How do you guys test to see if a link is shady? I got a message on Fbook that says, "I think he's one of our friends" and a URL and it sounds like a spam message, so maybe my friend clicked on something that got into her messages?
Years ago, The Dalmore used to be my go to scotch at BevMo, it was decent, $26, 12 years old. Then they pulled it from the market, put in a fancier bottle, and started charging $60-70 for the same thing, so I stopped buying it. However, my electrician bought me a bottle recently, and while still good, the Balveine 12, or Aberluor 12 or both better & cheaper.
The NYT says the proposal is to increase cap gains for incomes >$1MM. Is that right? If so, have at it, and I don't think that would affect the housing market at all, the population is just too small.
"The plan will also call for tax increases, including raising the top marginal income tax rate for wealthy Americans and raising the rate that people who earn more than $1 million a year pay on profits earned from the sale of stocks or other assets"
my take is that if you raise taxes on one set of assets that appreciate (stocks/crypto/etc) then it incentivizes people to find alternate investments, in this case housing.
there is still capital gains on real estate gains, but there is an exemption for the $250/500k of gains depending on filing status, so it makes the real estate investment a little more tax sheltered.
i assume everyone got the "accelerating to plaid" joke, but it is not finance term, just from Spaceballs, since the housing market was already hot even before the tax raise proposal.
Biden proposed an increased capital gains tax rate for those who earn above $400k from 20% to about 40%. Twenty percentage points is a shit ton of tax and reduces a LOT of incentive to invest. One pays taxes on profits from asset sales that aren't otherwise taxed through other regulations - namely real estate via Section 1031 (ie, you can trade up in properties tax-free so long as you do it quickly). The vast majority of Americans don't earn more than $400k and at best own only own one house, so they're not going to see higher taxes that way. However, in dollar terms, the majority of capital owners do earn above $400k, which means dollar flow will seek the highest returning investments net of tax - which is now real estate. Investors will now defer gains until there is a new administration that changes this tax policy
I would have thought that this would affect a different segment of the market though - what is discreetly referred to as "upper brackets" real estate. The tight supply that's affect most people is closer to median for their local market, no?
I don't know that this will have a longer term damage to other types of capital investments. Since the tax was lowered to the current level from where the new proposal puts it back at just in 2017. i.e., removing part of the 'Trump Tax Act'
"a way to level the tax playing field between typical American workers and high earners who employ sophisticated efforts to minimize or evade taxation"
speaking of this, does anyone use a "donor advised fund" to contribute to Cal?
given that we are going to contribute $X anyways, seems like a good idea to do it in a tax efficient way. on the other hand, it is clearly a "sophisticated effort to minimize or evade taxation"
I sometimes think of the accident that didn't happen. This was while I was in school at UCSC, probably in the spring of '84.
I was driving northbound on Highway 1 north of what is now the Montara Mountain bypass. Not far from that point, the roadway cut through a shoulder of the mountain, leaving a hill to the ocean side; there's almost no shoulder next to the mountainside.
I was the lead car in my direction going about 55 mph. As I was passing through that area about 100 yards away the road curves right around a corner of the mountain; it's a blind curve. A jacked up pickup truck passes a car coming in the opposite direction on that blind curve. He is in my lane headed straight towards me. I hit the brakes and pull to the right as far as I can. I'm up against the damn mountain and the driver's side is still halfway into the lane.
There was probably no more than 20 yards between me and the jackass when he passed the other car.
To this day, I'm not quite sure how I didn't end up dead...or worse.
Worst? Overstretching my FHL in my right leg while I was painting, and then doing the same to my left while the right was in a moon boot. Happened 26 years ago. First time I was out 2+ months, got better, but two years later, while goofing around with my son, aggravated it again, out for another couple of months. Did it a THIRD time, used patelofemoral tape to stabilize - got a cortisone shot.
Ever since then, have to stretch daily to keep it at bay.
Dislocated my wrist because I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk roller skating. Close second was bruising my kidney jumping off of steps outside my house. Spent just under a week in the hospital for that one after an uncomfortable "insertion".
