I’m writing for tomorrow, day 52. This is the only article, because I found very little content that I have not already covered. However, I had the Christmas dinner mess to keep me occupied.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:45 (average 4:40). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: …They are, roughly speaking, the home equity loans of subprime auto. In these loans, which can last as long as two years or as little as a month, borrowers turn over the title of their cars in exchange for cash — typically a percentage of the cars’ estimated resale values…
…More than 1.1 million households in the United States used auto title loans in 2013, according to a survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation — the first time the agency has included the loans in its annual survey.
Title loans are an increasingly prevalent form of high-cost, short-term credit in subprime finance, as regulators in a number of states crack down on payday loans.
For many borrowers, title loans, also sometimes known as motor-vehicle equity lines of credit or title pawns, are having ruinous financial consequences, causing owners to lose their vehicles and plunging them further into debt.
A review by The New York Times of more than three dozen loan agreements found that after factoring in various fees, the effective interest rates ranged from nearly 80 percent to over 500 percent. While some loans come with terms of 30 days, many borrowers, unable to pay the full loan and interest payments, say that they are forced to renew the loans at the end of each month, incurring a new round of fees.
Click through for an in depth exposé of how super-rich Republican vulture capitalists, having been driven in disgrace from the sub-prime housing market, are now preying on gullible poor and middle class borrowers through title equity loans.
From SPLC: It has been quite the year at Hatewatch. We’ve identified those who hide in anonymity while financing the racist right. We’ve kept you abreast of events that have plotted the course of the antigovernment movement as it tries to make headway into the mainstream. And we’ve documented in detail the fallacies spread far and wide by major anti-LGBT leaders, especially as they move to advance their agenda abroad.
Before we take a break, we thought we’d give you something of a year in review—the posts on Hatewatch in 2014 that were the most pivotal in understanding the future of the radical right. But don’t worry, Hatewatch will return on Jan. 1, 2015 with more impactful coverage and analysis.
Click through for their year in review, because the SPLC does such fine work. They are an excellent resource.
From Crooks and Liars: Politico writer Jennifer Epstein is quite concerned about how often the President and First Lady attend church.
“The president’s Christian faith is not connected to or dependent upon anyone else’s beliefs about him, any particular policy issue, any moment in the news cycle or anything else,” DuBois said. “The president’s faith existed long before the While House and will continue after he closes the door to the White House for the last time.”
Critics say that wouldn’t be readily apparent from watching his public comings and goings. After disavowing his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and leaving Wright’s Chicago church during the 2008 campaign, Obama was widely expected to seek out a church in Washington that he’d attend with some frequency. Instead, he’s attended Sunday services only occasionally, visiting a patchwork of congregations 19 times in all since taking office, according to a POLITICO analysis of White House pool reports.
Evidently Epstein and her employer have failed to discern the difference between religion and faith.
I can really identify with this, because I have attended church zero times in the same time period. Is the true Christians the Republicans who attend church several times a week, but practices racism, intolerance and greed, or the people who try to reflect what Jesus taught, whether or not they reject organized churches?
Cartoon:
20 Responses to “Open Thread–12/27/2014”
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NY Times – good grief the banksters are at it again! (On a related topic are we all the world over subjected to adverts from vile loan companies on tv channels and billboards – one of which over here was advertising its loans very happily at nearly 3,000% interest per annum – do people really know what they are signing – that if they borrow one pound/dollar/euro from these people they will have to pay 30 back in interest, 31 in total?!).
SPLC – God bless them all for their hard work – but I am very glad that I have just watched Simon's Cat and Catnip (on Nancy C's News on C2) to brace me before I was reminded of some of the nasties from 2014…
Crooks and Liars – you are absolutely correct as usual TC – but for the article writer's wish for the Repugs to be able to discern between religion and faith, they would have to have so many, many qualities that they presently lack – firstly the ability and desire to open a book or two and thoughtfully read them – namely a dictionary, and the Bible (emphasis on the Gospels); then they would have to have the gift of discernment – to discern whether they were about to come out with another whopper of a lie and then to have the gift of restraint and stop themselves…. I could go on, but we all know the list of virtues so lamentably lacking in them, poor souls.
Like you TC, and many others, I believe that God will judge us on our deeds and how we have lived our lives, trying to obey Christ's words (particularly in the Gospels) and trying to put them into practice in our own lives – and I seriously doubt that He takes attendence in church – particularly when those churches so often preach things quite contrary to the New Testament!
((Oh I do hope I have got those interest rates right – I have lost confidence now and my headache has been back for a while!!).
4:48, average way up, to 5:53. The juice is quite tasty even as just juice.
