Well the so-called compromise bill to save Wall Street (uh, with our money) has bit the dust. And so did the S&P index, Nasdaq, etcetery.
I went to trader Joe's and stocked up on some canned and boxed victuals to eat when the sh!!t hits the fan and the electricity goes out and civilization as we know it ends. I still need some more briquettes for the grill so I can heat up this stuff and I'll be set for a while.
I was torn earlier between being sad about Congress shooting this deal down and being happy that they slapped Bush upside the head. That was earlier. As I learn more about what was defeated I am increasingly glad it failed. Mr. Paulson would still have been the most powerful man in the free world under this bill (did you vote for him? I didn't) with an oversite committee with no teeth.
“This is a huge cow patty with a piece of marshmallow stuck in the middle of it and I am not going to eat that cow patty,” said Representative Paul Broun, Republican of Georgia.
Great line. I applaud a great line no matter which side of the political spectrum it comes from.
The august New York Times thinks it was a mistake to reject this bill, that the Republicans who voted against it were acting out of partisan politics rather than concern for the country. The NYT neglected to say why they thought the Democrats who voted against it did so. I know why— $750 bil is a lot of moola. And the collateral was suspect. How would we get paid back? Are we going to send a contingent of Marines to break financier's kneecaps if they don't pony up? Me, I'm still waiting to see when I can ride my corporate jet that I must own, as a taxpayer, now that we all own 80% of AIG.
Some of that bill was good, but man, the people who caused this mess should be putting up more of their own, and the taxpayers less. If I screw up and go into debt, people will say "You schmuck! You knew what you were doing!" (actually I have and they have—and it's true).
But if Mr. 10 Million Dollar Severance Package screws up, it's "Hasta la vista baby, I'm off to the Mediterranean for a rest before I come back and ruin another company."
What I want to know is, what are the business schools teaching people anyway? Apparently ethics and sound fiscal planning are not on the curriculum.
"Truly, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go throught the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God." Jesus said that.
Truly I tell you, if any of my tax money goes to help those wankers on Wall Street, and nothing comes back to me, there will have to be some changes in the makeup of Congress. And I may just personally take a ball peen hammer and visit some of those wingnuts who are stealing my money. I said that.
No, not really, I'm not a violent person by nature. But a boy can always dream.
Incidentally, according to Jesus, by my financial state I am in like Flynn for the Kingdom—well, hopefully, He'll overlook some of my activities during the sixties. Really, I don't do that stuff any more and I'm very sorry, mostly.
In other happier news, the Palin person is starting to be as welcome as an Alaskan winter in South Carolina. I feel sorry for her, a little—she saw the golden ring being handed to her, and reached for it without thinking about whether she had done the preparation necessary to make her worthy to have it. It will leave burn marks on her hand where she touched it and had to let go. I took a job like that once. Went in over my head, eventually got fired. And actually felt relief at being fired. Of course I didn't have a religious agenda to push, so it didn't hurt that much. Our Sarah thinks she is working for God, so it's going to be a real blow when Johnny Mac comes to his senses and tells her to step down.
She comes off in interviews as being about as knowledgeable as a tray of ice cubes. The expression on Katie Couric's face as she was interviewing her said it all.
How do you respond to this?—" . . . where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh -- it's got to be all about job creation too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, um, scary thing, but 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that."
Bye, Sarah.
And goodnight to you all.
Both of you.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
De-bait
Did you see the debate? Unfortunately I was involved in a graphic project and forgot until the last 15 minutes or so.
It was not that exciting a fifteen minutes.
Obama has that professorial voice to deal with. He just doesn't sound like he can be angry even when he is angry. I feel sometime that he thinks "Oh, I'm supposed to be mad, or gleeful, or something here" then he does it. I sympathize, having a similar problem. People don't know I'm mad unless i shout and break things and make a real asshat out of myself.
Meanwhile Johnny Mac is squeezing every little bit of pathos out of the things he says. Well, really, emotion is all he has going for him at this point. His space alien running mate is a disaster and our John has been so busy talking up and reviewing his foreign policy credentials he doesn't have anything really constructive to say about the Wall Street meltdown. Well, he has to be careful, a lot of those guys are his friends.
Big article in the NYTimes about his ties to the casino industry. Oooh, family values there. I dunno, John, how long you can use those five years in Hanoi, given the thirty plus you've lived since then. I almost gagged to hear him roll out that story once again near the end of the debate. Things going badly for you, John? Bring out the prisoner of war story. It's attack-proof.
