TRT editorial - Bush policies failing??

[Bill Glasheen]

We are questioning some of the points in your response to the video, not indicating that our lives are meaningless nor directing any malice toward the wealthy. Where the heck did this come from?!?!

It's coming from anyone who thinks it's bad for the wealthy to be wealthy. Look at the video. Look at Justin's comments. Poll the liberals around you. How do they feel about the wealthy and their wealth? Why is there all this angst, and a need to "correct" things because they don't like the way the dollars fall?

Why does it get people upset when you state the obvious - a few people have uncommon abilities, and make us mere mortals look... small.

Think it through, Glenn.

- Bill

[Glenn]

I haven't had a paycheck in almost a year

Truly sorry to hear that Bill, I had no clue. Maybe you should come to the Plains, the plague of unemployment has been steadily enveloping this region but has not taken it yet. It's like everything else, it takes a few years for anything to reach this region.
Geography of a Recession (click the "Play" button on the map)

[Bill Glasheen]

Truly sorry to hear that Bill, I had no clue.

You have no idea. It's the divine comedy of mergers, massive off-shoring to avoid paying Massachusetts-mandated health benefits, etc., etc.

All things - good and bad - come to an end. I got a job offer this week. A good one. It was just a matter of time. There are only a handful of people who do what I do. Thankfully I'm needed.

It involves a move. But life happens. And in this case, I see good things ahead.

Think horses.

- Bill

[Glenn]

Congratulations!!! That's great news.

Now what the heck are you doing up at almost 3:00am your time?

[Bill Glasheen]

I got the news this week. I start - in another city - in less than a month.

- Bill

[Glenn]

Think horses.

Moving to Kentucky to develop horce-racing models for gamblers?

[Bill Glasheen]

Moving to Louisville. Major heath care company.

You can figure it out. I keep employer names off the Forums.

- Bill

[Glenn]

Understood, and I think I have an idea who you are taking about.

But now I am jealous, moving back to Kentucky is a long-term goal of mine. On the other hand, we go back every year to visit family in Louisville so I'll probably be pestering you at some point about meeting up with you the next time we're there.

Heh, you're gonna love Kentucky politics...never boring...!

[Bill Glasheen]

Understood, and I think I have an idea who you are taking about.

You do indeed!

But now I am jealous, moving back to Kentucky is a long-term goal of mine. On the other hand, we go back every year to visit family in Louisville so I'll probably be pestering you at some point about meeting up with you the next time we're there.

Well maybe the Grand Poobah in the sky wanted it to happen. And yes, I will start karate there once I plant my rear in something longer than temporary housing. And yes, you'd BETTER pester me.

Heh, you're gonna love Kentucky politics...never boring...!

Why do you think I was having so much fun going toe-to-toe with Ian about Rand Paul and libertarian politics? It was more than a passing interest, or a reflection of my own Jeffersonian political views. I had been flown there, and my information was first hand. It was fun sparring with someone whose only weapon was extracts from an external media that didn't get what was going on - and didn't want to.

Oh I do love the happenings in the "fly-over" states. It so rankles the coasters when they can't get those hillbillies to think like the smart folks who happen to live where the media lives. In one of my many life careers, Glenn, I did a temporary stint as a geologist. I got to go into the heart of the nation in every road in the most rural of counties. I was invited to meals by transplanted hippies, gun-firing rednecks, bible belters, descendants of former slaves, etc., etc. Even the "red neck" home state of a future president. They're all real people who have real votes.

Louisville is an incredibly vibrant town, located at the intersection of east/west I-64, and north/south I-65. Where places like Boston and Richmond are losing business and people, Louisville is bursting with growth. The cost of living is lower, facilities are brand new, athletic facilities for colleges with national media contracts are being constructed, etc., etc.