No 1's catcher broke his wrist during All-Stars 15U on a collision at home. Hurt them since they now had to move someone to catcher and eventually had to play someone that was wasn't great defensively at 2B. Also hurt that they had one key guy out for the first couple of games. If they moved out of districts they could've been pretty potent since they had 4 legitimate HS pitchers (one of the ones they missed the first couple of games).
No 3's HS team RF and 2B somehow collided yesterday on a pop fly to short RF. Or the 2B dove and the RF somehow landed on him. Not sure since I was behind the 3B dugout.
I think 2B had a seizure right after the collision and had a bunch of blood on the side of his face which came from his mouth; maybe he bit his tongue. Ambulance came and took him off. I'm guessing somehow he got knocked out and the seizures were similar to Jahvid Best's seizures when he got knocked out.
Also had the umpire go on a power trip. Coach pulled the players in for a quick meeting after the inning and the first batter was still getting his helmet and gloves. The umpire told the pitcher to pitch and I don't think really gave the batter a warning. Kid threw, I think, 2 pitches and the umpire called both a strike. The kid (same 2B that got knocked out later in the game) hit a triple on the Left Center gap. Of course after two HBP they loaded the bases and didn't score (Dodgers special). There is a reason the team is 1-6.
freshman year at Cal i couldnt get into English 1A and had to scramble for some writing requirement class. ended up taking SP44A (special programs) which was this intense "history of western civ" class.
that put me "accidentally" on the path to becoming a Classics major which was certainly unintended given that i was so focuses on math/physics. even though i still mostly do math-y stuff for work, it has been the best eye-opening experience in terms of a lifetime of reading and appreciation of art, culture, life, people ...
I think Jimmy G's stock is as high as that of Jared Goff now...perception changes in a hurry now and I think the 49ers would have to commit a lot to him financially if they don't flip him to the Patriots in the near future
They've already missed the opportunity to save the $20 million on the '21 cap. He doesn't have a lot of value right now bc he doesn't stay healthy - at least Goff stays on the field for the most part. Jared is the better QB, but if Belichick would take Jimmy off the Niners hands for a 3rd rounder, they should do it.
The way Shanahan was talking yesterday at the presser, it doesn't sound like Garoppolo will be on the team in Sept., which means they'll pass on Trey Lance, who is going to be the best QB in this entire draft in 5 years...
Unrelated, Kyle Shanahan seems like a real a$$hole.
No, and they probably shouldn't...while he's Chad Hansen-dreamy, he's expensive and gets hurt...but they're hoping Mac Jones turns out to be pretty much the same player, so trading 4 picks for him seems really silly.
I guess it's like when Broncos signed Osweiler to a huge contract only to release him immediately when they figured he wasn't good. Got to cut loss and move on.
Unfortunately, he's not fine, even when he stays healthy. Watch film of the '19 playoffs, other than the GB game where he threw 8 passes b/c they don't trust him, or the Arizona game in week 1 of 2020...or the road game in SEA last year when he was benched. He's broken, like Carson Wentz. He's immobile, inaccurate, misses reads, is late on throws, and his arm strength has slipped.
Just awful and it's eventually going to cost Kyle Shanahan his job in San Francisco...not the pick, per se, so much as the price they paid to get a player that will simply make available plays. They've already failed the draft process.
Kyle Shanahan wants a puppet, tho, not a play maker, because Kyle thinks he's the star, not the QB. Biggest ego in the NFL...we'll see.
Three and a half days after my first Moderna shot, I have a sore throat with a wet cough and a slightly stuffy nose. No idea if it is nothing at all, a different illness, my immune system doing its job and building immunity to a mild form of the Covid, or whether I got it.
the extent to which reactionary opinion-generators are doubling down on masks as a sign of cultural rot is pretty impressive. I mean like decomposition is impressive.
The only time I was on twitter before today was to ask the A's about getting a single ticket and BART about parking at Lafayette BART for the A's game. Before that it was for the Taco crawl. Today I'm trying to find out more info on the Nike Griffey Varsity Royal drop.
