon largely funded his own campaign, providing more than $15 million in loans, but he never led in the polls.

Like Mr. Masters, Mr. Lamon repeatedly promoted false claims that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen. He went as far as signing a document claiming that he was authorized to cast the state’s electoral votes for Mr. Trump.

Mr. Brnovich struggled to gain traction among the Republican base as he faced repeated attacks from Mr. Trump, who accused him of not sufficiently investigating accusations of fraud in the 2020 election — accusations that have been repeatedly debunked. Mr. Brnovich, who repeatedly raised alarms about an “invasion” on the border with Mexico, also faced criticism for choosing not to defend the state against several election-related Republican lawsuits.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2022 14:05

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Lib and let die posted:

No, I think it's wonderful that he found a way to expand upon the groundwork of GWB's PSLF.

This is weird. Why do you need to keep putting Bush before the PSLF? Everybody knows Biden didn't create it.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2022 16:18

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Lib and let die posted:

I'm not sure I understand your concern - or rather, how it's relevant.

Biden ran on a platform of being The Republican Whisperer, and he's shown - impressively, might I add - that he's both willing and able to use the framework left to him by previous Republican administrations to do so whether it be for student loan debt forgiveness or for completion of the border wall. It's noteworthy that he is living up to his promise to work with Republicans, don't you think?

You're just trying to dress up your childish behavior in pseudo-intellectualism.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2022 16:47

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

I have FFEL loans and I sure hope if they're not covered that I'll have time to consolidate and it's not, like, "all loans consolidated as of midnight.... LAST NIGHT!"

# ¿ Aug 24, 2022 16:52

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

BetterToRuleInHell posted:

Need some help here because I'm really loving stupid when it comes to figuring stuff like this out (re: student loan forgiveness)

I'm paying off about $16k in loans through MOHELA ...would I qualify, or do I have to go through the details on the site to try to figure out what they list my payments as? It's embarrassing to say but I was hoping it'd be easy enough to say, it's through MOHELA so I'm good/not good.

It's been 20 years since I took out loans, defaulted and then had them consolidated and paid through MOHELA so I confess my ignorance about the subject.

Hey! I got my loans 20 years ago as well and pay through MOHELA. They are likely just the servicer so you need to know what loan types you actually have.

The easiest way to do that is through the official StudentAid.gov site (which will have access to your loan info as well). I just did this last night to double confirm I have FFEL loans.

Forbes.com says posted:

If you are a federal student loan borrower and you are unsure if your loan is a FFEL loan, you can access your federal student loan records at StudentAid.gov. Once logged in to your account screen, click the "View Details" button in the "My Aid" box. You can click the �Download My Aid Data� link to view a breakdown of your Direct loan and FFEL loan balances.

This will just download a txt file with tons of your loan information, but the most important info should be at the top few lines where it tells the loan type. Hope that helps!

# ¿ Aug 24, 2022 18:52

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Thom12255 posted:

It's an incredibly slow site even on a normal day.

Eh I was using it last night and it seemed totally fine.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2022 19:15

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Heck Yes! Loam! posted:

How in the gently caress would the student loan forgiveness add to inflation? Nobody was paying anything so it's not like it would inject more cash. Wouldn't it be a demand flattening when the payments kick back in?

I am seeing this argument everywhere and it makes no sense unless you think inflation is just things that you don't like.

The boogey man idea is that they'll now have all of this extra cash to just go hog wild with spending! Which of course is nonsense.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2022 02:16

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

tagesschau posted:

This would mostly destroy Apple's ability to keep its devices secure. It's obvious how Apple's position in the market is open to abuse, but I'm skeptical that a slow-rolling supply-chain attack on the security of the iOS/iPadOS platform is ultimately a win for consumers.

Oh this is easy. There *is* no win for consumers under capitalism.

Give away privacy at the expense of cheaper flagships? Android.
Have more privacy at the expense of buying into a more expensive ecosystem? Apple.

There is no ideal candidate for the consumer.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2022 04:19

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

tagesschau posted:

The last two words are superfluous. Capitalism is wholly irrelevant to the trust relationships involved here.

Right that was my point? Unless I�m misunderstanding.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2022 13:57

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

tagesschau posted:

Capitalism has nothing to do with it being a losing proposition for the end user. You could say "under communism" or "in a world where Nickelback exists" and the statement would be equally true.

My point was precisely that capitalism is independent of anything being "good" OR bad for the consumer.

edit: Basically when I said �under capitalism� I mean �when discussing capitalism.� Not that capitalism is a ruling policy like democracy or socialism.

