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Happy New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve everyone.

7 hours to go and it's legal to buy pot in Colorado.

Here's NORML Colorado's new webpage -- and a list of "Doobie DOs" (and Don'ts.)

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Federal Judge in Florida Rules Welfare Drug Testing Unconstitutional | From Denver to Telluride, Colorado Makes History >
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    AN AXE LENGTH AWAY, vol. 233 (5.00 / 4) (#1)
    by Dadler on Tue Dec 31, 2013 at 06:06:00 PM EST
    When the Garden of Eden needs a little extra, um, MiracleGro to get bizzy. (link)

    And, since it's New Year's eve, happy 17th anniversary to my lovely wife (link). We started dating on New Year's Eve 21 years ago, then married exactly 4 years later. I can never possibly forget. A quiet dinner and movie at home is on the menu tonight, with a few scoops of cocktails. Should be perfect.

    Peace & Love & Happy New Year to all.

    Best Line of 2014 So Far... (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by ScottW714 on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:12:33 PM EST
    ...annoying snake who only comes to life with pharmaceutical help.

    Great ALA toon.  And good job on the marriage.

    Parent

    Thank you, my man (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Dadler on Fri Jan 03, 2014 at 12:45:08 PM EST
    Much appreciated. ;-)

    Parent
    Happy new year (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 06:44:08 AM EST
    to you Jeralyn and BTD!!

    a happy, safe, healthy new year (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by cpinva on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 10:31:49 AM EST
    to all of you.

    I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve (5.00 / 3) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    We had a great time last night.  Happy 2014!

    Just a friendly reminder (5.00 / 3) (#28)
    by CoralGables on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 07:58:00 AM EST
    when looking back at 2013, TL is not the best place to find financial advice.

    One of our commenters suggested at the start of the year, that with what Obama was doing to the economy the stock market wasn't the place to be in 2013 and everyone should buy gold.

    Here are a couple headlines closing out 2013:

    Gold has worst year since 1981- USA Today

    S&P 500 Climbs to Record to Finish Best Year Since 1997- Bloomberg News


    Agreed... (none / 0) (#38)
    by ScottW714 on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:35:44 PM EST
    ...but if you get your financial advise from here or from Fox News, you kind of get what you deserve.

    2013 was the best year since I started contributing to my 401k about 15 years ago, anyone care to guess the worse year.

    But good to see the market had it's best year since Clinton was king.  

    But according to Ted Cruz, "(Obamacare)is the single biggest job killer in America. " to which I would say a republican, GWB, in the White House was the biggest job killer in America in my lifetime.  I surely hope we never have to experience anything of that magnitude ever again, but you never know when America will decide life is too good and elect a republican to the White House.  

    Parent

    Seems (none / 0) (#2)
    by Mikado Cat on Tue Dec 31, 2013 at 07:28:40 PM EST
    like it should really start at 4:20.

    Court upholds laptop searches at border (none / 0) (#4)
    by jbindc on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 07:40:41 AM EST
    Strange rationale. Hey, it doesn't (none / 0) (#5)
    by oculus on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 07:57:53 AM EST
    happen all that often!

    Parent
    Love (none / 0) (#11)
    by jbindc on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 11:29:24 AM EST
    the math used to get to "less than one in a million" chance.

    Parent
    Justice Sotomayor grants a stay re ACA (none / 0) (#6)
    by oculus on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 08:03:09 AM EST
    requirement to provide birth control coverage:

    LAT

    Ha-ha-ha (none / 0) (#7)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 10:06:04 AM EST
    Hilarity ensues.  Good liberal court picks under Obama?  I think not.  Who-da thunk?  LOL.

    Obamacare has turned insurance into an unaffordable bloated mess.  Anything that reduces premiums is  a good thing as far as I'm concerned.  Birth control is cheap.  No reason to tack on a 20% insurance company profit margin onto the cost.

    Parent

    fair enough. (5.00 / 3) (#9)
    by cpinva on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 10:30:58 AM EST
    "Birth control is cheap.  No reason to tack on a 20% insurance company profit margin onto the cost."

    please provide factual support for your claim though, for those of us not inclined to just accept blanket assertions at face value. a quote from rush Limbaugh doesn't qualify as factual support.

    I might also point out that the cost of birth control is a hell of a lot less than the cost of pregnancy, birth and life.

