Well, I can think of two arguments. One is that it's obvious that many of them are Jewish organizations. The other is that it would be irresponsible to talk about it like it's only a Jewish problem, so not something that anyone else has to worry about.

Both good points. It was mostly the use of "liberal" that had me squinting a bit. Yeshiva University and Chabad (mentioned as a recipient of money from the Wunderkinder Foundation) aren't really known for being liberal, and a bunch of the others mentioned -- Ramaz School, the various JCCs, Brigham and Women's Hospital, North Shore - Long Island Jewish Health System -- really aren't political at all.

Actually, I think that JEHT is the only one mentioned that could really be described as "liberal." Maybe Elie Wiesel's foundation, but that's a bit of a stretch.

I do hope you're not advocating an explosion in the middle of a city where several people I love live. Or, indeed, any explosions where anyone lives.

More like making a play on the traditional mobster "Nice business. Be a shame if it broke." threat. I'd prefer to see the LDS lose their tax-exempt status over all the political manipulation and have the place come tumbling down around their ears due to lack of maintenance.

If that were to happen, would Mormon minsters be able to conduct legally binding weddings? Or is it the marrriage license that enables that and the ceremony itself has no bearing on legality?

Most Ponzi schemes do crazy things like return 150% on investments -- a rate that cannot possibly be maintained in the long term. Madoff's was IIRC returning 110%, which meant it could be spun along for a long time.

There's been some interesting commentary on Daily Kos, because it really doesn't seem that Madoff could have pulled off that much hoodwinking by himself -- there was a fairly sizeable firm to move those investments around and audit and so on. How many people knew something was hinky?

There's been some interesting commentary on Daily Kos, because it really doesn't seem that Madoff could have pulled off that much hoodwinking by himself -- there was a fairly sizeable firm to move those investments around and audit and so on. How many people knew something was hinky?

Yeah, there was an article in the Times mentioning that -- just the paperwork would have required a whole ton of people, but he's insisting he was working alone, and even the number of people that can be possibly connected is nowhere near enough to have done it.

It was mostly the use of "liberal" that had me squinting a bit.

Yeah, that's a little odd. Innocence Project, though.

Lots. Yglesias had this today, comparing it to Nora Ephron's story about telling everyone she met who Deep Throat was for years and it never really registering:

One interesting fact of the Madoff story is that while the fact that his so-called hedge fund was a fraud wasn’t exactly common knowledge, it wasn’t much of a secret either:

>Harry Markopolos, an independent fraud investigator and derivatives expert, made it his hobby for nine years to uncover Madoff’s fraud. “Madoff was our fantasy sport,” he tells the Journal. “We wanted him nailed.” […] It features no fewer than 29 “red flags.” Those ranged from his inability to replicate Madoff’s returns to statements like “I have also spoken to the heads of various Wall Street equity derivative trading desks and every single one of the senior managers I spoke with told me that Bernie Madoff was a fraud.”

[link]

We have a large possum living in our walls. Under the bathtub and behind the kitchen cabinets. mr. flea found it opening a kitchen cabinet.

This apparently IN ADDITION to the ceiling squirrels.

Let us not talk of the insect vermin (happily out of season, mostl.)

Some radio program on NPR, I don't recall which, had an interview with a reporter who'd done a story back in...uh, 2000 maybe? about the hinkiness of the Madoff thing. And yet no one blinked. No one bit.

Interesting sidenote on that reporter: she'd gone to work Wall Street, not as a journalist. She was recently laid off.

flea, call them pets!

Um, freaky. I've had skunks and coons living UNDER my house. And had ceiling squirrels in the dorm ( closed off attic was their playground.) But uh... maybe get a terrier? Or a cat? Or a freaking tiger?

I am not opposed to possums. I think they are neat. But inside?

Oh dear flea, that sounds um...interesting.

I got in touch with the facebook highschool friend, so that is all set - postponed until the new year. Kinda odd to talk to someone after 20 years.