Yeah...it was a bad joke based on similar statements said in all seriousness by right wing representatives bragging about how easy they made development, and how much they were pro business. Now that deaths are reported, I retracted it. I thought the building was empty when I wrote it.
That said, if it is a 'failure to meet code' issue, then at least the 'code enforcement' part would be on point, even if in extremely bad taste.

12 cm is huge if only some parts sank and others didn't. That's why I always found downtown Houston scary, all those high rises built before 90 are sinking at different rates. They have tunnels connecting some that were flat when built and now are all ramps, some too steep to use! Yikes!

The court ruled that they found "there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent (Giuliani) communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers, and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former president Donald J Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020."

They explained the false statements bolstered Giuliani's false narrative that there was widespread fraud and that the 2020 election was "stolen" from his client.

Now disbarred indefinitely for perjury, and facing criminal charges on multiple separate federal and state crimes, all for Trump who didn't even pay him for sacrificing his own livelihood and reputation on the alter of Diaper Don. Gonna be hilarious when he requests a public defender....THAT'S SOCIALISM!!!

This is why I prefer M$ and Samsung over Apple.

Had fun replacing a Mercedes car key. Luckily the van is old so it only took a semi-underground repair shop that connects to a semi-underground server in Turkey (!) to get the key for an equivalent sum of 200$. The unprogrammed key sells for 10$ from China. Mercedes sells a new key for 600$. The programming itself takes minutes.

Now obviously someone in Turkey has the code to get into the van. So my security is compromised. But my anger at corporate bullshit is quelled slightly. If I ever get raped in a dark parking lot at least I will know it saved me 400$.

20+ year professional game dev here. This commercial conflates a mix of common game client bugs (eg: texture streaming errors, physics glitches, and animation attachment offsets) with straight up nonsense (upper half of coffee mug popping in with a phone over and over is caused by a slow network connection?). They never show any actual network performance problems that they, as a company, have been responsible for causing in real life.

It's as if a city council came out with electrified upgrades to their formerly-diesel city buses and to promote this fact, they cut an ad showing:

- monkeys driving the bus
- constant gunfights between the elderly
- piles of feces on the floor
- bus stops existing in a quantum superposition of clearly identified and invisible
- tribal warriors on the roof spitting blowdarts at passersby
- every seat is actually a block of super-chilled ice

Never once would they point out reduction in chronic asthma to the local schoolkids or lung cancer in their bus drivers. But hey, so long as the company looks good, who cares about accuracy in ads?

*promote this technique and one of the best podcast i've discovered in the last few months.

"The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses Neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body controls our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health."
Also the tools to modify things you had no idea could be modified.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2D2CMWXMOVWx7giW1n3LIg

Because internet connectivity just wasn't enough, we had to make a sentient toaster.

I think that's at the discretion of the judge, if you asked for 15%, likely you'll get your principal back, if you asked for 1500%, chances are you won't get a dime back as punishment, and may end up owing the borrower if you went overboard trying to collect.

I live in California, building codes change constantly. I agree, it is maddening and often backwards. He was specifically talking about codes for building stand alone solar, which are newer building codes. Even old building codes are often poorly thought out and contradictory. I'm not saying there isn't an abundance of red tape here, especially for building.
That said, his contractor should have been aware of all codes, submitted his plan, and would have approval or notes on what to change in weeks tops. There's something wrong when it takes over a year to get a shed built, some reason his plans weren't approved like they weren't to code.
Citation : personal experience - I installed solar in California, it took 3 days for my permit approval....and only that long because my contractor was being lazy.

That's the thing I disagree with, no new laws are needed at all, just a removal of exemptions/deregulations for businesses that pay large enough bribes (contributions) to elected officials. Even making all credit businesses operate on the same rules, allowing them 30% interest, seems ok, but that isn't reality today. It's unconscionable to allow 1600% interest on loans peddled to desperate people that don't actually qualify for a real, legitimate line of credit, many of whom don't understand it's what they're agreeing to, but the payday loan lobby is well funded and connected.
Citation:
Although U.S. states set their own maximum legal interest rates, a Supreme Court interpretation of the National Bank Act of 1864 preempted state usury laws and created a path toward a national consumer lending economy. The most important federal case in credit card interest rate deregulation was decided in 1978.

Her problems were multifold. The predatory loan took a fixable issue, her terrible customer service, and compounded it with insurmountable and ever expanding debt, which in turn undoubtedly hurt her customer service more, thus increasing her debt..... It sounds like she never should have purchased a service oriented business, and likely overextended herself from day one just to do it.

