Eat the Rich

[Ulysses]

Well, I worked in Silicon Valley in the 90's.

Except it was on the hardware side, which I suppose was not as fat as the software side.

I was unaware of corporate extravagances like owning sports palaces. And when I started riding a bicycle to work (taking BART for most of the way) to avoid the freeway gridlock (and for exercise), I used my own... nobody provided one for me. And, by 2001, it all blew up in the dot com's face, so there is that.

[Vrede too]

One thing that weirded me out about the silicon valley area was all the stuff the big tech companies owned. Like basketball courts, bicycles, and a bunch of other stuff for employees.

Felt like little corporate fiefdoms.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/ ... 05a2cd2d78

Not to mention owning our cultural heritage.

Billionaire Steinhardt surrenders $70 million of antiquities, accepts collecting ban -Manhattan DA

U.S. hedge fund billionaire and philanthropist Michael Steinhardt has surrendered $70 million of stolen antiquities and accepted a first-of-its-kind lifetime ban on acquiring antiquities to resolve a criminal probe, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said on Monday.

Vance said his probe, begun in February 2017, found "compelling evidence" that the 180 antiquities were stolen from 11 countries, with at least 171 passing through traffickers before Steinhardt's purchases.

"For decades, Michael Steinhardt displayed a rapacious appetite for plundered artifacts without concern for the legality of his actions, the legitimacy of the pieces he bought and sold, or the grievous cultural damage he wrought across the globe," Vance said in a statement....

Vance said the antiquities will be returned to their rightful owners in Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Turkey. Law enforcement in these countries assisted in the probe.

According to a 142-page statement of facts, 138 of the antiquities came from Greece, Israel or Italy, with Steinhardt once acknowledging that a majority of items he bought from one dealer "did not have provenance." ...

Good, but the fat cat asshole should be in prison. How many have never been caught?

[O Really]

How many have never been caught?

Funny you should ask. Me, for one. Although I neither bought nor knowingly stole anything, I did apparently smuggle a very old piece of pottery in recognizable shape out of Greece. I lived in Iraklion, Crete, about a couple kilometers from the ancient palace of Knossos, and we did a lot of snorkling/diving off the beach at Malia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malia,_Crete
Anyway, I would never have broken anything or taken anything out of the ruins, but I thought (mistakenly) that anything we found on a dive would be fair game. I did find a pretty nice vase with some cracks and broken pieces but overall intact. So I found out later that it was a major deal to take such things out of the country and I intended to leave it/give it away. But over some time it just became another bit of local decorative item and came back to America with me. Lucky I didn't get searched, I guess.

Searching wasn't likely as it turned out. I had shipped most of my stuff separately so I only had a couple pieces of luggage - and my dog in a crate. My dog got tranked before the trip, and should have been let out for a walk on the Zurich stopover. The walk didn't happen because the stopover was cut short. So we got to New York, the trank had mostly worn off and she hadn't peed in many hours. She had had to ride in baggage, so she came down the chute with my luggage, shrieking her little head off. So I retrieved her and my bags and headed for customs, where she continued to shriek. Customs guy asked for my vet papers on the dog, which I gave him - all in Greek but he pretended like he knew what they said, checked my papers with a cursory glance and moved us on. I let her out as soon as we cleared the door and she flooded the sidewalk. Travel was different back then - and way better than now.

[Vrede too]

How many have never been caught?

Funny you should ask. Me, for one. Although I neither bought nor knowingly stole anything, I did apparently smuggle a very old piece of pottery in recognizable shape out of Greece. I lived in Iraklion, Crete, about a couple kilometers from the ancient palace of Knossos, and we did a lot of snorkling/diving off the beach at Malia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malia,_Crete
Anyway, I would never have broken anything or taken anything out of the ruins, but I thought (mistakenly) that anything we found on a dive would be fair game. I did find a pretty nice vase with some cracks and broken pieces but overall intact. So I found out later that it was a major deal to take such things out of the country and I intended to leave it/give it away. But over some time it just became another bit of local decorative item and came back to America with me. Lucky I didn't get searched, I guess....

Sounds to me like you did knowingly steal it. Am I misunderstanding your post? Did you ever return it or do your still have it?

Anyhow, not really comparable to fat cat asshole Michael Steinhardt.

[neoplacebo]

It could be that O Really's vase was one that was thrown into the sea a thousand years ago by the wife of the guy who did nothing but drink from it all day and she just got fed up with it.

