Althouse: "People who kill other people and strangle them is a very personal thing because they are actually looking at you as they are dying."

September 20, 2009

"People who kill other people and strangle them is a very personal thing because they are actually looking at you as they are dying."

"Think about what anger and rage anyone would have to have."

90 comments:

Fred4Pres said...: I do not want to excuse it, because there is no excuse, but that tide of rage must feed on itself. He probably feared losing his job for being a total mouse cage nazi and things quickly spiraled out of control. I am speculating, but I doubt this attack was planned.

What an absolute waste. Lives ruined for a moment of anger.; 9/20/09, 7:04 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: "They are actually looking at you as they are dying."

Think about it.

The Macho Response; 9/20/09, 7:12 PM
rhhardin said...: Violence is a subcategory under workplace.; 9/20/09, 7:23 PM
ricpic said...: People who kill other people and strangle them is a very personal thing...

Yes it am.; 9/20/09, 7:24 PM
Methadras said...: Lefties should be applauding this murder. He didn't use a gun to commit this violent act.; 9/20/09, 7:25 PM
traditionalguy said...: These writers don't know anymore about murdering than as General Patton said the Saturday evening post writers knew about fornicating. There are many people who do not get personal with other people at all yet can easily do evil deeds to those other people from a logic that tells them that only the killer's needs are worthy. The Slavery industry that so cursed the southern planters sprung from simple profit motives of New England ship owners. The evil is easy to do if one sees the other people as worthless or non-valuable. As to strangulation, that is an impersonal strength display. Have you watched any Ultimate Fighting Cage on cable? The wrestlers always win...and wrestling is a quickness and strength test that ends in the exposing the opponent's neck for a kill/pin.; 9/20/09, 7:38 PM
Jeremy said...: Speaking of personal experiences...I remember most of the incredibly uneducated and racist whining and bitching assholes expressing their typical bullshit relating to "Precious."

Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," snagged the coveted award at a luncheon that also named "Cairo Time," from Toronto director Ruba Nadda, the best Canadian feature.; 9/20/09, 7:39 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Nancy Pelosi and Bob Herbert warned you that this would happen if you didn't cool the retoric. But you didn't believe them, did you?; 9/20/09, 7:43 PM
rhhardin said...: I. Workplace
A. Environment
1. Hostile
a. Violence
i. Personal; 9/20/09, 7:50 PM
Paco Wové said...: Hey, somebody better tell whomever runs the Jeremy-bot autotroller that it seems to be malfunctioning and spewing nonsense. (Well, more nonsensical nonsense.); 9/20/09, 8:01 PM
RLB_IV said...: Is there DNA evidence in this case? Did he have joint compound under his fingernails or were there bite marks on the back of her neck? ... Or is he the suspect because he is just not "top drawer"? After all he cleaned mouse shit for a living. Did he need health insurance? Did she? What the hell was she doing in the wall!
Hmmm... sounds like CSI and the dead wife in the water heater.

What do we know, strangled by hand or garroted with plastic tubing from behind. Only the real killer knows for sure.

Dupin would figure it out if he was available.; 9/20/09, 8:02 PM
Jeremy said...: Paco - Are you legal?

Doesn't sound like it.; 9/20/09, 8:03 PM
Bissage said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/20/09, 8:08 PM
Jeremy said...: rhhardin - Why do you care about any of this?

Are you actually saying you are not accepting Medicare, Medicaid, SS and who knows what else...VIA the U.S. Government.

WHAT is it about "socialism" you're not already sucking down????

Are you denying this??

You're a uneducated right wing hypocritical liar...and you know it, too.; 9/20/09, 8:08 PM
Jeremy said...: Bissage: "Please, for Christ’s sake, can’t we all be nicer to each other before it’s all over?

Please."

This from someone who worships Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Coulter and others.

Too late.; 9/20/09, 8:11 PM
Laura(southernxyl) said...: Le's family and friends gathered Tuesday for a private memorial Mass officiated by a Vietnamese priest at the St. Thomas More Catholic Center on campus.

Quang Van, a Yale Vietnamese language and literature lecturer who attended the Mass, said that Le's mother wrote a poem in Vietnamese. It was about singing lullabies for her daughter when she was young, but now having to sing a different kind of lullaby with her death. Le's younger brother, Chris, read an English translation.

The family of Le's fiance, Jonathan Widawsky, issued a statement Thursday, thanking people who were involved in preparations for "a wedding that was not to be."