    Parent

    It doesn't cost 20% more (none / 0) (#12)
    by jbindc on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 11:32:12 AM EST
    Link

    For companies (which can be extrapolated to individual plans):

    The direct costs of providing contraception as part of a health insurance plan are very low and do not add more than approximately 0.5 percent to the premium costs per adult enrollee, as per studies from three actuarial firms-Buck Consultants, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and the Actuarial Research Corporation (ARC)-which estimated the direct costs of providing contraception coverage.

    More recent analysis of actuarial data conducted in July 2011 by the Actuarial Research Corporation and using data from 2010 estimated that contraceptive coverage without a co-pay costs roughly $26 per year per enrolled female.

    However, notes HHS, "as indicated by the empirical evidence described above, these direct estimated costs overstate the total premium cost of providing contraceptive coverage."

    When medical costs associated with unintended pregnancies are taken into account, including costs of prenatal care, pregnancy complications, and deliveries, the net effect on premiums is close to zero. One study author concluded, "The message is simple: regardless of payment mechanism or contraceptive method, contraception saves money.

    Counting indirect costs-such as time away from work and productivity losses-further reduces the total cost to an employer.

    A model developed by Global Health Outcomes that incorporates costs of contraception, costs of unintended pregnancy, and indirect costs found that covering contraception saves employers $97 per year per employee. Similarly, the PwC actuaries state that after all effects are taken into account, providing contraceptive services is "cost-saving."



    Parent
    You are wrong about Sotomayor, in general (5.00 / 5) (#15)
    by Peter G on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 02:08:57 PM EST
    All she did was grant a temporary stay to a group of Denver nuns who as a religious mission care for the elderly poor, and only until Friday morning, pending a response from the government. Contrary to some news reports, it is not a full injunction and is not nationwide. You can read the actual order (one sentence) at the link I provided. It is certainly no proof that Sotomayor was not a fine choice for appointment to the Court. None of the other "religious" employers (such as for-profit corporations) that applied for stays at the Supreme Court were granted even a delay, that I am aware of.

    Parent
    Yes, and today the White House (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 06:02:40 PM EST
    officials insisted the program used by the Little Sisters of the Poor is not even subject to contraceptive rules because of exceptions.

    Parent
    Hmmm. Nuns caring for the elderly... (none / 0) (#31)
    by Mr Natural on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 11:12:49 AM EST
    Hard to imagine a group less likely to need contraceptives, except as hormone replacement.

    Parent
    Sotomayor (none / 0) (#20)
    by MKS on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 06:21:54 PM EST
    is the most liberal Justice on the Court.  Perhaps Ginsberg.

    Not more of this....

    Parent

    you might want to try to curb the glee (none / 0) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:06:38 PM EST
    its only a stay

    Parent
    AN AXE LENGTH AWAY, vol. 234 (none / 0) (#8)
    by Dadler on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 10:08:44 AM EST
    Happy New Year, oligarch-on-a-holiday-bender style. (link)

    Welcome to 2014, good peeps. Feels remarkably like its predecessor...burp.

    First same-sex wedding atop a Rose Parade (none / 0) (#14)
    by oculus on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 01:36:14 PM EST
    float. Query:  has there previously been a wedding of a male and female on a Rose Parade float?

    [LAT

    Let me Google that for you (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Peter G on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 02:19:26 PM EST
    Ha. You are better "Googler" (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by oculus on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 02:27:54 PM EST
    than I. My search revealed Farmers Insur. decided not to do a "get-married-on-our-Rose Parade float"contest this time around.

    Parent
    To me, today's Rose Bowl Parade (none / 0) (#19)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 06:08:46 PM EST
    wedding seems a little more newsy than last year's.   More of a man bites dog story, than the reverse.  

    Parent
    Try This Website... (none / 0) (#40)
    by ScottW714 on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:42:48 PM EST
    Someone, I wanna say the Edger, posted it last year, very funny.

    LINK

    Parent

    15:00 4Q: UCF 35, Baylor 28. (none / 0) (#21)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 10:53:14 PM EST
    George O'Leary's underrated and lightly regarded Knights from Central Florida are more than holding their own against the 17-pt. favorite Bears in the Fiesta Bowl.

    FINAL: Central Florida 52, Baylor 42. (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 11:59:11 PM EST
    Congratulations to Coach George O'Leary and his Knights, as the biggest underdogs in BCS history (arguably) pull off one of its greatest upsets to finish the season at 12-1.