[Vrede too]

It could be that O Really's vase was one that was thrown into the sea a thousand years ago by the wife of the guy who did nothing but drink from it all day and she just got fed up with it.

See? It's important backstories like that that make O Really's theft so egregious . Lazy sots and nagging spouses are OUR cultural history.

... I had shipped most of my stuff separately so I only had a couple pieces of luggage - and my dog in a crate. My dog got tranked before the trip, and should have been let out for a walk on the Zurich stopover. The walk didn't happen because the stopover was cut short. So we got to New York, the trank had mostly worn off and she hadn't peed in many hours. She had had to ride in baggage, so she came down the chute with my luggage, shrieking her little head off. So I retrieved her and my bags and headed for customs, where she continued to shriek. Customs guy asked for my vet papers on the dog, which I gave him - all in Greek but he pretended like he knew what they said, checked my papers with a cursory glance and moved us on. I let her out as soon as we cleared the door and she flooded the sidewalk. Travel was different back then - and way better than now.

I was once forced into an unintended overnight mid-trip. The airline got me a room, but wanted to keep my dog. I started shrieking and the dog was rapidly brought out. Turns out it was no problem checking him back in for my new flight the next day. This was decades ago. Idk if modern airline sensitivity or rigidity would make things better or worse now.

[Whack9]

3000 years from now my favorite bong may end up becoming a priceless artifact in a museum of ancient American culture.

[O Really]

Sounds to me like you did knowingly steal it. Am I misunderstanding your post? Did you ever return it or do your still have it?

Anyhow, not really comparable to fat cat asshole Michael Steinhardt.

Well, I guess once I knew you weren't allowed to take it out of the country and then did so - even somewhat accidentally, it could have been considered stolen. But I don't still have it, and I didn't officially return it. I think my parents had it last, and they gave it to some Greek Orthodox group, who probably tossed it as far as I know.

[GoCubsGo]

3000 years from now my favorite bong may end up becoming a priceless artifact in a museum of ancient American culture.

Graffix four footer?

[Vrede too]

More than a dozen members of Congress have violated law on stock trades, investigation finds

A massive investigation of the financial disclosure history of every member of Congress found more than a dozen currently-serving members who have violated the STOCK Act, a piece of legislation that sets rules for lawmakers’ stock portfolios.

Business Insider published the investigation on Monday, a collaborative effort from several dozen journalists, fact-checkers and others at the news outfit. The expansive project provides a look at just how frequently financial disclosure rules are violated by both members and people on their staffs.

In total, six Democrats and eight Republicans received the lowest grade offered by journalists at Insider for their disclosure history; each, along with a handful of other members with slightly higher grades, had violated the STOCK Act by filing numerous late disclosures of stock trades.

A few were responsible for hundreds of individual violations, including a staggering total of more than 720 violations committed by Rep Diana Harshbarger, a Tennessee Republican. Ms Harshbarger didn’t respond to Insider’s request for comment.

In the Senate, two members were graded the lowest rating on the scale: Sen Dianne Feinstein (CA), longtime Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, as well as Sen Tommy Tuberville (AL), a Republican newcomer and ally of former President Donald Trump who has reportedly violated the STOCK Act more than 130 times since taking office in January. Mr Tuberville did not comment; Ms Feinstein’s office defended the senator’s financial practices when approached....

Sen Richard Burr (NC), who was one of just a few senators to oppose the STOCK Act’s prohibition on members trading stocks with nonpublic information, came under investigation last year after he sold $1.6m worth of stock after being briefed on the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020; the trades involved industries that took major financial hits as a result of the pandemic. The Justice Department announced in January that it would not file charges against him.

Seize their assets and lock them up!

NFL player’s son mocked for complaining about Biden and gas prices while wearing $1,295 hoodie

Christian Walker, son of retired NFL player Herschel Walker (R), went viral for all the wrong reasons when he shared his reaction to high gas prices and tried to blame Democrats.

Walker's son recorded himself apparently in shock over having to pay nearly $100 for gas after he filled up his tank with around 20.9 gallons. He shared the video on Instagram alongside images of his photoshoot at the gas station and angry tweets with the caption, “OKAY THIS ISNT FUNNY ANYMORE. $98??? While Joe takes his afternoon naps and vacations at his beach house, GAS PRICES AND INFLATION ARE SOARING.”

The problem is that while he dramatically complained about having to spend $100, Walker was wearing a black Givenchy sweatshirt that retails for $1,295 online.

No, you really can’t make this stuff up.

