It should be noted that as with Caliranians, the Armenians who live in California aren't exactly representative of their kind.
Which reminds me of a woman from an upper-class Shia Arab family in the Gulf, who says they despise the Arabs in Europe and don't want to interact with them when they visit Paris. Everyone knows that it's full of every Moroccan, Tunisian, Syrian and Iraqi criminal who knows how to get on a boat and throw away an ID. There is a cultural gulf between them, as it were.
I have a friend who has several Armenian friends here. He tells me they are amazing friends, would do anything for you but their point of view is 'why wouldn't you cheat the government (and insurance companies?' like, I get the feeling you would have a hard time explaining it to them even though they would be very patient about listening and finally laugh and offer you some food
It's typical among many immigrant groups: "All politicians lie so I can pick and choose which election arguments to believe, the government is full of crooks, everyone cheats so I can do the same. You gotta be smart, man." Perpetuating the state of things they have back home.
I haven't even looked at Dem social media after the election, I bet it's entertaining. I have seen stories about teachers showing their hate of conservatives in writing though, and being fired for it. And the chief editor Laura Helmuth at the Scientific American being forced to resign after writing that GOP voters were "bigots" and "fascists" and lots more. And she just had to add her hatred of the state she was born in, Kentucky. Really showing what Dems are like.
>>In her since-deleted posts on Bluesky, Helmuth wrote: “Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and sexist. The moral arc of the universe isn’t going to bend itself.”
>>She went on to add: “Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because fuck them to the moon and back.”
>>“I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of fucking fascists,” Helmuth continued.
I'm guessing Armenians have been shifty bastards since long before the USSR. North America is a Hajnal Lines-bubble; constant, casual corruption and asymmetric dealings are the global norm.
The highest trust societies are within the Hajnal lines, which is also where over 90% of modern inventions and processes are from. So there's another correlate for you to nibble on.
The plot, such as it is, somewhat parallels C.J. Box's last novel "3 Inch Teeth." 'Person of the book', Zuckerman, doubtless read it and went in search of henchmian/myan.
Perhaps they bought cars on the cheap that needed expensive repairs and then had them declared total losses without the danger of having an "accident."
I have been a reader of yours for a *very* long time. I buy a paid account to support your work (and am the proud owner of one of the Patrician Editions of Noticing). I remember that picture of you and Mrs. T. on isteve.blogspot.com. I remember Jupiter and WHITE FAMILY MALES, the Donmeh articles, World War G and T, the yearly search for Kwanza carols, Tiny Duck, AnotherDad and Jack D going at it every time Jews are mentioned, the whole 9th hole...er, 9 yards.
However, paid accounts are linked to one's credit card. This means a future Democratic regime could use them to link comments to one's actual name, resulting in doxxing and possibly prosecution.
So I comment on public articles, and read private ones.
Also, the bear bit made me laugh out loud.
I guess this is one bear women would be afraid of?
Just curious. Who is "Mrs. T"? Glancing over the article it seems like she might be the (white?) wife of the black "Clubber Lang" actor, but I'm not seeing any such picture at the link.
He was in a series called T and T in the late 80s.
Based strictly on the Wikipedia article, he seems to be a born-again Christian, beat T-cell lymphoma, still married to his wife, and not a terrible guy.
Wikipedia tells me that Glendale has over thirty thousand Armenians. I suspect that half of them have IQs below the reported Armenian average of 100. Maybe this Zuckerman fellow was adopted?
...absolutely laugh-out-loud...human ingenuity with marbles scattered and wires crossed...what could possibly go wrong...like those geniuses out on the 10 HOV lanes, with a giant kewpie doll in the seat beside them...sometimes two! Humanity! Ya gotta love'em. Sooo entertaining...
I am definitely someone who needs society to be working well in order to function effectively. This is why I am happy in suburbia; the police are present but not omnipresent, while everyone just generally behaves because of mild social pressure and not the implicit threat of violence if you don't.
The Rolls and the AMG Mercedes are moneypits - hugely expensive repairs on older, complicated cars. Maybe they just wanted to pocket the cash and get new(er) cars.
Glendale, CA is one of the nation’s epicenters for Medicare fraud. Which, given the gargantuan sums sloshing through that program, surely makes Glendale one of the world’s fraud capitals.
Glendale is the rare place that is arguable whether it's in the San Fernando Valley or not in the Valley. The SFV is surrounded by steep hills/mountains around about 345 degrees, so for most neighborhoods, it's clear if they are in the Valley or not. The Valley is one of the geographically best defined metropolitan sub-areas in the country, which is one reason I voted for SFV secession from Los Angeles in 2001. There are very few areas of dispute whether or not they are in the Valley.