"We share in the grief of the family of Annie Le and are, collectively, doing our best to deal with our tragic loss," said the family's statement. "Annie will live in our hearts forever."

article

The mice will not miss Clark at all.; 9/20/09, 8:14 PM
MadisonMan said...: Did Elspeth McGillicuddy see the murder?; 9/20/09, 8:16 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey Jeremy, here's a proposal. Give me the option to not pay for those programs, and I will gladly forego them. The "federal government" doesn't provide those programs -- it is the increasing minority of us who pay federal taxes who provide them. At least you could say thanks.

wv: promb - A high school dance that really sucks.; 9/20/09, 8:16 PM
Treacle said...: not if you strangle them from behind.; 9/20/09, 8:17 PM
traditionalguy said...: Jeremy...Why so angry at Rh? If Fica took $250,000 from him over 35 years and now he begins to recieve his return with 2% interest that would mean he would recieve 15+ years of return of his deposits into this "Insurance" before he begins to cost The Government one red cent. Or are we back into Socialist Delusion Heaven where all money belongs to the GREAT OWNER IF ALL THINGS now claiming to control the votes in our formerly Constitutional Republic? Anyway, You and them Lie.; 9/20/09, 8:23 PM
Jeremy said...: And the insanity band plays on....

Methadras - "Lefties should be applauding this murder. He didn't use a gun to commit this violent act."

Ignorance is Bliss = "Nancy Pelosi and Bob Herbert warned you that this would happen if you didn't cool the retoric. But you didn't believe them, did you?"

Hey, somebody better tell whomever runs the Jeremy-bot autotroller that it seems to be malfunctioning and spewing nonsense. (Well, more nonsensical nonsense.)

RLB_IV - (Too dumb to even quote.); 9/20/09, 8:24 PM
Leather Daddy said...: Don't pick on Jeremy guys. He's trade. They talk big but just need a Leather Daddy to give them something to shut up their small, perky blond mouths.; 9/20/09, 8:26 PM
Jeremy said...: traditional - I think he deserves everything he contributed to or that the horrible "government" makes damn sure he gets.

But whining about it tells me he's a hypocritical wing nut.

Just like YOU.; 9/20/09, 8:27 PM
Leather Daddy said...: Oh, Jeremy. All that preening and pouting. You're such a tease!; 9/20/09, 8:30 PM
Jeremy said...: Leather - Whenever men (are you?) use such silly sexual innuendo type slurs, I have to believe they're gay, but don't have the guts to admit it.

Oh, and one way or the other: suck my dick, you little twerp.; 9/20/09, 8:30 PM
Jeremy said...: Does this "Leather Daddy" character make the "regulars" feel just a bit uncomfortable?

Very strange...; 9/20/09, 8:32 PM
RLB_IV said...: Good God, Elspeth McGillicuddy a witness? Once again on the road. Teamed with Miss Marple and Dupin we shall know the real killer.; 9/20/09, 8:33 PM
Leather Daddy said...: Darling twinky Jeremy, there's nothing I'm afraid to admit about being gay. As for sucking your dick, well I'm a straight-up Daddy. Which means I don't suck. But you, kiddo, all that bluster, I know you've got a hot mouth. Now drop to your knees and smile like a doughnut for Daddy.; 9/20/09, 8:35 PM
Laura(southernxyl) said...: I guess Ann might as well not bother posting about any particular thing, we get the same immature bickering about the same tired subjects regardless.; 9/20/09, 8:39 PM
Jeremy said...: I'm afraid using the moniker "Leather Daddy" pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself.; 9/20/09, 8:40 PM
Leather Daddy said...: I am strange, Jeremy. But I'm perceptive, and I can sense that you have the kind of "skill" that once helped Todd Montgomery to set a personal best at Continental Baths over a Labor Day weekend in the early 70's.; 9/20/09, 8:40 PM
Jeremy said...: Laura - I', tired of your bullshit.

Stop posting.; 9/20/09, 8:41 PM
Leather Daddy said...: "pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself"

Sweet boy. I've got you so flustered, you're not making sense. I can think of a better use for your small, feminine hands, Jeremy, than trying to type adult sentences.; 9/20/09, 8:42 PM
Leather Daddy said...: "I', tired of your bullshit".