    But to anyone who watched this game, it was really not much of an upset, and more about those oddsmakers who failed to show respect for the AAC (formerly Big East) champions. UCF quickly established itself as Baylor's equal from the outset, and then the Knights simply seized control in the third quarter after the Bears had rallied to tie it up at 28-all.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Donald you're smarter than that (none / 0) (#27)
    by CoralGables on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 07:42:53 AM EST
    those oddsmakers who failed to show respect

    The oddsmaker set their line based on how people will bet, not what they believe to be the ultimate outcome of the game. But you are correct that it was a nice win for Central Florida.

    Conference records in Bowl Games through Wednesday night (Ranked by conferences that were invited to play in a minimum of 4 Bowl games:

    SEC 5-1
    Pac 12 6-3
    MW 3-3
    USA 3-3
    Big 12 2-2
    American 2-2
    ACC 3-6
    Big 10 2-4
    MAC 0-4

    (Less than 4 bowl games)
    Sunbelt 1-0
    Independents 2-1

    Parent

    Honestly, CG, I don't wager. (none / 0) (#32)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 11:16:15 AM EST
    And with rare exception, I pay no attention to the mechanics of the activity / hobby / blood sport. My point was simply that, much like they did with like Louisville prior to last year's Sugar Bowl stomp of then-No. 3 Florida, very few people respected UCF despite the conference title and 11-1 record -- and it probably cost a number of them dearly.

    Parent
    10:26 4Q: UCF 49, Baylor 35. (none / 0) (#22)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 11:12:14 PM EST
    The Knights are shredding the Baylor defense, with 7 TDs and 521 yards in total offense. After a slow start, UCF QB Blake Bortles is having a career outing.

    Parent
    4:44 4Q: UCF 52, Baylor 35. (none / 0) (#23)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jan 01, 2014 at 11:26:56 PM EST
    Still some time left for the always dangerous Baylor offense, but now down by three scores, their window is closing fast.

    Parent
    Yay Knights!!! (none / 0) (#42)
    by ruffian on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 07:12:15 PM EST
    Our local Orlando favorites. Plus my brother taught at Baylor for two of the longest years of his life...no love lost there on either side.

    Parent
    AN AXE LENGTH AWAY, vol. 235 (none / 0) (#26)
    by Dadler on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 07:08:24 AM EST
    But look at this poor guy, (none / 0) (#30)
    by Mr Natural on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 11:09:56 AM EST
    forced to slash his home price by $17 million.  His next stop: Little Friskies for dinner.

    Parent
    Site Violator! (none / 0) (#29)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 08:50:24 AM EST
    I think.  :-)

    Egypt does extreme tragedy and comedy (none / 0) (#33)
    by Politalkix on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 12:04:11 PM EST
    together. link

    2014 predictions (none / 0) (#34)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:04:24 PM EST
    democrats wll keep the US Senate

    Mitch will lose to a girl

    there will be a new dem senator Nunn from GA

    congress will pass a minimun wage increase

    Wendy Davis will be gov of TX

    Charlie will be gov of FL

    almost but not quite yet predictions

    all endangered dem senators will will.  even the most endangered (IMO) Pryor.  

    th dems will take back the US house

    I would have laughed (none / 0) (#36)
    by MKS on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:11:33 PM EST
    my arse off and tossed this aside, but you called it for Harry Reid when everyone and all public polls showed it was hopeless.

    But, Captain, have you not bit off a little much here--even for you?

    Parent

    I'd suggest the capt (none / 0) (#39)
    by CoralGables on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:37:37 PM EST
    has at least 2 near impossibilities in there:

    Wendy will win the governor election in Texas.
    The Dems will win the House.

    Other than those 2, the "possibilities" for the rest are there.

    Parent

    In 2010 Perry Received 55% of the Vote... (none / 0) (#41)
    by ScottW714 on Thu Jan 02, 2014 at 02:56:58 PM EST
    ...and Bill White received 42%. 300,000 vote difference and in a state with 14 million registered voters, many of them Hispanic, it's only a matter of time before a D is in the mansion.

    Before GWB, Ann Richards was governor in 1995.  The state has only had 4 republican governors since the Civil War, Perry and GWB being two of them.

    Nowhere near impossible IMO, unlikely but possible.

    More likely than the D's getting the House.

    Parent