I'm unsure of your point in the last paragraph.

RTJ | Walking In The Snow lyrics...

Get a dose a dirty code to go, been cold since Co-Flow
I got wire or two unlodgin', I'll set a fire down below
I'll hang it up when you say, "Sorry, I didn't know"
Prolly got a year or ten to go so let's go
I don't really know how to go slow
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker's cold (Ayy)
You in the wrong mode, you open and closin' your hole, it's a no go
This whole world's a shit moat, filled to the brim like GitMo
When you think it don't get mo' low it limbo 'til the sticks on flo'
All oppression's born of lies, I don't make the rules, I'm just one guy
All due respect, if getting spit on's how respect is now defined
Hungry for truth but you got screwed and drank the Kool-Aid, there's a line
It end directly at the edge of a mass grave, that's their design
Funny fact about a cage, they're never built for just one group
So when that cage is done with them and you're still poor, it come for you
The newest lowest on the totem, well golly gee, you have been used
You helped to fuel the death machine that down the line will kill you too (Oops)
Pseudo-Christians, y'all indifferent
Kids in prisons ain't a sin? Shit
If even one scrap a what Jesus taught connected, you'd feel different
What a disingenuous way to piss away existence, I don't get it
I'd say you lost your goddamn minds if y'all possessed one to begin with

Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold (Cold, cold)

Yeah, ho, Gangsta Boo, Run the Jewels
We back on our shit, and it's cold as fuck

The way I see it you're probably freest from the ages one to four
Around the age of five you're shipped away for your body to be stored
They promise education, but really they give you tests and scores
And they predictin' prison population by who scoring the lowest
And usually the lowest scores the poorest and they look like me
And every day on evening news they feed you fear for free
And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me
And 'til my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, "I can't breathe"
And you sit there in the house on couch and watch it on TV
The most you give's a Twitter rant and call it a tragedy
But truly the travesty, you've been robbed of your empathy
Replaced it with apathy, I wish I could magically
Fast forward the future so then you can face it
And see how fucked up it'll be
I promise I'm honest, they coming for you
The day after they comin' for me
I'm readin' Chomsky, I read Bukowski
I'm layin' low for a week
I said somethin' on behalf of my people
And I popped up in Wikileaks
Thank God that I'm covered, the devil is smothered
And you know the evil don't sleep
Dick Gregory told me a couple of secrets before he laid down in his grave
All of us serve the same masters, all of us nothin' but slaves
Never forget in the story of Jesus, the hero was killed by the state

Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold
Just got done walkin' in the snow
Goddamn, that motherfucker cold (Cold, cold)

Who really wanna run it with the Jewel Runners?
Go hellfire hot in a new sauna
It's a cold winter baby and a cruel summer
I suicide bomb in the blue Hummer
And emerge out the side, not a bruise on 'em
Bad news come in two son, do somethin'
Treat beats like a wet thigh, chew on 'em
Got a stroke row crew on 'em, move on 'em
We be the heroes, the breakers of chains and the busters of locks (Locks, locks)
You be them suckers supportin' them snitches that talk to the cops
This the Illmatic of turning your face into fucker foie gras
I'm not so sure opportunities knocking, it's prolly the law
Word to the old school tape decks
I get Radio Raheem respect
My Nike pendant sacred, similar to the Ghostface bracelet
Fire in the hole, oh no joke
Prolly go broke just off smoke
Fuck are we gonna do, not smoke?
Get a job, play the role, be adults?
Nah, I'ma do me, arigato

First of all, they cheated (Uh-huh)
'Cause if one of them black and the other one white (Uh-huh)
So if you don't like 'em, you automatically racist (Ah, oh, well)

Um....yeah.....not really.
He filed late, using every possible delay tactic, then when he filed he paid $750, not the millions in estimated tax liability. His income tax WAS $750. I'm guessing the $5.2 million were those estimated taxes which he didn't pay in the end, or payroll taxes, or other taxes, but not income tax. Exactly what your quote says.
His payments wouldn't roll forwards, they would go to pay for the $75 million refund he improperly claimed for losses at Taj Mahal after he was thrown out. That's what he keep calling an audit, he's being sued to return the fraudulent tax refund he took. His total outstanding debt to the federal government is estimated at $100000000.

Edit: What I think you mean is the tax write off credits/capitol losses from his enormous losses carry over. That's different from him making any "payments".