And I go to work in a tower by headquarters. (Headquarters is itself an award-winning architectural masterpiece.) The tower? Once owned by a failing bank - a casualty of the toxic asset crisis. The new owner? The bank my sister from Princeton works for - a bank that shed itself of all such junk loan assets before the bottom fell out of the market. (Purely coincidental connection, BTW) Go figure. The unit I'll be working in? I'm one of the few who have English as a first language. It's been that way ever since I entered graduate school, Glenn. I'm always the token American. A freak of nature. An articulate geek!

It was meant to be, Glenn.

- Bill

[IJ]

Glad you got a good offer, Bill. Hope transitions go well with your class.

The rest of your stuff tho? Just getting close to total BS.

"What questions, Ian?"

Those are the sentences in my post with question marks at the end. Go read my posts.

"Meanwhile... Are you taking my considerable effort seriously? I think not."

Har har. You continue to insult me as a moron, ignorant liberal who just spouts media nonsense without thought of my own, and the fact is, I didn't jump on the bandwagon issue here, I wrote a thoughtful and reasoned post about how the truth was in between the way extremes are presented and supported the idea that ineffective welfare at the national level was a macrocosm of ideas youd presented and should be stopped, in line with your ideas. I suggested we see how your truth and Glenn's are both correct. If you want me to stop supporting you just say so.

"Dishonesty begats a loss of credibility, Ian."

WTF? Wasn't dishonest. Your on-the-sly insults are still insults.

"Maybe you have no argument, but instead don't like the message. Well... don't shoot the messenger."

The issues I raised in links to perfectly clear articles by knowledgeable people and discussion of other issues were hardly "no argument," and were well received by people posted after me that differ in views in major ways. You can't just make my points go away by pretending I didn't make them. You're still ignoring them. And you do this at the same time you moan that I didn't take your posts seriously. Ha! Is that a joke? I read your posts, responded with a thought out reply, agreed with parts--what is it you want? You're ignoring my posts and questions and stereotyping my views and suggesting I'm just parroting sources I don't even read, but that's not dismissive, and I'm responding to your posts but that's not taking you seriously enough? You think I can't handle the truth? Who's failing to respond to relevant questions and links, you or I?

"It was fun sparring with someone whose only weapon was extracts from an external media that didn't get what was going on - and didn't want to."

Oh, you've never been "dismissive"? While you just insult me in your posts to others? I'm right here, I can hear you! YOU happen to have a strong personal take on these issues, so do I, these are opinions, neither one of us is mentally challenged, but it is you, and not me, that insists on flinging around insults about being ignorant and a puppet of others. What was clear that I "got" was that Rand's stated points of view would threaten abortion rights in a national scale, not exactly a states rights approach, far to the right of Scalia, and he wouldn't support discrimination protections that DO make a difference in my life. And I'm an idiot for thinking that, or rather, believing him, but any time any one critiques another viewpoint they're a coastal snob elite who doesn't understand we all get votes. Ah. Well, now you're a Kentuckian, noncoastal, nonelite, nevertheless obnoxious and stereotype flinging critic yourself. The advantage?

Happy to actually discuss this issue if at some point you want to reply to questions or links, done here if you're just going to insult and dismiss. I can listen to Fox if I want to be told that I'm a snobbish elite and only Republicans and tea partiers are down to earth real Americans whose views actually matter.

NB: the mood is not upset, or hijacked, but bemused and "whatever."

[Glenn]

Louisville is a wonderful crossroads city. I always enjoy getting back to it. And your new headquarters is indeed a fascinating building.

As for karate classes, keep in mind the Fort Knox army base is pretty close, you might get some students from there as well depending on which side of town you have your classes.

athletic facilities for colleges with national media contracts are being constructed

Just as long as you don't become a University of Louisville fan, as a University of Kentucky grad I'd have to stop speaking to you There is a very strong intrastate rivalry between those two and their fans, made more intense after a former UK basketball coach became the current UL coach. Basketball is the dominant sport in the state, but Louisville does have a minor league baseball team.

