Althouse: At the Wet Dog Café...

November 30, 2012

At the Wet Dog Café...

... waiting for Meade to show up with a towel.

43 comments:

Moose said...: How long are those 2 staying with you? I think they're getting used to having Meade as a pet...; 11/30/12, 12:08 PM
Hagar said...: In all this fuss about Obamacare; how come we hear almost nothing about what the reactions among the medical professionals are likely to be?; 11/30/12, 12:10 PM
Lisaocean86 said...: I think I've read in the past that these labs aren't yours. You are obviously a dog lover. I think you should adopt a lab! Maybe an older gent. I adore my two little old men. Just a thought...; 11/30/12, 12:11 PM
MayBee said...: Hot Air is currently highlighting a story from IBD which discusses something I thought I was only riffing on in the mortgage interest deduction thread.

It says the government is eyeing 401(k)s as an untapped source of revenue.
For all the people who think eliminating the MID is fine because it benefits those not yet in the housing market (to the detriment of those who already have a mortgage), this is where that thinking leads.

Why should someone have non-taxable income and interest just because they are lucky enough to have a 401(k)? Besides, all that money distorts the markets. The government needs the money, and only the richest people will have enough in their 401(k) for the increased taxes to really make a difference in their yearly refund!; 11/30/12, 12:14 PM
Ann Althouse said...: These are neighbors' dogs. They come and go.; 11/30/12, 12:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Why would they want a towel? They look pretty dry and happy assuming they've already had their shake. Dollar to Sunday says they'd rather be waiting for a treat than a towel.; 11/30/12, 12:18 PM
Patrick said...: Renting can be cheaper than buying, Lisa. Which is why buying is becoming Passe.; 11/30/12, 12:18 PM
Anonymous said...: And what a wonderful neighborhood to live in where dogs are considered neighbors too. And have the freedom to roam as they please. It's good for their psych. Certainly keeps the critter (coons, opossums, cyotes, deer, etc.) count down. As the Aussies would say, "good on you and yer' neighbors".; 11/30/12, 12:21 PM
Anne said...: If we shop through your Amazon Portal, will you buy Meade a dog of his own with the proceeds?; 11/30/12, 12:27 PM
RecChief said...: The Geithner proposal is to turn the debt ceiling back into a grandstanding game by flipping the order of operations. When the president goes above the ceiling, Congress will have the right to pass a resolution of disapproval. Then the president can veto the resolution. In theory, Congress can override that veto with a two-thirds supermajority, but in the real world that'll never happen. Congress gets its chance at symbolic opposition, and there's no risk to the economy. It's a great idea.

debt ceiling controlled by teh Executive branch. any constitutional law types out there want to comment? please leave aside the "no risk to the economy" that is the opinion of the writer (matt yglesias) although I am sure that sentiment will be pushed by someone.; 11/30/12, 12:27 PM
Hagar said...: All these lawy professors writing blogs seem to have a lot of angst about the young deciding that paying that sort of jack for law college is not worth it if they can't get a job when they graduate.

What about the young seeing that they can get a job in the medical profession all right - at least as accountants - but in no way is it going to offer a financial return commensurate with the expense and wasted years of their youth getting a medical education?; 11/30/12, 12:29 PM
RecChief said...: by the way, 401ks are taxed, they are taxed when you withdraw from them in retirement. They are also taxed when you die and pass them to your heirs, except your spouse.; 11/30/12, 12:30 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/30/12, 12:31 PM
Anonymous said...: One of my neighbors has one of the big poodles that he keeps with a "field cut" hair do...basically a crew cut for a poodle. They are considered retrievers also and have the webs between the toes and will run and swim with a lab like a long lost friend. Just as smart too if a touch more...haughty. They are a particularly handsome dog sporting the "field cut" as opposed to the a "foo-foo" cut.; 11/30/12, 12:33 PM
MayBee said...: by the way, 401ks are taxed, they are taxed when you withdraw from them in retirement.

But by then you probably have reduced income and will be taxed at a lower rate. The government is losing all that money!

Surely the government can tax both ends. You have to pay tax before you can put your money in a savings account, and then you have to pay tax on the interest.; 11/30/12, 12:44 PM
MadisonMan said...: So are they to tax the actual proceeds of the 401K as it grows? (That sometimes happens -- growth, I have heard). Or are they just going to eliminate the ability to contribute pre-tax?

It's almost like the Govt does not want you to save, but would rather have you spend all your money.; 11/30/12, 12:49 PM
Hagar said...: I see in this morning's Journal that UNM has opened an office in Bejing, China to enlist students to attend UNM.; 11/30/12, 12:52 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "They look pretty dry..."