But there is couple of mile wide opening of flattish land where the Los Angeles River empties out into the main Los Angeles Basin. That's Glendale.
looks like Wikipedia agrees with you. I'm not a native but I have cousins in Glendale and they are hill folk so didn't occur to me that was the valley. The SFV almost seceded in 2001? That might have been nice. Don't the homeless encampments pretty much end at Burbank and Glendale? (OTOH That might have been a pandemic thing, the encampments are much abated around me recently)
anecdote? It was my insurance agent. He might have been speaking about his company only or being hyperbolic. But it is hardly an anecdote. It was a fact from an expert in the field. It was also more than five years ago and the page you chose only shows the most and least expensive cities for California based on their unstated methodology.
Wanna know how high? I lived there for the suckiest 4 months of my life and when I called my insurance agent to change my address he said, “No, please…God I wish you hadn't told me that! Not Glendale.”
500 dollars a MONTH.
No one in Glendale has insurance, the Armenians are all driving salvage title cars, they drive like absolute demons from hell, and everyone else has to pay for it.
On the 134 Freeway through Burbank and Glendale north of Griffith Park, there's often not too much traffic (because uninhabited mountains are so close on both sides). Speeds seem to average 80 or 85 mph when traffic is light.
I knew this had to be cosmopolitan foreigners. It is actually funny as hell. Too bad they didn't try it somewhere like Montana. The judge would probably let them off easy if they agreed to reenact the crime - bear suit and all - for the amusement of locals.
The eternal Armenian.
It should be noted that as with Caliranians, the Armenians who live in California aren't exactly representative of their kind.
Which reminds me of a woman from an upper-class Shia Arab family in the Gulf, who says they despise the Arabs in Europe and don't want to interact with them when they visit Paris. Everyone knows that it's full of every Moroccan, Tunisian, Syrian and Iraqi criminal who knows how to get on a boat and throw away an ID. There is a cultural gulf between them, as it were.
I have a friend who has several Armenian friends here. He tells me they are amazing friends, would do anything for you but their point of view is 'why wouldn't you cheat the government (and insurance companies?' like, I get the feeling you would have a hard time explaining it to them even though they would be very patient about listening and finally laugh and offer you some food
It's typical among many immigrant groups: "All politicians lie so I can pick and choose which election arguments to believe, the government is full of crooks, everyone cheats so I can do the same. You gotta be smart, man." Perpetuating the state of things they have back home.
I see comments saying that about the US. I don’t believe them but an apocalyptic mood is floating around in Dem circles.
I haven't even looked at Dem social media after the election, I bet it's entertaining. I have seen stories about teachers showing their hate of conservatives in writing though, and being fired for it. And the chief editor Laura Helmuth at the Scientific American being forced to resign after writing that GOP voters were "bigots" and "fascists" and lots more. And she just had to add her hatred of the state she was born in, Kentucky. Really showing what Dems are like.
>>In her since-deleted posts on Bluesky, Helmuth wrote: “Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and sexist. The moral arc of the universe isn’t going to bend itself.”
>>She went on to add: “Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because fuck them to the moon and back.”
>>“I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of fucking fascists,” Helmuth continued.
Are they from the former USSR (Armenia was part of it)? Lots of corruption there.
I'm guessing Armenians have been shifty bastards since long before the USSR. North America is a Hajnal Lines-bubble; constant, casual corruption and asymmetric dealings are the global norm.
"Hajnal Lines-bubble"
You are positing a connection between corruption and the age at which marriage takes place? Or does that refer to extended family structures?
The highest trust societies are within the Hajnal lines, which is also where over 90% of modern inventions and processes are from. So there's another correlate for you to nibble on.
The TV show "The Shield" is the entire extent of my SoCal Armenian knowledge. Those TV Armenians seemed smarter than the car insurance scammers.
The plot, such as it is, somewhat parallels C.J. Box's last novel "3 Inch Teeth." 'Person of the book', Zuckerman, doubtless read it and went in search of henchmian/myan.
The FIRST name of the "Valley Village woman Alfiya Zuckerman" doesn't seem to be Jewish.
https://www.ask-oracle.com/baby-name/alfiya/ Maybe she was/is in an Arabic/Jewish marriage?
What T. Huxley called "The tragedy of science: A beautiful theory slain by an ugly fact."
Perhaps they bought cars on the cheap that needed expensive repairs and then had them declared total losses without the danger of having an "accident."
There’s likely more to the story.
Damage to the interior by a bear doesn't sound like a total loss candidate.
Data point that may or may not be useful:
I have been a reader of yours for a *very* long time. I buy a paid account to support your work (and am the proud owner of one of the Patrician Editions of Noticing). I remember that picture of you and Mrs. T. on isteve.blogspot.com. I remember Jupiter and WHITE FAMILY MALES, the Donmeh articles, World War G and T, the yearly search for Kwanza carols, Tiny Duck, AnotherDad and Jack D going at it every time Jews are mentioned, the whole 9th hole...er, 9 yards.
However, paid accounts are linked to one's credit card. This means a future Democratic regime could use them to link comments to one's actual name, resulting in doxxing and possibly prosecution.
