[Arschloch]

The only sound I would want from an electric bike would be the sound that George Jetson's car made.

That sounds appropriate. Very nice. 

https://youtu.be/LnT1VgeXOF0

[AzCal Retred]

Was that Elroy driving? 

[Richard230]

An oldie, but a goodie:

In the year 2020, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in America and said:  "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me."  "Build another ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans."  He gave Noah the blueprints, saying:  "You have 6 months to build the ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights." 

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard - but no ark. "Noah!,"  He roared, "I'm about to start the rain!  Where is the ark?" 

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed." 
"I needed a building permit." 

"I've been arguing with the boat inspector about the need for a sprinkler system." 

"My neighbors claim that I've violated the neighborhood by-laws by building the ark in my back yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the local Planning Committee for a decision." 

"Then the local Council and the electric company demanded 
a shed load of money for the future costs of moving power 
lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the ark's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear none of it." 

"Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the Greater Spotted Barn Owl."  "I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!" 

"When I started gathering the animals the ASPCA took me to court.  They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will.  They argued the accommodations were too restrictive and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space." 

"Then the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that I couldn't build the ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood." 

"I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew." 

"The Immigration Dept. is checking the visa status of most of the people who want to work." 

"The trade unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with ark-building experience." 

"To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species." 

"So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this ark." 

"Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky." 

Back to the drawing board, apparently. Next time god will have to pick a Noah that lives in Texas, instead of California.   

[AzCal Retred]

Ask & ye shall receive...

[Richard230]

Here is a Christmas message that derottone should appreciate. This certainly feels like what is going on in California this year and likely next year, too. But this guy may be a little over the top with his message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erAYITZRdJk

[Arschloch]

Here is a Christmas message that derottone should appreciate. This certainly feels like what is going on in California this year and likely next year, too. But this guy may be a little over the top with his message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erAYITZRdJk

Yup, sounds like Sweden. It's tough to leave hell though, because hell doesn't like people leaving.

[Richard230]

Yup, sounds like Sweden. It's tough to leave hell though, because hell doesn't like people leaving.

Very true!  And neither does California. If you have a job and pay taxes they need you to fund their many social services programs. 

[AzCal Retred]

Hmmm...So Sweden & California prevent you from leaving...so the population roughly doubles in each country each year as the tourism volume about equals the existing population...but it doesn't, so there must be a huge market in human smugglers getting people out. Sounds like a business opportunity for a couple samaritans with anti-Sweden & anti-California sentiments! 

[Arschloch]

Hmmm...So Sweden & California prevent you from leaving...so the population roughly doubles in each country each year as the tourism volume about equals the existing population...but it doesn't, so there must be a huge market in human smugglers getting people out. Sounds like a business opportunity for a couple samaritans with anti-Sweden & anti-California sentiments! 

Wrong, in general it used to like tourists as long as the kept the cash in there and left asap. Population is not increasing anymore, since the import of adopted kids to milk the social industry has come to a halt in 2019.

[Arschloch]

...I pulled this out of my leg the day I left it. 

[Richard230]

Hmmm...So Sweden & California prevent you from leaving...so the population roughly doubles in each country each year as the tourism volume about equals the existing population...but it doesn't, so there must be a huge market in human smugglers getting people out. Sounds like a business opportunity for a couple samaritans with anti-Sweden & anti-California sentiments! 

Elon Musk managed to get smuggled out of California and into Texas, along with a couple of other California billionaires, recently. The ones that were willing to explain their reasons for leaving said it was due to burdensome business regulations and high taxes placed on high earners. That was no big surprise to the media. 

And now we have politicians proposing to raise taxes even more on high earners (pick a $$$ number) again to make up for the loss of the big movers. Our Democratic politicians have an insatiable appetite for free money that falls out of trees to fund new and on-going social programs. One new 25-year old Assemblyman is calling for the state to fund universal income for all, free medical services for everyone, and housing for all, which he says is a human right.  I might add that he currently lives with his parents, who feed and house him and pay for his medical insurance.  I guess he just wants the state to take over the job of his parents. 

[AzCal Retred]

Seriously? Guys capable of personally funding a dozen brand-new Nuclear Power Stations and having plenty of cash left are worried about their next meal? Sounds like someone is conflating their own piggybank with Bezos & Musks. Not quite the same thing. Last I read the taxes start to apply to folks making more than $400K yearly. Pretty sure that leaves out everyone I know or have ever worked with, barring my old CEO I met once at a "greet the peons" session.  That worthy paid himself $15M - $25M yearly to funnel money upwards to the Board of Directors. (his salary amount was about equal to the yearly O&M funding of their entire Northern Hydro Division) ALL of these folks had less seniority than I did, being associated with the company an an average less than 10 years. The company itself has been around 110 years by that point. These were the same A _ _ holes that tried to sell off all their generation, their cheapest power, already paid for multiple times by the Ratepayer. One former CEO wistfully looked at us zeks during a mandatory all hands (paid audience) meeting and said "We need to be just like Enron...". So don't worry, YOU aren't the "high earner" in question. Standing around waiting for crumbs to fall from the emperors table isn't a good long term survival strategy. No contact magic is going to give you access to real money that you'd (horror of horrors!) then have to pay taxes on. NONE of the cognoscenti are paying the same percent of income as we do. A fleet of tax lawyers & accountants see to that. Where's YOUR fleet of folks protecting YOUR vast wealth? Same as mine, only shows up in the mirror?

[Arschloch]

#26: I would agree that Musk with the electric cars seems to be a part of the problem as a subsidiary consumer. About the same as the Swedish Oligarchs running their Social Industry hiding behind some benevolent Organisations funneling money into their foundations. Consequently you won't find any jobs outside that political area that earn a living.

[GlennF]

There are always going to be arguments as to which is the better way to reduce crime and other social issues. One side thinks more police and jails will fix the problem and the other side thinks social welfare and free education and training is more effective.

Truth is probably money needs to be spent either way and a policy that sits in the middle and does a bit of both is the most effective.

[Arschloch]

There are always going to be arguments as to which is the better way to reduce crime and other social issues. One side thinks more police and jails will fix the problem and the other side thinks social welfare and free education and training is more effective..

IMHO both is nonsense, booming economy is going to solve it. The only issue is why bother building it.