A's Down the Rays 2-1, despite a blown replay call by the umpires that took away a third Oakland run. Mark Canha, plunked for the 59th time, ties Sal Bando for the A's record of HBP's.
I still struggle with the fact that we have replay, yet there still have those brutal "non-reviewable" plays that fail to overturn obvious calls, regardless of the sport.
For example, I forget what ballgame it was, but a hitter this weekend actually illegally stuck his knee out to get hit with a pitch that was on the black, yet it's not reviewable. The above camera angle showed it perfectly, yet the ump can only review if the ball actually hit the player. Just brutal...if you're gonna have the replay, have the replay. This supports the CYA angle.
I think you're thinking about the Dodgers/Padres game. It was a lefty hitter, maybe Raley or Beaty.
Chris Taylor pretended to get hit in the foot in the playoffs and they reviewed that he didn't get hit. They called him back and I think he hit a double on the next pitch.
My cynical response: replay is about public relations. CYA. It is not about getting the call right.
Then again, I'm an outspoken critic of instant replay for a number of reasons. This just adds to it.
I will agree that Andrus should have been called safe and the run should have scored. Having said that, I understand why Andrus was called out and the replay didn't reverse the call.
It's like the NBA. Towards the end of the game the officials make a call on a close play but they may not care too much if they're wrong since it would be overturned on replay.
That is one of the criticisms I had of NFL replay about a year after it was adopted. That criticism stands. Comes under the heading of Instant replay undermines officiating.
After the departure of Jaden Casey and Spencer Brasch, Cal needed another QB. Coach Musgrave gets 3-star QB Blake DeBisschop to commit as a PWO, Oregon's 6A passing yardage leader for 2021 from West Linn HS.
Paging Scoots!!!
https://twitter.com/UPROXX/status/1387130686495248384?s=20
'Citizen Kane' lost its perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, making 'Paddington 2' the new greatest film of all-time
AS IT SHOULD BE.
But you've never seen Citizen Kane!
How do you guys test to see if a link is shady? I got a message on Fbook that says, "I think he's one of our friends" and a URL and it sounds like a spam message, so maybe my friend clicked on something that got into her messages?
Don't use facebook?
Whenever I get a suspicious email I always look at the link. If it's a valid company link like amazon.com then at least I'm less suspicious. SPAM links may show www.amazon.com/winme but it's always something else like www.imascammer.net/amazonwinme/clickonme.html
Hover over the link and the browser should always show the link it's going to open somewhere. On Chrome it's the lower left corner.
Cool, thanks. Yeah, she posted on her feed that she'd gotten hacked, so I'm glad I didn't click!
NASA says there's water on the Mars lander. You can see it.
https://www.space.com/6394-phoenix-mars-lander-liquid-water-scientists.html
https://i.redd.it/npxhnu9czqv61.png
wow. And this right after the distillation of oxygen story from yesterday. Sounds like Elon will be able to relocate to Mars after all.
well that's a curious result.
Maybe some Martian animal came by and peed on the lander.
pqtm
Scotch
Years ago, The Dalmore used to be my go to scotch at BevMo, it was decent, $26, 12 years old. Then they pulled it from the market, put in a fancier bottle, and started charging $60-70 for the same thing, so I stopped buying it. However, my electrician bought me a bottle recently, and while still good, the Balveine 12, or Aberluor 12 or both better & cheaper.
I do love a good Speyside
It's what's for dinner.....
I'm starving!
The housing market just accelerated to plaid thanks to Biden plan to raise capital gains tax.
The NYT says the proposal is to increase cap gains for incomes >$1MM. Is that right? If so, have at it, and I don't think that would affect the housing market at all, the population is just too small.
"The plan will also call for tax increases, including raising the top marginal income tax rate for wealthy Americans and raising the rate that people who earn more than $1 million a year pay on profits earned from the sale of stocks or other assets"
Seems like this would work better for buyers than sellers?