No, they don't reveal NEW connections to Russia, they do however confirm some of the old connections he's denied.

The whole premise is to allow the public to understand who the man is, they did. He's a fraud who's debts likely outweigh his assets.

Seth once again proving how big of a moron his is. NYTimes clearly crafted the article to sound like he only paid $750, but those were his tax liability fees.....what people are failing to read is that in the very same smear article, he actually paid $5.2 million.
"Each time, he requested an extension to file his 1040; and each time, he made the required payment to the I.R.S. for income taxes he might owe — $1 million for 2016 and $4.2 million for 2017. But virtually all of that liability was washed away when he eventually filed, and most of the payments were rolled forward to cover potential taxes in future years." - NYTimes.
and at the very end of the NYTimes article indicates "Nor do they reveal any previously unreported connections to Russia"
wasn't the whole premise of releasing his tax returns was because there were ties to russian collusion?

Hmmmm...ok, that's not legislation but is what I meant. A forced buyback program is going to have issues.

1) I have no problem with companies having to answer for injuries caused by the prescribed, advertised proper use of their product. If shoes were sold as having the greatest shin kicking power, doing the most damage when you kick someone, shoe manufacturers should be sued by those who get kicked. If manufacturers haven't modeled and advertised in a way that suggests dangerous uses, the suits will lose. Lawyers don't take loser cases, so it won't be an issue imo. Special protections from liability are a problem imo.

2) I've never understood the endgame there. What is an assault rifle, and how are their capabilities special? That said, no one is clamoring for Uzis to come back. Without a legitimate reason for high capacity fast shooting rifles, and no attempts to ban semi auto rifles, I'm just not that bothered by it, but I do think it's placating not meaningful legislation.

3) I have zero issues with registration or background checks. That seems the right way to deal with "assault rifles". There's no reason it should be expensive or time consuming if records are up to date. If they make it expensive as a tax disincentive against ownership, I have a problem. Shooting isn't a cheap sport, $10-20 a year shouldn't bother those who spent $2k on one rifle.

4) No issue at all with voluntary buy backs. Involuntary buybacks are going to be a legal and practical nightmare.

5) one purchase per month, a bit much. One purchase at a time, I'm ok with, that's 3 a month, right? I'm suspicious of anyone who needs multiple guns quick before they calm down.

6) I'm all for universal background checks. I don't want nutjob and violent criminals buying guns they aren't allowed to own.

7) I'm all for not allowing those who can't handle day to day existence to buy guns. I'm even ok with TEMPORARY removal of their guns in some cases, but only if they're returned immediately after they're deemed competent.

misdemeanor hate crime? I thought hate crime was an enhancement charge that took a misdemeanor up to felony level. I'm definitely against taking gun rights away permanently for misdemeanors.

9) dunno what that is.

10) the problem is you can buy a receiver that needs to be finished, as little as one tiny drill hole is enough, with no serial number or registration. It's just a chunk of metal until it's finished. No problem with a background check for every purchase, but a maximum of one check per month seems a reasonable compromise.

11) with proper oversight and a system that ensures it's not abused, no problem for me.

12) Yes, strict guidelines and quick return seem necessary. 48 hours without a doctor stating it's necessary would work, but as of now they aren't ready for prime time on that it seems.

13) had that in cali forever, not an issue yet.

14) as designed, smart guns wouldn't be hackable, there's no reason for wireless connectivity. Battery? Make it charge itself by shaking it like some flashlights? I like the idea that guns can only be used by the owner, solves so many issues, mainly being shot with your own gun.

15) depends on what constitutes "safe". I agree, guns for home defense need to be available quickly.

16) some ghost guns are milled on professional cnc mills but unfinished. 3d printed guns, I'm not a fan. 3 shots is plenty to murder someone, and with no identification it's a near perfect weapon for crimes.
3d printing is advancing constantly. You can print in metal with fine details now on home equipment. I think it won't be long before stable guns can be printed if they aren't already.

Thanks for doing the research. I seriously doubt most could pass even a democratic congress but some would, and most won't pass court challenges, but I understand your reluctance to put that to the test.

If you're going to fight the swamp thing, I won't argue against leaving a few snakes in the black lagoon. Some opposition is healthy, but the ability to be obstructionist on every idea is gridlock. I don't see it getting better.

Russia is making campaign adds and slogans for Trump. This time you just don't care since he got away with it last time.