NY Times – Vulture is not really the right word for these vermin, because vultures are not predators. But I guess it's here to stay, because all the actual savage predators are too attractive looking for their names to make an impression. A pity, because it is demeaning to vultures. BTW, Pat, that's right, assuming you hold the dollar for a year. If you pay it in a month you would pay $3.50 roughly. If you pay it back the next day you would only have to pay back a little over $1.08 – a real bargain (not). All numbers approximate due to unpredictability of fees.
SPLC – Glad someone is keeping an eye of the crazies.
Crooks and Liars – Well, clearly whether you're a Christian depends on how many times you go to church, or at least whether you are on the rolls of a particular church. Right. And if you want to be a car, all you need to do is live in a garage. Like you, TC, I haven't been to church in – well, longer than you cite. But then I also haven't been to any other enclosed spaces where people dress nicely. I am too allergic to colognes and perfumes. Somehow I don't expect to be judged on my allergies.
Cartoon – Slow learners, aren't we?
Thanks for the reassurance Joanne – I suddenly was unsure if I had got those numbers right!
WRT "Crooks & Liars"
I was born, baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. But since I've grown older (and hopefully wiser), I have since become what I would call a Deist in the stead of Thomas Jefferson.
I take time every Sunday to go for a walk in the woods behind my house and meditate and reflect on God.
But living in the Bible Belt I'm frequently ask what church I attend. I usually then ask the questioner what's the name of the architect who designed YOUR church? Not once have I ever been told anything but "I don't know." To which I respond, "Well, I know who designed MY house of worship."
3:01 Ouch!
3:11 Well you certainly got straight to the point!
NY Times ~ They are not at it again. They never stopped. A rose by any other name…
Crooks & Liars ~ I woud rather be likened to the President and First Lady than the "Christians: who attend church every week. I'm with Nameless. I know who designed and built my place of worship.
Cartoon ~ I thought we would be totally out of there by now. Sigh.
From NY Times:
Distressing beyond belief…
Sorry to learn of the passing of your Maine coon (in yesterday's comments).
Having had four of my critters cross over the "Rainbow Bridge" I know how hard it is. I hope the joy from the memories you have will be a balm in your sorrow. (I know I still get misty looking at pictures of the old guys no longer here. And I'm at that age when I wonder if I or my current almost 4 y/o cat will be the next to crossover.)
My condolences Richard on the passing of your "little" one. Loved and loving for 18 years. The best life with you. My three will say kitty prayers for you.
My condolences as well.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Rixar – and Nameless has said it so well – I too " hope the joy from the memories you have will be a balm in your sorrow", I simply couldn't have said it better, We love them so much – and they love us back, and we will meet again one day, as love never dies. Saying prayers for you.
Rixar13, my condolences too. Been there, done that, still grieving too. I am sure that if the Rainbow Bridge isn't true, something better is. They do have souls, fur sure.
Thank you all so very much. I am so very lucky to have enjoyed his company all these years. My wife had to bury him as I couldn't have done it… His name was Jerry Anne named after a Spice Girl but he didn't care… ♥
And America created thugs like Bin Laden in response to that stupidity.
Puzzle — 3:11 Well you certainly got straight to the point!
NY Times — I truly hope that Elizabeth Warren is able to get her teeth into these practices, chewing up and spitting out these companies. In Canada, the usury rate is 60% and nothing can go above that. When I was lending for a car loan, I had to include for example the fee for registration of a chattel mortgage when calculating the annual lending rate. To me, the US capitalist system is far too unfriendly for the average person. Warren's book is excellent for describing some situations that everyday people are forced into. This is a link to the Government of Canada and legislation around pay day loans. http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/LegislativeSummaries/bills_ls.asp?ls=c26&Parl=39&Ses=1
SPLC — Good on the SPLC. Too bad that their services are needed to the degree they are. I know we have hate groups in Canada, but nothing approximating those in the US.
Crooks and Liars — "Evidently Epstein and her employer have failed to discern the difference between religion and faith." — Amen!!! I wonder what she would say if Obama showed up coming out of a mosque? I wonder if Epstein is a right wing evangelical pseudo Christian? If she is, that may explain her confusion. If she is not, she just might be a friend of Bibi's. Any way you slice it, it is none of her business how often or where the Obamas go to church.
Cartoon — I was just thing of the Russians in Afghanistan the other day. That lead to the US and its allies, including Canada, being mired down in Afghanistan and exiting now. Do you think that Afghanistan should be declared a "no go" zone?
Thanks all. Overslept. Running late.
I was travelling yesterday and didn't get to read this.
NY Times: Subprime auto loans are another way to rip off the poor, just as these "fast cash" loans are doing.
SPLC: I believe that if we knew how many "hate" groups existed in this country we would be terrified. How do people become so misersable??
Crooks and Liars: Going to church does not make you a Christian. Too many of the people whom I know are racists, liars, thieves, go to church regularly.
Cartoon: And, of course the USA had to show that we were bigger idiots.