“Y’all said Joe Biden is going to be the great unifier? This is divisive to my bank account and my hard earned money,” he says in the video, adding: “Democrats voted for this...I know this is a joke.” ...



“Does Herschel Walker’s son Christian Walker, realize that everyone is laughing at him, not with him? The spoiled child of a multi-millionaire, wearing a $1,300 hoodie, filling up his Range Rover, bitches abt the price of gas ? He makes a complete fool of himself here. LMAO !!!” read one tweet....

“You know the President doesn’t have a magic lever to raise or drop gas prices right?” one person asked....

"sweatshirt that retails for $1,295"???!!!

[Ulysses]

It is generally considered most healthy to avoid rich food.

[Vrede too]

Article and more reactions.

[Vrede too]

A reminder that every single House Republican voted against a $35/month price cap on insulin.

[Vrede too]

Vladimir Putin wore a $14,000 puffer jacket to promote his invasion of Ukraine

We all know that Putin is an asshole, but wtf is up with a $14,000 non-fur jacket? I could not find that specific jacket at Loro Piana, but this non-down one looks similar:

Clemont Bomber Jacket

$11,550.00

Bomber jacket made from The Gift of Kings® — Loro Piana’s exclusive selection of the world’s finest wool, with fibers measuring only 12 microns in diameter. This cozy, comfortable style is enhanced by lightweight, warm padding and fabrics.

Other jackets go as high as:

New Central Park Bomber

$26,995.00

Refined aviator-style bomber crafted from vicuña, the finest, rarest animal fibre in the world. Casual outerwear finished with lining and detachable collar in mink fur.

Seriously?

[billy.pilgrim]

Vladimir Putin wore a $14,000 puffer jacket to promote his invasion of Ukraine

We all know that Putin is an asshole, but wtf is up with a $14,000 non-fur jacket? I could not find that specific jacket at Loro Piana, but this non-down one looks similar:

Clemont Bomber Jacket

$11,550.00

Bomber jacket made from The Gift of Kings® — Loro Piana’s exclusive selection of the world’s finest wool, with fibers measuring only 12 microns in diameter. This cozy, comfortable style is enhanced by lightweight, warm padding and fabrics.

Other jackets go as high as:

New Central Park Bomber

$26,995.00

Refined aviator-style bomber crafted from vicuña, the finest, rarest animal fibre in the world. Casual outerwear finished with lining and detachable collar in mink fur.

Seriously?

While so many families work 3 and 4 jobs to barely pay day to day bills.

[Vrede too]

While so many families work 3 and 4 jobs to barely pay day to day bills.

Yep, fta:

While everyday Russians have seen their wealth plummet as the ruble collapses and major foreign brands leave the country, Vladimir Putin has had no qualms showing off his lavish and luxurious wardrobe....

Putin’s luxurious wardrobe contrasts to Ukrainian president’s humble attire since the war broke out. Young and social media savvy, the former comedian is often dressed in solid army green-colored tees, strategically giving updates to Ukrainians from Kyiv or the frontlines to boost morale....

[billy.pilgrim]

Man steals 28 million dollars from the taxpayers and the most he can get is 5 years. It will more likely be probation since he's a fine upstanding doctor

https://www.al.com/news/2022/04/huntsvi ... fraud.html

A Huntsville doctor has been charged with a fraud that billed insurers more than $28 million for tests that were not needed.

"Eric Beck, 63, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In a plea agreement also filed yesterday, Beck agreed to plead guilty to the information."

"The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit health care fraud is five years in prison."

Kid in Florida steals a $750 bicycle can get 30 years

Oh, the protected class

[Vrede too]

Man steals 28 million dollars from the taxpayers and the most he can get is 5 years. It will more likely be probation since he's a fine upstanding doctor

https://www.al.com/news/2022/04/huntsvi ... fraud.html

A Huntsville doctor has been charged with a fraud that billed insurers more than $28 million for tests that were not needed.

"Eric Beck, 63, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In a plea agreement also filed yesterday, Beck agreed to plead guilty to the information."

"The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit health care fraud is five years in prison."

Kid in Florida steals a $750 bicycle can get 30 years

Oh, the protected class

Weird, no mention of property seizure, restitution or even losing his MD license.

[billy.pilgrim]

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local ... e379e0300a

Teachers and other workers to pitch tents in the city park if they can't afford to rent. We wouldn't want anyone to be homeless. Besides there's a Y right across the street so they can shower before work.

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local ... e379e0300a

[neoplacebo]

And trump can play the "YMCA" song when he comes to visit.