[Bill Glasheen]

Glenn

Being a big ACC basketball fan, I'm well aware of the UK/Louisville rivalry. And yes, I'm well aware of the reputation of Rick Patino. He's the only coach to have led three different programs (Providence, UK, Louisville) to the final four.

The reason he's at Louisville is because of his occasional dalliances with the NBA. What works at the collegiate level in basketball usually does not in the NBA, and it doesn't take long for a former college coach to be outed as an NBA coach impostor. So going back to college coaching means... going where the opening is. And Louisville it was. So you can't blame the guy. Instead, admire the man.

I have more memories of Louisville with Denny Crum - another top-tier college basketball coach.

I did a little bit of checking up on where people come from who are hired at this company. Apparently it's mostly in-state, and mostly from either Kentucky or Louisville. But a business can't remain national and international if it only dips into local talent. Hence the reason why they're reaching outside the state for people such as yours truly. In fact the whole department I'm going into is a veritable United Nations. But again... I'm used to that. These are the fish I constantly find myself swimming with. I don't look for them; they find me. That's what I get for being certifiably off-the-wall.

We allegedly have our own intra-state rivalry with Virginia and Virginia Tech. But we graduates of Mr. Jefferson's University would rather consider North Carolina or Duke as worthy rivals - both academically and athletically. Or if it's lacrosse and the fight for the national championship, then we're talking Johns Hopkins, Princeton, and Syracuse. You know... THOSE unknown schools. And that of course just pisses the Hokies off all the more. And that IS the point of it all.

I saw the ballfield. It's one of the best minor league stadiums I've ever seen. Sadly they USED to be a farm team for the Red Sox. These days it's the Cincinatti Reds. It's a little hard getting passionate about that. But oh well...

I'll have more fun with the rival directly north of us. In Indianapolis is the headquarters of a former employer, now turned business rival. (I still own their stock...) And of course there are those annoying Colts to root against. It'll be fun wearing Patriots jerseys in the fall. Sort of like going into New York airport with a Red Sox shirt. Gotta love it!

Let's also not forget two other important contributions of Louisville:

1) The birthplace of the greatest boxer of all time, and

2) The maker of the best baseball bats in the world.

Maybe I'll have a gift for Yonamine or Shinjo next time I see them.

- Bill

[gmattson]

You can't keep a good guy/gal down for long. The new company is very lucky to have you and I hope smart enough to keep you until you decide to teach Uechi-ryu full time!

But you must inform them you have a special duty on the last weekend of July. . . and they must give you time off to be with your karate buddies. . .

Rory, Van and I have a very special and secret meeting planned after the Master's Celebration Saturday evening. You don't want to be thrown out the "secret handshake" club, do you?

[Bill Glasheen]

I'll be on deficit spending for some time, George. But I'm going to try to find a way to make it - if only for Saturday and Sunday. I'm assuming it'll be a round trip ticket from Louisville instead of from Richmond. And yet I still don't have a place there to hang my hat.

It's getting like college days where I conducted my financial life with smoke and mirrors. Remember the ride to Dulles Airport in the Plymouth Champ missing the shotgun seat? With all that leg room, it was a peasant's Bentley, no?

- Bill

[Glenn]

Actually Pitino's success is a big part of why he is villified by UK fans. He was good for UK and his successor was not. That seems to have been corrected at least, if Calipari hangs around. The other issue is that Pitino's wife was very public in her dislike of the state of Kentucky, too backwards for her. She wanted to get back to New England, and the impression is that she was a big reason for Pitino's dalliance with the Celtics. And yet after the Celtics did not work out they come crawling back to the state...to Louisville.

Objectively sure I should admire him, or even feel sorry for him since he reportedly regrets leaving UK, but since when does objectivity have anything to do with being a fan/alum?

Now Denny Crum is different, that was the heyday of the rivalry.

As for contributions of the city:

3) The National Spelling Bee started there in 1925 with 9 participants

4) The first successful artificial heart (Jarvik-7) implant in 1984