Can you elaborate for those of us who aren't finance types?
my take is that if you raise taxes on one set of assets that appreciate (stocks/crypto/etc) then it incentivizes people to find alternate investments, in this case housing.
there is still capital gains on real estate gains, but there is an exemption for the $250/500k of gains depending on filing status, so it makes the real estate investment a little more tax sheltered.
i assume everyone got the "accelerating to plaid" joke, but it is not finance term, just from Spaceballs, since the housing market was already hot even before the tax raise proposal.
There's no exemption on real estate investment currently, only on principal residences.
True, it's always been that way.
Yes, you get me HSB.
Biden proposed an increased capital gains tax rate for those who earn above $400k from 20% to about 40%. Twenty percentage points is a shit ton of tax and reduces a LOT of incentive to invest. One pays taxes on profits from asset sales that aren't otherwise taxed through other regulations - namely real estate via Section 1031 (ie, you can trade up in properties tax-free so long as you do it quickly). The vast majority of Americans don't earn more than $400k and at best own only own one house, so they're not going to see higher taxes that way. However, in dollar terms, the majority of capital owners do earn above $400k, which means dollar flow will seek the highest returning investments net of tax - which is now real estate. Investors will now defer gains until there is a new administration that changes this tax policy
Does that $400K include the capital gain? Or is it just in ordinary income? Asking for me.
i am not sure, but my guess is that they would not distinguish the source of income.
I would have thought that this would affect a different segment of the market though - what is discreetly referred to as "upper brackets" real estate. The tight supply that's affect most people is closer to median for their local market, no?
I don't know that this will have a longer term damage to other types of capital investments. Since the tax was lowered to the current level from where the new proposal puts it back at just in 2017. i.e., removing part of the 'Trump Tax Act'
"a way to level the tax playing field between typical American workers and high earners who employ sophisticated efforts to minimize or evade taxation"
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/27/us/biden-news-today#biden-IRS-taxes
speaking of this, does anyone use a "donor advised fund" to contribute to Cal?
given that we are going to contribute $X anyways, seems like a good idea to do it in a tax efficient way. on the other hand, it is clearly a "sophisticated effort to minimize or evade taxation"
But contributing to Cal is tax efficient anyhow, so why go through the DAF?
Best/worst accident to happen to you
I sometimes think of the accident that didn't happen. This was while I was in school at UCSC, probably in the spring of '84.
I was driving northbound on Highway 1 north of what is now the Montara Mountain bypass. Not far from that point, the roadway cut through a shoulder of the mountain, leaving a hill to the ocean side; there's almost no shoulder next to the mountainside.
I was the lead car in my direction going about 55 mph. As I was passing through that area about 100 yards away the road curves right around a corner of the mountain; it's a blind curve. A jacked up pickup truck passes a car coming in the opposite direction on that blind curve. He is in my lane headed straight towards me. I hit the brakes and pull to the right as far as I can. I'm up against the damn mountain and the driver's side is still halfway into the lane.
There was probably no more than 20 yards between me and the jackass when he passed the other car.
To this day, I'm not quite sure how I didn't end up dead...or worse.
Worst? Overstretching my FHL in my right leg while I was painting, and then doing the same to my left while the right was in a moon boot. Happened 26 years ago. First time I was out 2+ months, got better, but two years later, while goofing around with my son, aggravated it again, out for another couple of months. Did it a THIRD time, used patelofemoral tape to stabilize - got a cortisone shot.
Ever since then, have to stretch daily to keep it at bay.
Dislocated my wrist because I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk roller skating. Close second was bruising my kidney jumping off of steps outside my house. Spent just under a week in the hospital for that one after an uncomfortable "insertion".
Broken arm in a collision at home plate. Played catcher in high school.
No 1's catcher broke his wrist during All-Stars 15U on a collision at home. Hurt them since they now had to move someone to catcher and eventually had to play someone that was wasn't great defensively at 2B. Also hurt that they had one key guy out for the first couple of games. If they moved out of districts they could've been pretty potent since they had 4 legitimate HS pitchers (one of the ones they missed the first couple of games).
No 3's HS team RF and 2B somehow collided yesterday on a pop fly to short RF. Or the 2B dove and the RF somehow landed on him. Not sure since I was behind the 3B dugout.