I really do have you wired, don't I, kiddo. You can't even type contractions! A Daddy can always tell these kinds of things.; 9/20/09, 8:43 PM
Jeremy said...: "Leather" - I'm afraid using the moniker "Leather Daddy" pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself.; 9/20/09, 8:43 PM
meep said...: MadisonMan - Of course, they need to hire Lucy Eyelesbarrow to sniff out the clues. Perhaps a dropped compact or a snippet of a fur coat....; 9/20/09, 8:45 PM
Jeremy said...: So, the "regular" political posters think this "Leather Daddy" pervert is pretty cool?

C'mon...Leather Daddy?

How strange is that?; 9/20/09, 8:45 PM
Paco Wové said...: Sorry, Laura. Possibly some topics are so horrible that there isn't much that can be said.; 9/20/09, 8:45 PM
traditionalguy said...: Jeremy...Sorry for whining in your presence. Is there anything the Wingnut Heros Association of All Americans ( WHAAA )can do to make life easier for you and President Obama these days? Defeat is such a bitter pill, and you and President Obama have every right to be testy. I sure hope Obama wont take out his anger by following Jimmy and Zbig's advice and shoot down Israeli Planes flying over Iraq trying to stop our ally Iran's Atomic Bomb. You know, the Atomic bomb that makes electricty, only electicity in the nature of a fission burst that vaporises all those Jews that irritate Iran and Jimmy Carter and all of the intellectual descendants of the Nazi thinkers who have been waiting for a rematch for 64 years now.; 9/20/09, 8:46 PM
Jeremy said...: GEEEEE, traditionalguy, do you really think Obama is a Nazi??

Really?

Duh.; 9/20/09, 8:50 PM
Leather Daddy said...: Handsome, Jeremy. Don't bring the others into this. And don't be threatened or frightened. You're a tease but you know it's what you want. So exhale thoroughly, inhale deeply on Daddy's Rush and let me take care of you.; 9/20/09, 8:50 PM
Jeremy said...: "Leather" - I'm afraid using the moniker "Leather Daddy" pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself.; 9/20/09, 8:51 PM
Jeremy said...: meep - Maybe it was a stranger on a train with a rope.; 9/20/09, 8:53 PM
Leather Daddy said...: What a boy, Jeremy. You're repeating yourself. Repetition is something a Daddy can certainly work with! Repetition. The same movement. Over and over and over and over. It's a very good thing, Jeremy.; 9/20/09, 8:54 PM
Jeremy said...: "Leather" - I'm afraid using the moniker "Leather Daddy" pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself.; 9/20/09, 8:56 PM
Leather Daddy said...: That's right my dear twink. Same thing over and over. Empty your mind. No thoughts. Focus only on a small phrase and let your Daddy do the thinking for you.; 9/20/09, 8:57 PM
Jeremy said...: The Crack Emcee said...'They are actually looking at you as they are dying.' - "Think about it."

Deep.

What if they're standing behind the victim?; 9/20/09, 8:58 PM
Jeremy said...: "Leather" - I'm afraid using the moniker "Leather Daddy" pretty much illustrates who you are what what you think of yourself.; 9/20/09, 8:59 PM
Leather Daddy said...: Dear ignorant, Jeremy. Making the same points others have made. Now stop trying to use your brain to think and give yourself over. Now.; 9/20/09, 9:00 PM
traditionalguy said...: Seriously Jeremy...I believe that Barack Obama is a basketball player. If you play that game you know what a head fake is...look right and run left or look right and pass left. He is a close and intimate friend of Louis Farrakhan. He tells the muslim world that he is a friend of theirs in his Cairo Speech. Jimmy Carter is his current defender. So watching his belt buckle and not his head fakes is your answer. If Obama wants to see the Jews in Israel/Jerusalem destroyed, then no matter where he head fakes us, he is a true ally of every Nazi alive today. Maybe that is not important to you. A commenter here named Cederford thinks so what about Israel's population, because he sees them as an unworthy and evil people that should be sacificed for America's monetary benefit. But that is The Nation of Islam position of Louis Farrakhan. It has never before been the position of The Democrat Party that existed before George Soros' money buought them out in 2004.; 9/20/09, 9:12 PM
Jeremy said...: traditionalguy said..."Seriously Jeremy...I believe that Barack Obama is a basketball player."

Seriously: He's actually your President, asswipe.

You're a small-minded twerp.; 9/20/09, 9:23 PM
Treacle said...: "Seriously: He's actually your President, asswipe."