BonoMan fucked around with this message at 14:25 on Aug 27, 2022

# ¿ Aug 27, 2022 14:22

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

FlamingLiberal posted:

He also kept referring to some general called Raisin Cane or something like that who obviously doesn’t exist

Well at least he knows his tendies.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2022 19:45

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

eXXon posted:

NJ banned single-use paper and plastic bags in stores but "forgot" to make an exception for online delivery orders or to require stores to take them back, so now people are accruing dozens upon dozens of reusable bags and have no idea what to do with them.

I presume a Menendez owns the company that makes them or something because it's hard for me to believe that this incredibly obvious consequence was as unforeseeable as is claimed by some.

Can you post the article or something because I'm not quite grasping what's going on.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2022 14:54

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

eXXon posted:

Uh, okay. It's pretty much like I said. You can't buy single-use paper or plastic bags in NJ stores anymore. Since most delivery services like Instacart, Shipt, etc. buy their groceries in store (rather than packing them in the back storeroom or something that would make much more sense), they don't seem to have any choice besides buying reuseable bags to transport (online) delivery orders. Well, at least the workers don't; it's probably not illegal for Instacart to provide their ~~workers~~gig contractors with plastic bags but lol if you think they'd volunteer to do that themselves. It's easy to end up with dozens of these bags if you get groceries delivered regularly, and as far as I can tell, none of the major chains accept them in return (yet). They're much more energy-intensive to produce than single-use plastic bags (at least 10x more; I've seen estimates of 20-50), so the net effect is almost certainly overwhelmingly negative. Some of the reuseable bags are nominally recycleable (some NJ stores having recycling bins for soft plastics), but so are single-use bags.

Here's a pile of bags and the article:

Thanks for the condescending "uh okay" but my brain skipped over the online orders part. I was like "uh why aren't people just reusing them like they're supposed to?"

Yeah that's pretty dumb. I'd just offload the groceries and give the bag back to the driver to reuse, but I know that's probably not applicable for every situation.

I'm certain they'll create a quick legislative fix to it though.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2022 15:35

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

MixMasterMalaria posted:

I don't think that every driver is going to want to take additional unpaid waiting for customers to unbag their groceries just to end up stuck with the bags themselves.

Yeah I mean I assume this was one or two bags at a time. And that they'd reuse the bags themselves on their next delivery.

But your point still stands and it shouldn't be on them to solve it. I'm just sort of thinking out loud.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2022 15:55

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

slurm posted:

What's the cost of sorting and transportation and laundry and making the bags able to withstand industrial laundry vs a paper bag?

Yeah banning paper bags is just a huge wtf.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2022 16:20

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Every one of those people are in league with each other and knew exactly where the money came from. I'd be surprised if Favre didn't know where the money was coming from. But getting money for speeches you never did sure as hell reeks of knowing you were engaging in fraud.

# ¿ Sep 2, 2022 14:30

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

The FBI is now investigating Brett Favre for his role in the Mississippi welfare fraud scandal with the former Governor.

Favre had previously said he knew nothing about it and returned the money, but the text messages released today, while not 100% conclusive, indicate that he seemed to be aware of the situation.

https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1569856468291125249

Favre also put out a statement defending himself:

He also did not pay the money back immediately. If I recall correctly it took him a lot of time to pay it back even when this initially broke to the public. He denied everything initially and didn't want to give the money back at all.

edit: also I'm selling my Favre signed football in SA Mart if anyone wants it

. I worked on a few commercials with him and even directed one!

BonoMan fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Sep 14, 2022

# ¿ Sep 14, 2022 19:20

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

evilweasel posted:

i thought he was absolutely like oof whoops, i'll return it

he just, you know, didn't actually then do it

Yeah it looks like he paid $500K back pretty quickly and then stalled on the rest.

edit: and he also outright said he has never been paid for appearances he didn't fulfill but that looks like an outright lie

# ¿ Sep 14, 2022 19:26

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 03:36

BonoMan: Feb 20, 2002; Jade Ear Joe

Kalit posted:

https://twitter.com/JZBleiberg/status/1572043512983748609

Well, that's not good. I can't say I'm surprised this ended up getting challenged/ruled in favor of being unconstitutional. If this ruling doesn't get overturned, our country is going to see an even greater increase in gun deaths than we're already seeing. Especially when it comes to domestic violence.

On the other hand, can we now say that banning the right to vote for felony offenders is also unconstitutional?

# ¿ Sep 20, 2022 12:39

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USCE Summer 2022: You can't change the crisis settings.