I think 2B had a seizure right after the collision and had a bunch of blood on the side of his face which came from his mouth; maybe he bit his tongue. Ambulance came and took him off. I'm guessing somehow he got knocked out and the seizures were similar to Jahvid Best's seizures when he got knocked out.
Also had the umpire go on a power trip. Coach pulled the players in for a quick meeting after the inning and the first batter was still getting his helmet and gloves. The umpire told the pitcher to pitch and I don't think really gave the batter a warning. Kid threw, I think, 2 pitches and the umpire called both a strike. The kid (same 2B that got knocked out later in the game) hit a triple on the Left Center gap. Of course after two HBP they loaded the bases and didn't score (Dodgers special). There is a reason the team is 1-6.
freshman year at Cal i couldnt get into English 1A and had to scramble for some writing requirement class. ended up taking SP44A (special programs) which was this intense "history of western civ" class.
that put me "accidentally" on the path to becoming a Classics major which was certainly unintended given that i was so focuses on math/physics. even though i still mostly do math-y stuff for work, it has been the best eye-opening experience in terms of a lifetime of reading and appreciation of art, culture, life, people ...
I hate art, despise culture, and have nothing but contempt for life...kinda like Pai Mei. And don’t even get me started on people... ;-)
you seem to know enough people and culture to appreciate the genius of Pai Mei
Elsewhere in college
2021 NFL Draft: Top 32 prospects overall based on their college football careers
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2021-nfl-draft-top-32-prospects-overall-based-on-their-college-football-careers/
49ers basically traded 4 future starters to overdraft Mac Jones...yuck.
Are we sure that's who they're taking? There's been contradictory info out there (as you'd expect).
Do 49ers not like Jimmy G? I think he has the potential. (I don't like him btw)
I think Jimmy G's stock is as high as that of Jared Goff now...perception changes in a hurry now and I think the 49ers would have to commit a lot to him financially if they don't flip him to the Patriots in the near future
They've already missed the opportunity to save the $20 million on the '21 cap. He doesn't have a lot of value right now bc he doesn't stay healthy - at least Goff stays on the field for the most part. Jared is the better QB, but if Belichick would take Jimmy off the Niners hands for a 3rd rounder, they should do it.
The way Shanahan was talking yesterday at the presser, it doesn't sound like Garoppolo will be on the team in Sept., which means they'll pass on Trey Lance, who is going to be the best QB in this entire draft in 5 years...
Unrelated, Kyle Shanahan seems like a real a$$hole.
BUT...Jimmy G is just so hot. Worth whatever it takes to keep him.
No, and they probably shouldn't...while he's Chad Hansen-dreamy, he's expensive and gets hurt...but they're hoping Mac Jones turns out to be pretty much the same player, so trading 4 picks for him seems really silly.
I guess it's like when Broncos signed Osweiler to a huge contract only to release him immediately when they figured he wasn't good. Got to cut loss and move on.
He's fine when he can stay healthy, but that latter part has been the problem.
Unfortunately, he's not fine, even when he stays healthy. Watch film of the '19 playoffs, other than the GB game where he threw 8 passes b/c they don't trust him, or the Arizona game in week 1 of 2020...or the road game in SEA last year when he was benched. He's broken, like Carson Wentz. He's immobile, inaccurate, misses reads, is late on throws, and his arm strength has slipped.
Time to move on.
I'm not sure how Jones will pan out. Seems like an awfully risky move.
Just awful and it's eventually going to cost Kyle Shanahan his job in San Francisco...not the pick, per se, so much as the price they paid to get a player that will simply make available plays. They've already failed the draft process.
Kyle Shanahan wants a puppet, tho, not a play maker, because Kyle thinks he's the star, not the QB. Biggest ego in the NFL...we'll see.
The stupidest draft move ever... boggles the mind.
Jeff Fisher enters the chat...
pqtm
Today in Covid
Three and a half days after my first Moderna shot, I have a sore throat with a wet cough and a slightly stuffy nose. No idea if it is nothing at all, a different illness, my immune system doing its job and building immunity to a mild form of the Covid, or whether I got it.