Remember, the recent republican created report says clearly Trump's campaign colluded, coordinated, and worked in tandem with Russia, who committed hundreds of crimes in America to help Trump get elected because he's their man, a total pussy and pushover who can't stand up to Putin even when he puts bounties on our military, knowingly and with intent invited foreign powers to interfere in our elections, even publicly on camera, then outright lied in the impeachment hearings.

No they aren't, because it's not slipping. You admitted as much under two weeks ago, said he was articulate and "with it", then forgot what bobski #4 said and went back to " he's lost it, is unstable, can't speak without major gaffes...." while ignoring Trump's disjointed, rambling, inarticulate, unstable speeches illegally using public property for campaign functions.

They are PRETENDING it is, so for suckers who believe constant liars, they are making it slip in your mind, the only place it's true.

Slowing down videos to make people look out of it is a well known Republican ploy, so is editing videos to make speakers appear confused or rambling. Trump looks deranged and unstable live, constantly, no cuts and editing needed. You can find more flubs, lies, misunderstandings, and rambling in any Trump speech than any Russian compilation of all 40 years of Biden's public service, and he stutters, Trump doesn't.

I won't underestimate the stupidity of the American voter again, but without functional absentee voting (the same as mail in) and with Trumpanzees following his instructions to vote twice and just hope you don't go to prison for him, he's already invalidated the election. He might win, but only by multiple forms of cheating and massive suppression. It's possible, he's degraded the country enough to make it possible.

Btw, how did you like Trump's crisis actor at his event in Kenosha. When the owner of a burned camera shop refused to be photographed with Trump or used as part of his divisive political ploy, Trump just got another person to pretend to be him and went ahead with his photo op. You knew he would the instant the words "crisis actor" left his lips, he always does the thing he rails against.
The man holding the Rhodes camera book is not the owner of the shop. He sold it nearly a decade ago and has no connection, knowing this, Trump repeats "your store" and "we're going to help you" to the guy he hired to be a crisis actor. I bet you suddenly love crisis actors and see nothing at all wrong there, despite ranting against them in the past as disgustingly dishonest tricks only liberals play.

Please, another red tsunami. I'm begging you, give us another red tsunami. Landslides are miniscule by comparison, go big.

The right is well aware of this, and are also aware that the black masks "antifa" used can be purchased anywhere, and lucked out when BLM often used them in their rallies too (thanks to Covid) so they were already subconsciously connected. It wasn't difficult for them to buy some black masks and clothing themselves, then commit crimes in the name of antifa at BLM events, so they did, most arrested for shootings and all arrested for bombings were right wing terrorists only dressed as antifa.
They even had manifestos outlining their plan to trigger civil war by instigating riots and committing murders and bombings and blaming their actions on antifa when caught.
That needs to be in the spotlight imo, so people understand the violent mob isn't just leftists, it's also Trumpists in antifa clothing and they're perpetrating (and attempting) the worst violence.

I agree about silencing offensive speech. The right way to handle offensive stupidity is debate it publicly, imo. Does the left at these universities not have access to intelligent knowledgeable people willing to contradict blatant racists or Nazis on stage? Do the universities not have a debate coach willing to moderate? Why not?
Just call Cornel West, he'll do it.

I think I covered that, but to be clear, I think the protesters were TOO reserved and should have USED their guns. He was an active shooter fleeing.
I have no doubt he tried to use that skateboard. I only wish he had connected, it would have saved a life.

The kid deserves torching (metaphorically). He went looking for trouble he could solve with his gun, and made some.

Sounds like Rosenbaum was shot for no reason, in the face. If kid had really thought he was being doused with an accelerant, (and it's hard to believe he mistook an empty bag for one full of gas) firing his gun was moronic as it would likely ignite it.

Yes, fully unbiased media would be nice, but it's gone. Maybe try pbs? They're still pretty good, but dry and boring too.

Explain.
Exactly what is untrue?
You won't reply because you can't answer, and Trump hasn't given you an answer.
Weak and corrupt are Trump's traits, too weak to walk down a ramp, too weak to keep his lust for his young teenaged daughter private, too corrupt to beat multiple fraud charges, too corrupt to ever be connected to a charity ever again because of massive, pervasive frauds, his children too, his cabinet even more so.

There is none so blind as he who will not see, and you're hiding in the basement closet, eyes closed and blindfolded against seeing anything bad about Trump.

So ridiculously stupid and dishonest, Bob. Just dumb. I know you're incapable of investigating yourself, but you insist on spouting your ignorant theories as facts constantly knowing there are people here who will investigate and castigate you over your intentional dishonesty. Stop lying.