My dear, Jeremy! You're into scat! So few twinks are anymore!; 9/20/09, 9:26 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: What if they're standing behind the victim?

They're still looking at the victim - the victim just ain't looking back, idiot.

Now go back to playing with your Leather Daddy.; 9/20/09, 9:31 PM
Jeremy said...: Treacle = "He's your President, too...dumbfuck.

Why are you so racist?; 9/20/09, 9:31 PM
Jeremy said...: The Crack Emcee said..."They're still looking at the victim - the victim just ain't looking back, idiot."

This what you quoted, jerkoff: "They are actually looking at you as they are dying."

Eyes in the back of their head?

Duh.

And why are you still here sucking on wingnuts who wish you didn't exist?; 9/20/09, 9:34 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Would you care to take a break from this thread-ruining everlastingly angry and argumentative douchbag and have a look at the pop-up card I made tonight?; 9/20/09, 9:34 PM
David said...: Jeremy arrives.

Conversation dives into toilet.

Don't feed the trolls, people!; 9/20/09, 9:34 PM
Jeremy said...: What a site: Leather Daddy's sucking up to Crack Emcees.

What a sad crew.; 9/20/09, 9:35 PM
Jeremy said...: David - Suck my dick, chickenshit.; 9/20/09, 9:36 PM
Jeremy said...: David - I see you're from SC.

Cheating on your wife or parnter?; 9/20/09, 9:38 PM
Jeremy said...: THE CHIPPER - Any news hots of YOU???; 9/20/09, 9:43 PM
traditionalguy said...: Jeremy, Jeremy...Of course He is our President. You asked whether he is a Nazi. The best way to learn a man's preferred tactics is to learn how he first learned to play competitive games as a boy trying to beat other boys It was said that the British Army officers learned all their tricks for fighting the wars of The Empire on the playing fields of Eaton. President Obama has shown a tendency to hide his true goal by pointing out another counterfeit goal. I expect that we will all find out what our President has up his sleeve for the continued existence of Israel by Christmas. He will soon hold the balance of power in his own hands, like Nixon held in his hands on October 12, 1973. But President Obama knows that, and so far he is acting so as to encourge Iran not to cause Iran any fear of the US helping Israel when the chips are down.; 9/20/09, 9:44 PM
Donna B. said...: Well, back to the idea of "power and control" in the article linked by Althouse, I think it has its strengths and weaknesses.

The suspect apparently had his own girlfriend that he was adept at controlling. That he might want to control Annie Le leads me to believe that his control over the mice was questioned.

The suspect is of the right age for schizophrenia to develop and perhaps that has something to do with his behavior.

Perhaps not. As the cops have said, we may never know. I do hope they investigate the motive angle as much as possible.

Not knowing what experiments were being performed, I can imagine that some necessary protocol of the experiment upset the keeper of the mice. It's possible that his relationship/identity with these animals ran deeper than merely cleaning their cages.

Could he have, in some bizarre way, felt responsible for them beyond caring for their cleanliness?

What stands out is that there was obviously some sort of craziness factor at work here.

And it's extremely difficult to screen out crazy in a job interview or background check of a young person. I'm not inclined to hold Yale's hiring practices as responsible.

Killing Annie Le may have been the first crazy act that Clark committed.

And that is not a comforting thought.; 9/20/09, 9:53 PM
Jeremy said...: Traditional Asshole: You say I "asked whether he is a Nazi."

That is a flat out lie.

I responded to this from you, asking why you would imply President Obama was a Nazi: "If Obama wants to see the Jews in Israel/Jerusalem destroyed, then no matter where he head fakes us, he is a true ally of every Nazi alive today."

Suck my dick, you lying piece of shit.; 9/20/09, 9:56 PM
Jeremy said...: Donna - "What stands out is that there was obviously some sort of craziness factor at work here.

Ya think so??

You sure you want to go out on a limb like that?

Good lord...; 9/20/09, 9:59 PM
traditionalguy said...: Good grief, Jeremy. Calm down. We have ordered an intervention team from WHAAA to save you before you hurt yourself or others. Just stay on the line until the nice men get there.; 9/20/09, 10:06 PM
Jeremy said...: traditionalguy - You're a liar.; 9/20/09, 10:22 PM
daubiere said...: wow, great comment section you have going here anne.... real top notch.; 9/20/09, 10:25 PM
Alex said...: Le's research on enzymes could have had involved breakthroughs in cancer, diabetes and muscular dystrophy. Clark's work, on the other hand, tidying floors and cages, was more janitorial in nature.