My 2nd Pfizer shot was postponed yesterday due to not enough available vaccine. Will get it tomorrow.
the extent to which reactionary opinion-generators are doubling down on masks as a sign of cultural rot is pretty impressive. I mean like decomposition is impressive.
baby lungs.
I haven't seen that, but then again, I'm not on Twitter that much.
I haven't been on Twitter since April 7, when I deactivated my account.
I do not plan on re-activating my account.
I don't use it too often these days.
I've decided to leave Twitter because I find it too depressing. I'm already happier for it, although I do miss silly/humorous Twitter on occasion.
The only time I was on twitter before today was to ask the A's about getting a single ticket and BART about parking at Lafayette BART for the A's game. Before that it was for the Taco crawl. Today I'm trying to find out more info on the Nike Griffey Varsity Royal drop.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
After 100 days out of office, Trump's support softens in NBC News poll
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/after-100-days-out-office-trump-s-support-softens-nbc-n1265457
Except that as of today it's only 97 days out of office.
Whatever.
Hmmm...I didn't do the math.
It's actually fairly simple math...for me, at least.
January 1 to April 30 is 120 days. (31+28+31+30=120)
Subtract 20 for Inauguration Day (January 20).
Therefore, April 30 is 100 days after Inauguration Day.
Hence, April 27 = 97 days after Inauguration Day.
PRO
YOUR NL WEST FIRST PLACE SAN. FRANCISCO. GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAANTS!
SF woodsheds the Rockies 12-0, lead by 9 after two innings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-qheN6TUPE
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401227382
Worry about them using up all their runs at once.
So I guess we can start talking about a Bay Bridge World Series this year
Lock it up...it was never in doubt...hahaha
Descalfiani with the shutout...
A's Down the Rays 2-1, despite a blown replay call by the umpires that took away a third Oakland run. Mark Canha, plunked for the 59th time, ties Sal Bando for the A's record of HBP's.
Why even have the reply if they aren't going to reverse an obvious mistake?
I still struggle with the fact that we have replay, yet there still have those brutal "non-reviewable" plays that fail to overturn obvious calls, regardless of the sport.
For example, I forget what ballgame it was, but a hitter this weekend actually illegally stuck his knee out to get hit with a pitch that was on the black, yet it's not reviewable. The above camera angle showed it perfectly, yet the ump can only review if the ball actually hit the player. Just brutal...if you're gonna have the replay, have the replay. This supports the CYA angle.
I think you're thinking about the Dodgers/Padres game. It was a lefty hitter, maybe Raley or Beaty.
Chris Taylor pretended to get hit in the foot in the playoffs and they reviewed that he didn't get hit. They called him back and I think he hit a double on the next pitch.
That sounds right. And I understand that replay can't read "intent," etc....but it happens in football too...the non-reviewable play is just silly.
My cynical response: replay is about public relations. CYA. It is not about getting the call right.
Then again, I'm an outspoken critic of instant replay for a number of reasons. This just adds to it.
I will agree that Andrus should have been called safe and the run should have scored. Having said that, I understand why Andrus was called out and the replay didn't reverse the call.
It's like the NBA. Towards the end of the game the officials make a call on a close play but they may not care too much if they're wrong since it would be overturned on replay.
That is one of the criticisms I had of NFL replay about a year after it was adopted. That criticism stands. Comes under the heading of Instant replay undermines officiating.
I think that is true in the NFL, way, way less so in MLB.
Disclosure, I didn't see the Andrus replay
Andrus' hand was clearly across the plate before he was tagged. Melvin ran out from the dugout right away and was tossed.
They were asking the same question on Sportscenter as I was getting ready for bed.
CAL
GO BEARS!
After the departure of Jaden Casey and Spencer Brasch, Cal needed another QB. Coach Musgrave gets 3-star QB Blake DeBisschop to commit as a PWO, Oregon's 6A passing yardage leader for 2021 from West Linn HS.
https://twitter.com/BlakeDeBissch12/status/1386787960113090563