I'll say again, I think McCain is a hero for the way he acted when he was captured and imprisoned. But that does not automatically mean he should be president. And he only cheapens his bravery by bringing it out at every possible sound-bite moment.
Speaking of asshats, the icicle queen is making one of herself. Or she would except the Repubs have worked diligently to keep Ms. Palin out of the reach of that terrible liberal press. (Like the liberal press of Fox News and Rupert Murdoch's newspapers?) What exposure she has had really emphasizes the meaning of the word "exposure." She looked pretty naked, intellectually speaking, in those Katie Couric interviews. Better just to bring her out for speeches and not let her answer questions. She's good at delivery. If I were a Repub consultant that would be my advice. Use her attractiveness and her sassy delivery but for God's sake don't let her out on her own. No telling what she would say.
But don't forget, she lives next door to Russia. She has probably thought a lot about it and the Russia's threat to her state while she's been governor. That makes her foreign policy savvy.
Not.
She's been too busy being the earmark loving, patronage and nepotism using greedy little POLITICIAN she is.
You know, I really hate picking on someone who is such an easy target. I mean, it takes no effort on my part, brings me no glory. The person is a disaster, she has no business being a heart attack away from the presidency. WHAT WAS HE THINKING?
I put it down to senility. And being charmed by a pretty face. I think the Republican leadership (whoever those murky personages may be) are thinking that poor John is going to be bugled up to Jesus (as Kinky Friedman would say) soon and they will be able to control that little woman from Alaska.
HA! She shoots moose and wolves from helicopters. She'll eat the Republican leadership alive. And, frankly, they deserve it. I just pray that Obama wins this election so we don't have to watch that bloodbath. Actually, if he wins, everyone will be too busy watching him to see her devouring what's left of the Rove-Cheney coalition.
It's going to be interesting to see how much the financial mess affects those who might otherwise be tempted to vote their racist fears in November. If one listens carefully to the interviews and commentary on the radio one can sense an underlying fear of the BLACK MAN in those comments.
A BLACK MAN running our country!? Whoa! Is he going to commission a rap version of the 'Star-spangled Banner?' Is Ice-T going to be singing "Oh say bro, did you dig that star-blinged banner doing its thing over the hood?"
Could happen. You never know what 'those people' are going to do. Buy guns and lock your doors.
But the Obama is rising with the sinking of the market. Our love of money may actually put somebody good and useful into the White House (O, how I love the idea of a black guy in the White House!!!) for a change, a welcome change.
Okay. I'm out of gripe for the night.
Sleep tight, you two.
It was not that exciting a fifteen minutes.
Obama has that professorial voice to deal with. He just doesn't sound like he can be angry even when he is angry. I feel sometime that he thinks "Oh, I'm supposed to be mad, or gleeful, or something here" then he does it. I sympathize, having a similar problem. People don't know I'm mad unless i shout and break things and make a real asshat out of myself.
Meanwhile Johnny Mac is squeezing every little bit of pathos out of the things he says. Well, really, emotion is all he has going for him at this point. His space alien running mate is a disaster and our John has been so busy talking up and reviewing his foreign policy credentials he doesn't have anything really constructive to say about the Wall Street meltdown. Well, he has to be careful, a lot of those guys are his friends.
Big article in the NYTimes about his ties to the casino industry. Oooh, family values there. I dunno, John, how long you can use those five years in Hanoi, given the thirty plus you've lived since then. I almost gagged to hear him roll out that story once again near the end of the debate. Things going badly for you, John? Bring out the prisoner of war story. It's attack-proof.
I'll say again, I think McCain is a hero for the way he acted when he was captured and imprisoned. But that does not automatically mean he should be president. And he only cheapens his bravery by bringing it out at every possible sound-bite moment.
Speaking of asshats, the icicle queen is making one of herself. Or she would except the Repubs have worked diligently to keep Ms. Palin out of the reach of that terrible liberal press. (Like the liberal press of Fox News and Rupert Murdoch's newspapers?) What exposure she has had really emphasizes the meaning of the word "exposure." She looked pretty naked, intellectually speaking, in those Katie Couric interviews. Better just to bring her out for speeches and not let her answer questions. She's good at delivery. If I were a Repub consultant that would be my advice. Use her attractiveness and her sassy delivery but for God's sake don't let her out on her own. No telling what she would say.