Bottom line is Clark's hatred and envy might have snuffed out millions of lives. Another reason why men must be put in their place - women are superior scientists!!!; 9/20/09, 10:32 PM
Cedarford said...: BY that logic, is the missionary position more personal than doggiestyle or reverse cowgirl?; 9/20/09, 10:33 PM
Alex said...: Crack Emcee - you sound almost gleeful that he murdered her. Are you that filled with hatred for women?; 9/20/09, 10:35 PM
traditionalguy said...: Jeremy...I apologise to you. I did intentionally pull your chain by saying that 'you asked whether President Obama was a nazi", when as you note, you only asked me if I believed that. But you have earned A LITTLE hardball for your recent harsh comments. I hope we can still be friends.; 9/20/09, 10:44 PM
Cedarford said...: Alex - " Alex said...
Le's research on enzymes could have had involved breakthroughs in cancer, diabetes and muscular dystrophy. Clark's work, on the other hand, tidying floors and cages, was more janitorial in nature."

Bottom line is Clark's hatred and envy might have snuffed out millions of lives. Another reason why men must be put in their place - women are superior scientists!!!

Garbage on two counts.

1. Law and measuring the emotional depth of loss to crime or war should not be commensurate with a "class scale" of the victim. Stranglinf a female postal office worker should not be considered a lesser slight than strangling a "Brilliant Berkeley physicist".

2. Unless you are a PC faculty burning Larry Summers at the stake, women are NOT "superior scientists".; 9/20/09, 10:56 PM
Alex said...: Cedarford - last I checked it was an Asian woman about to make huge breakthroughs in cancer, diabates, and muscular dystrophy, NOT a man. Face it, women have intellectually surpassed men. It's only a matter of time before they start winning all the Nobel Prizes in science.; 9/20/09, 10:58 PM
Jeremy said...: traditionalguy said..."Jeremy...I apologise to you. I did intentionally pull your chain..."

No, you lied.

Fuck off.; 9/20/09, 10:59 PM
MamaM said...: "Formless, empty, with darkness covering the face of the deep...."

Sounds like this comment section before Chip showed up.

Surprise! Thanks Chip.

There must be a needle in the haystack type of analogy to cover the discovery of something delightful in a pile of offal, but I can't put my finger on it.; 9/20/09, 11:11 PM
JAL said...: There are no guarantees.

Our daughter was married this summer. The anticipation and planning and shared happiness is wonderful. So for us the brutal senseless murder of a lovely girl with a life time ahead with a person she loved is -- heart-rending.

Answer to question above -- yes, there was DNA. That is why they arrested him.

Miss Le was apparently well liked by many people. I think he had texted Miss Le about talking about the mice cages? I don't think there is evidence that he is schizophrenic.

It is possible that his anger flared up over some perceived (or real? That seems less likely) offense. I think the deal about it being personal isn't so much about looking at a person while they are dying. People who shoot or stab people would often be looking at their victims die also. I think the point is the murderer has his hands on the victim (back or front) for a measureable amount of time and their hands function as the means of death unlike a bullet, a knife blade, a poison.

I find the (alleged) perpetrator's normal demeanor and behavior after the fact chilling.; 9/20/09, 11:22 PM
Jeremy said...: Mama - Sounds like you have your finger up the Chipper's ass.; 9/20/09, 11:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey fuck you, you motherfuckers. Suck my dick!; 9/20/09, 11:39 PM
Synova said...: Chip's card is beautiful. I'm glad I went to look at it too.; 9/20/09, 11:44 PM
bagoh20 said...: "Face it, women have intellectually surpassed men."

Wow, that's impressive, but I don't think they will ever be able to match the intellectual level demonstrated by the gentlemen posting here tonight. Men rule!; 9/20/09, 11:51 PM
Jason said...: Jeremy,

Have you come of your meds? I'm serious. It looks like you're decompensating, big time.; 9/20/09, 11:56 PM
MamaM said...: Jeremy...I'm not clear as to what you are suggesting? I'm wondering if a pop-up with fingers and asses would
be helpful. Right now all I can picture is the part with the ass.; 9/21/09, 12:12 AM
Donna B. said...: Yes Jeremy I do want to go out on the limb that some kind of crazy was at work in this murder.