Well, they were wet.

I think Joey looks really wet there.

Video of the swim coming soon.; 11/30/12, 12:54 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "If we shop through your Amazon Portal, will you buy Meade a dog of his own with the proceeds?"

No, borrowed dogs is an actual thing. It's a choice.; 11/30/12, 12:55 PM
Patrick said...: It's almost like the Govt does not want you to save, but would rather have you spend all your money.

This is correct. Spend now, when money is cheap. Go into debt, in fact, so that you will stimulate the economy. Pay it off later, with money that is worth far less after inflation.

Of course it is a complete crock, but that is the policy.; 11/30/12, 1:00 PM
Meade said...: "... waiting for Meade to show up with a towel."

Don't forget - you can get all your towel-buying needs met, at no extra cost to you, by going through the Althouse Amazon.com portal.; 11/30/12, 1:05 PM
Hagar said...: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be."; 11/30/12, 1:07 PM
Saint Croix said...: That reminds me of Sam Cooke!; 11/30/12, 1:14 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/30/12, 1:20 PM
Anonymous said...: Looking at the pics there are no puddles below them though "dry" is a relative term for large dogs entering a woman's house. A completely different parameter than a "wet" dog entering a man's house I would think.; 11/30/12, 1:21 PM
rehajm said...: So the Obama campaign began again in earnest yesterday- (term limits? Bah!). Geithner delivered the dead fish in the bullet-proof vest to the Republicans. Today the president is campaigning in PA. Why PA? There's a toy factory, and an opportunity for the president to look like Santa Claus, unless those damn Republicans spoil Christmas...

It's going to be a long and dark four years...; 11/30/12, 1:24 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Towels? Where is Michel Dyson with his dog-drying machine when you need him?; 11/30/12, 1:26 PM
Toad Trend said...: "These are neighbors' dogs. They come and go."

That settles it. The house dog towel, a staple at the back door, doesn't get used on neighbor's dogs.

That was easy.; 11/30/12, 1:53 PM
edutcher said...: They look like Quantum after she's gone through a couple of puddles on an icy day.

Hagar said...

In all this fuss about Obamacare; how come we hear almost nothing about what the reactions among the medical professionals are likely to be?

They hate it.

From one who lives with one can attest.

Ann Althouse said...

If we shop through your Amazon Portal, will you buy Meade a dog of his own with the proceeds?

No, borrowed dogs is an actual thing. It's a choice.

It's a dog, not a choice.

I know, we have to maintain the whole Cruella Neutrality persona, but you really love those pups.

Admit it.

rehajm said...

So the Obama campaign began again in earnest yesterday- (term limits? Bah!). Geithner delivered the dead fish in the bullet-proof vest to the Republicans. Today the president is campaigning in PA. Why PA? There's a toy factory, and an opportunity for the president to look like Santa Claus, unless those damn Republicans spoil Christmas...

It's going to be a long and dark four years...

Only if you believe all of his nonsense. Remember this is the genius who was going to sell us all on ObamaTax and we hear it's more unpopular than ever.

Another reason why he was the one who lost.; 11/30/12, 2:08 PM
Farmer said...: I can't for the life of me find a photo on the Internet of a poodle with a field cut, and I can't imagine what it might look like.; 11/30/12, 2:58 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Loving borrowed dogs doesn't mean a person wants a dog.

I love other people's dogs. I definitely do not want a dog. At all.

Not saying that that's the same at the Alt/Meade House, but it is certainly possible.; 11/30/12, 3:12 PM
Aridog said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/30/12, 3:55 PM
Titus said...: I wish you were my neighbors. I pay $70.00 for an exclusive, crate free, dog care, while I travel for work. If you want them to pick up or drop off the rare clumber of it is another $20.00.

I have to do this while I travel monthly to DC and Princeton for senior level strategic meetings for work in which I partner and "coach".

I make well into 6 figures so I don't mind much but still.

How much do Needy and you charge? You should be charging at least $40.00 a night, $25.00 minimum.

This could be a possible new business venture you know?

Tits.; 11/30/12, 3:56 PM
Aridog said...: The Farmer said...

I can't for the life of me find a photo on the Internet of a poodle with a field cut ...

