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CronenBurgerMeister

Published Letters: 436
Editor's Choice: 1

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 08:42 AM
Original article: Poor, poor, plutocrats

@emlyn

My wife is a special education teacher; she does a job that most people could not do, as it requires a phenomenal amount of skill, patience, and empathy. The UAW put her through undergrad and she is putting herself through grad school, by working full-time. She will graduate with honors in May. She will never top 100k in a year.

I am in law school. As it's not a top-tier school, most of our grads will go into public interest law, including the incoming editor in chief of our law review. She put herself through undergrad with honors and she is getting through law school on loans. Public interest lawyers start around 30-40k a year.

I don't think it can be argued that teachers and public interest attorneys contribute a great deal to society, and yet they are required to earn advanced degrees for the right to work their butts off for salaries that barely cover their loan payments and living expenses. I am resigned to the fact that this is how the free market works, and I am not here to argue about economics. But don't ever ask me to feel sorry for a guy that makes a million in a year.

Thursday, March 19, 2009 02:06 PM

Since we're now just talking about SNL...

Allow me to establish my credentials: I have only been watching for about 15 years, although I have picked up some of the reruns from cable. That being said, I work very hard to focus on trivial things, such as comedy, while avoiding important things, like school and a career (unless we're talking about Important Things with Demetri Martin, which is comedy, and I attend to). Its a life strategy that has been working out pretty well so far.

In my opinion, SNL cycles through good years and not-so-good years, but there is usually something there worth watching. Sometimes its not worth wading through the dreck to get to the gold, but thats what the internet is for. I am a big fan of Tina Fey, so I thought her years as head writer were generally good. I know a lot of people disagree with me, but they are all stupid.

I thought most of the early 90s were dreck, but having just seen a Chris Farley "best of" show, there were quality sketches. Ever since Tina Fey left, the show has been hit or miss. I believe Seth Meyer(s) (is there an "s" in his name?) is doing his damnedest to put out a quality product, but I'm not sure that he has the talent and the staff to do it right now. Sadly, the stuff that has been making me laugh the most lately comes from the Lonely Island guys, which I like despite the knowledge that I should despise it.

But even if the comedy falls flat, there's always the music, whether its a train wreck (Ashley Simpson), or amazing (Arcade Fire playing "Intervention," or more recently Fleet Foxes making the most of their big opportunity).

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 08:51 AM

@mkblank

You should probably read today's entry from Greenwald. You might not like Dodd, and you might have legit reasons for that, but this is one thing that shouldn't be pinned on him.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 10:41 AM
Original article: Scoring Gibbs vs. Cheney

I approve; everybody benefits

The Obama administration gets to score points, Limbaugh gets more press coverage than he has in years, and the American people get to see what kind of people drive the Republican party. Was anybody paying attention to Cheney's approval ratings during that second term? The only people who approve of him will never change their minds; everybody else knows to always do and believe the opposite of what he says.

Monday, March 16, 2009 06:56 AM

Kudos, Glenn

Devastating. Like Bamage, I may need to scale back my reading here. The outrage gets in the way of my productivity.

Friday, March 13, 2009 09:46 AM

@Not

Generally to be a crook you have to have been convicted of a crime. You know, like Ted Stevens. Being investigated doesn't make you guilty, unless you're an authoritarian shill who believes the government never makes mistakes.

Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:58 PM

Russell Brand

Is very obnoxious. He's ok in the right context. Doesn't it sort of seem like he glamorizes the various addictions he has "suffered?"

Anyways if he's cool with Jason Segel he's cool with me.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:07 PM
Original article: The K Chronicles

All I'm saying is --

"I've heard good things about this JCVD movie"

That line might actually work on my wife, we caught a trailer and it looked interesting.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:04 PM

Yeah but Garrison

Don't forget a number of people who probably do deserve disability benefits and aren't getting them. The system is set up to dissuade people with minimal resources from jumping through the necessary hoops. But I digress. The only thing I miss about delivering pizza is Prarie Home Companion on Saturday nights. Well there was a really good Sunday night music show on the local radio station, but for some reason I preferred working Saturday nights to Sundays. I think because it was busier and I made more money. But I'm off-track again. Just wanted to say I appreciate your way with words. You could be saying things that I found reprehensible and I would still appreciate the sounds and/or the writing. Don't stop now, I hear they plan to cut disability benefits soon anyways.

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