Do you not? Do you wish to think it normal?; 9/21/09, 2:13 AM
Penny said...: I used to ignore the trolls, because Althouse and me, well we shared a similar view about trolls. They should be ignored.

But then Althouse banned a "troll". With great fanfare and a post all its own. And a one line troller, no less. Who knows? It might just have been someone out of step with the norm here, otherwise known as outside the Althouse vortex.

Anyway, I digress. Apparently, the usual rules no longer apply on Althouse, and so, while it appears that I am in "Rome", perhaps I can leave my best judgement behind to behave as a "Roman"?

Whoa, that is SOOOOOOOO tempting.

When leaders give you wide berth, and even invite you to pass judgement on others not quite like you, perhaps it is our obligation to do exactly that?

Or is that only true for the single comment "troll"?

Yes, I think that is exactly what Althouse means. Ignore the KNOWN loud mouths, like Jeremy, and ban the "LONE" voice...

Known/lone....Hey, they rhyme!

Ok, I think I know the house rules now.; 9/21/09, 3:26 AM
rhhardin said...: I favor social security, actually.

It's an inflation-protected insurance policy against outliving your income.

A private company can't do that, inflation being something that can wipe out any entity without a printing press.

Your odds of outliving the private company that you're going to need in case you outlive your income are actually pretty high. So it would be an AIG situation. All their policies go into the red at once and they collapse.

Bush's plan of privatizing SS would work no better, though the details are different. The principle is the same.

The invariant is that people can't save enough for an extreme retirement. They can however save enough for an average one. Enter insurance.; 9/21/09, 3:59 AM
Penny said...: And now to the original topic...

"They are actually looking at you as they are dying."

"THEY" are dying. It just so happens that they are strangling "YOU".

Annie Le would understand, if she were alive. Unfortunately, she was the "YOU" that one night Clark was wanting to choke himself to death.

He won't remember a thing about this, but his "friends" and the TV hosts will fill in the blanks that his lawyer doesn't make up to save him.

It's a very strange world we live in, but, hey, Annie Le is dead. REALLY dead. For now at least.

Maybe we should let traditional guy and Chip take it away from here...; 9/21/09, 4:18 AM
Anonymous said...: I'm surprised.

You've all missed the entire point of this article. It can be found in this line:

"If Clark committed the crime he is accused of, a criminologist told ABCNews.com his actions might be explained by what sociologists call 'relative deprivation.'"

Do you see it, yet?

It's right there.

This murder only happened, so the argument will be made, because some people make too much money. It should be redistributed to reduce these crimes.

The rich ... their money must be redistributed so that there isn't "deprivation," relative to each of us.

It's another excuse to justify creeping socialism. It is the prism through which all future events will be shone.; 9/21/09, 5:11 AM
Penny said...: Good morning, rh. You need a stiff cup of coffee, my friend, and after that? Perhaps you could tell me all about those "extreme retirements", because I want one of those.

Extremely comfortable, if you please.

My story is simple. I worked hard and honestly. I made money according to my abilities. I paid all my bills on time, and lived my entire life well within my means.

I don't waste my savings on lottery tickets, and I have never looked to gain unfair advantage by suing a single soul for easy money at anyone's expense.

I go on one, three day vacation a year and live in a house that needs a bit of an overhaul.

All in all, I have been a remarkably good citizen who appreciates the value of holding off spending for some future day...

And you are reminding me that Social Security is here to cover my ass?

Don't be a fool. Do I look like a young white male caught in the headlights of being the second last "protected class" we have in this country?

Cheer up, young white male. The "rich" have a hell of a lot less protection than you!

I am so PROUD to be third on this list of fools!

I can't be certain, but my gut tells me that most of us can hit rock bottom just in time to be first in line for the next round of handouts.

Even fools e v e n t u a l l y learn the rules.

*Bumping fists with Glenn Beck while going the safer route...the road well worn by too many*

Geez, it's pretty crowded down here. What the hell?; 9/21/09, 6:00 AM
rhhardin said...: An extreme retirement is one where you live a long time.

The policy variable is when your retirement starts.

Simply adjust the age so that the workers are willing to support the retirees, given their relative numbers.

The relative numbers depend only on the average retirement; and via variability can cover the extreme retirements that come up.

The same tradeoff would happen if retirement were privatized but by a different mechanism, but without the insurance aspect. You might outlive your savings.; 9/21/09, 6:23 AM