Try this retriever/sporting trim on a retriever/ field trials dog. Face is clear of hair and overall hair is of medium length. Close enough??; 11/30/12, 3:57 PM
Sydney said...: Hagar,

The combination of the HITECH act (part of the stimulus bill) and Obamacare has completely demoralized the medical profession with the exception of a few diehard socialists and academics. The HITECH act "incentivized" the adoption of electronic records that are designed not to improve the doctor's ability to do his job, but to better collect data for third party payers. The result is that a lot of doctors feel they spend more time interacting with a computer than with their patients. It also makes review data harder and more time consuming so that the physician has less free time for reading, interacting with family, etc. A lot of us feel we have become data slaves.

Obamacare itself promises to deliver us more patients at Medicaid reimbursement rates. All of this translates into more work for less pay.

In addition, part of Obamacare is to restructure the payment system around something called "accountable cost, I mean, care organizations" or ACO's. These center around the idea of a hospital as the central manager of all the medical personnel in an area. The hospital gets the payments and then distributes them to their doctor employees/members. These are still in the process of developing. No one knows how they will work or eventually develop yet.

Faced with all of this, a lot of doctors have turned their practices over to hospitals and become employees. The thought is, let the hospital invest in the IT and worry about the maintenance and let the hospital worry about the ACO details. Just give me a salary so I can go home at the end of the day. But they are discovering that being an employed physician has its own drawbacks - less control over your schedule, much pressure to produce ever more, no job security, and pressure to make decisions that benefit the organization over the patient. It is not pretty.

Overall, I would say the last four years have been demoralizing for the medical profession.; 11/30/12, 4:24 PM
Unknown said...: I can't believe the photo includes the Weber 1520 Propane Gas Go-Anywhere Grill without including an Amazon link.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-1520-Propane-Go-Anywhere-Grill/dp/B00004RALK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1354315409&sr=8-3&keywords=weber+portable+grill

I got one for camping this summer and it worked fine, although it wouldn't be my first choice for a small permanent deck grill.; 11/30/12, 4:46 PM
RecChief said...: MAYBEE- so you think that it would be good to double tax people's savings? we aren't speaking the same language I think.

Sydney- The last 4 years have been demoralizing for the military as well.; 11/30/12, 4:49 PM
Hagar said...: People who are good enough to become doctors are also good enough to do other things, and I think, we may see a lot of them do just that.; 11/30/12, 4:57 PM
Aridog said...: Unknown ...

http://www.amazon.com/s/?tag=althouse-20&link_code=wsw&_encoding=UTF-8&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=%2FWeber-1520-Propane-Go-Anywhere-Gril&Submit.x=9&Submit.y=18

There, fixed that for ya'... :-)); 11/30/12, 5:03 PM
Aridog said...: sydney said...

... electronic records that are designed not to improve the doctor's ability to do his job, but to better collect data for third party payers. The result is that a lot of doctors feel they spend more time interacting with a computer than with their patients. It also makes review data harder and more time consuming so that the physician has less free time for reading, interacting with family, etc. A lot of us feel we have become data slaves.

Medicaid ... All of this translates into more work for less pay.

Your words are almost exactly those of my own primary physician, and those of the specialists I've seen lately. So far the electronic records have been a boon for quick interpretation and transfer between doctors and view by even me. HOWEVER, the non-medial data crunching is requiring more and more keyboard time by doctors. Many have said they may quit.

RecChief said...

The last 4 years have been demoralizing for the military as well.

All I can add is A-Fricking-Men.; 11/30/12, 5:09 PM
MayBee said...: Rec chief-
It isn't about what I think is good

It's about what the government thinks it can use to get $$$ from us!!! If you use the language of revenue and fairness... How can anyone be against it? ;-); 11/30/12, 6:18 PM
Hagar said...: Any time there is a legislative proposal with the word "fair" in it; LOOK OUT!; 11/30/12, 6:30 PM
jr565 said...: I love labs. My absolute favorite dogs.
They have the best temperament of any dog I've seen, and they're really cute too.
I once went to stay at my aunts house in Vermont and they had a lab there. They weren't home but let us stay there. When we got there we ended up walking over the dog on the way to the bedroom it was so non plus send at us being there. No barking perfectly behaved. We unpacked and then realized "hey, there's a dog here".
Then the next day or so we went out cross country skiing and the dog went out with us. One of our friends was having trouble with the skis and was way behind the rest of the group. The dog stopped in the middle of the path and waited for him to catch up. And it wasn't even his dog. It just knew not to leave him behind.
And this has pretty much been my experience whenever I run into a lab. They just know how to behave. Meanwhile the other dogs are always jumping on you or overly excited.
Labs, at least the ones I've been around, have a zen like state of calm.
Labs rock!; 11/30/12, 11:43 PM