So I comment on public articles, and read private ones.
Also, the bear bit made me laugh out loud.
I guess this is one bear women would be afraid of?
Thanks!
Just curious. Who is "Mrs. T"? Glancing over the article it seems like she might be the (white?) wife of the black "Clubber Lang" actor, but I'm not seeing any such picture at the link.
Mrs. Thatcher.
They were in a picture together a *long* time ago.
Aha. So Mr. T and Mrs. T are not a couple.
Well, not that Mrs. T and Steve.
He was in a series called T and T in the late 80s.
Based strictly on the Wikipedia article, he seems to be a born-again Christian, beat T-cell lymphoma, still married to his wife, and not a terrible guy.
Wikipedia tells me that Glendale has over thirty thousand Armenians. I suspect that half of them have IQs below the reported Armenian average of 100. Maybe this Zuckerman fellow was adopted?
I would guess that Miss Zuckerman was the one making the phone calls to report the "accident." After all, a woman wouldn't come up with such a scam.
Really?
I bet one of them is a furrie.
The idea that the bear costume was already to hand is an interesting one!
...absolutely laugh-out-loud...human ingenuity with marbles scattered and wires crossed...what could possibly go wrong...like those geniuses out on the 10 HOV lanes, with a giant kewpie doll in the seat beside them...sometimes two! Humanity! Ya gotta love'em. Sooo entertaining...
“Insurance Fraud Bear” 2023 - 2024
Would be a nice line on a CV I think
Tad bit jealous
Next time just Adobe Premier a shot of your car into this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8P8MgsFNZQ
Note bene: Be sure to edit out Leonardo DiCaprio
I am definitely someone who needs society to be working well in order to function effectively. This is why I am happy in suburbia; the police are present but not omnipresent, while everyone just generally behaves because of mild social pressure and not the implicit threat of violence if you don't.
It must be the water? The Magic Suburban Dirt? The Good School Districts?
Who knows--it's just an impenetrable mystery.
The Rolls and the AMG Mercedes are moneypits - hugely expensive repairs on older, complicated cars. Maybe they just wanted to pocket the cash and get new(er) cars.
Glendale, CA is one of the nation’s epicenters for Medicare fraud. Which, given the gargantuan sums sloshing through that program, surely makes Glendale one of the world’s fraud capitals.
Why Alfiya, why? I was about to ding you for calling these fools fellow San Fernando Valleyites. You got one.
"...similar insurance claims after a so-called bear wrecked..."
That use of "so-called" irks. It's not correct.
Stunt bear? Wouldn't those just be bear actors? I mean, it's not like the insurance company makes you use them so your bear star doesn't get hurt.
Glendale is the rare place that is arguable whether it's in the San Fernando Valley or not in the Valley. The SFV is surrounded by steep hills/mountains around about 345 degrees, so for most neighborhoods, it's clear if they are in the Valley or not. The Valley is one of the geographically best defined metropolitan sub-areas in the country, which is one reason I voted for SFV secession from Los Angeles in 2001. There are very few areas of dispute whether or not they are in the Valley.
But there is couple of mile wide opening of flattish land where the Los Angeles River empties out into the main Los Angeles Basin. That's Glendale.
looks like Wikipedia agrees with you. I'm not a native but I have cousins in Glendale and they are hill folk so didn't occur to me that was the valley. The SFV almost seceded in 2001? That might have been nice. Don't the homeless encampments pretty much end at Burbank and Glendale? (OTOH That might have been a pandemic thing, the encampments are much abated around me recently)
Seems like the homeless set up shop under the freeway overpasses in the SFV in 2020, but then were cleared out about 2022 or 2023.
My insurance agent told me, when I moved to LA, that it had the second highest auto insurance rates in the US.
number one? Glendale.
Try google instead of an anecdote. Glendale is not even the most expensive in Los Angeles County.
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/rates-by-city/
anecdote? It was my insurance agent. He might have been speaking about his company only or being hyperbolic. But it is hardly an anecdote. It was a fact from an expert in the field. It was also more than five years ago and the page you chose only shows the most and least expensive cities for California based on their unstated methodology.
Wanna know how high? I lived there for the suckiest 4 months of my life and when I called my insurance agent to change my address he said, “No, please…God I wish you hadn't told me that! Not Glendale.”
500 dollars a MONTH.
No one in Glendale has insurance, the Armenians are all driving salvage title cars, they drive like absolute demons from hell, and everyone else has to pay for it.
On the 134 Freeway through Burbank and Glendale north of Griffith Park, there's often not too much traffic (because uninhabited mountains are so close on both sides). Speeds seem to average 80 or 85 mph when traffic is light.
I know exactly where/what you're talking about.
I knew this had to be cosmopolitan foreigners. It is actually funny as hell. Too bad they didn't try it somewhere like Montana. The judge would probably let them off easy if they agreed to reenact the crime - bear suit and all - for the amusement of locals.