But don't forget, she lives next door to Russia. She has probably thought a lot about it and the Russia's threat to her state while she's been governor. That makes her foreign policy savvy.
Not.
She's been too busy being the earmark loving, patronage and nepotism using greedy little POLITICIAN she is.
You know, I really hate picking on someone who is such an easy target. I mean, it takes no effort on my part, brings me no glory. The person is a disaster, she has no business being a heart attack away from the presidency. WHAT WAS HE THINKING?
I put it down to senility. And being charmed by a pretty face. I think the Republican leadership (whoever those murky personages may be) are thinking that poor John is going to be bugled up to Jesus (as Kinky Friedman would say) soon and they will be able to control that little woman from Alaska.
HA! She shoots moose and wolves from helicopters. She'll eat the Republican leadership alive. And, frankly, they deserve it. I just pray that Obama wins this election so we don't have to watch that bloodbath. Actually, if he wins, everyone will be too busy watching him to see her devouring what's left of the Rove-Cheney coalition.
It's going to be interesting to see how much the financial mess affects those who might otherwise be tempted to vote their racist fears in November. If one listens carefully to the interviews and commentary on the radio one can sense an underlying fear of the BLACK MAN in those comments.
A BLACK MAN running our country!? Whoa! Is he going to commission a rap version of the 'Star-spangled Banner?' Is Ice-T going to be singing "Oh say bro, did you dig that star-blinged banner doing its thing over the hood?"
Could happen. You never know what 'those people' are going to do. Buy guns and lock your doors.
But the Obama is rising with the sinking of the market. Our love of money may actually put somebody good and useful into the White House (O, how I love the idea of a black guy in the White House!!!) for a change, a welcome change.
Okay. I'm out of gripe for the night.
Sleep tight, you two.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Financial folderol
The Paulson-Bernanke duo (how about "Paulson-Bernanke Treasury Kings" as a rock group name?) says we have to give Wall Street 700+ billion NOW, dammit, and no oversight by congress. They are smart enough to take care of things by themselves. Sure, they'll get the best return on the taxpayers buck.
Uh-huh.
How come they weren't smart enough to see this coming? I wanna know.
I'd have more confidence in Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, and you know the trouble he has. Only person in Alaska more corrupt than the current Republican VP candidate. But you have to admit he knows how to handle money.
Here's my live comments on GWB's speech:
The Bushman says we are in the midst of a financial crisis. Thanks George, I wasn't sure.
He wants to"supply" urgently needed money.
How does one do that? Oh, he takes out of my wallet.
We got here because all the money came in from foreign investors, made it easier to get credit. Credit for houses, tuition, new business.
Expectations that home values would continue to rise led to this.
Fall in value led to defaults.
Yadayada.
Basically he is saying that greed, especially Wall Street greed, led to this situation.
But he doesn't want to come out and really say it. That would be un-capitalist.
I wonder who wrote this up for him. I don't believe he wrote it himself.
George is explaining this is not normal circumstance. That's why he is abandoning his Republican ideals for the moment. There is a spirit of cooperation between presidency and congress—uh-huh.
Rescue plan should protect taxpayers.
Whoa, he just said CEOs who fscked up should not get a financial windfall. I think thats new. Also un-Republican. I don't think he means it tho.
So:
Basically George thinks the money will actually flow back to treasury when things settle down.
Not good enough. If I, as a taxpayer are supporting this, I want a corporate jet, at least.
My prediction for the future: Republicans will become socialists (tho they won't say that). Democrats will become financial reactionaries.
George spoke in platitudes for the most part.
Much gas, no solids.
Biggest financial crisis since 1930, some say since 1776, and he talked for 14 minutes and no details. But he did give a good Cliff notes account of the onset of this crisis, tho he really avoided assigning blame properly.
I've been hearing that even Republicans are gagging on swallowing this 700 bil plan.
In the meantime, Warren Buffet is putting a lot of moola into Goldman-Sachs.
And it's helping. He runs Berkshire-Hathaway, and the name Berkshire calls to me. I live near the Berkshires. He can buy me out. I'm cheap. 500 grand will do me.
Seems like most economists are having trouble with this, seems like this crisis has done what no amount of bi-partisanship preaching has done, the left and the right are sleeping with the center and enjoying group financial regulatory sex as never before.
Geez, you probably didn't need that visual.
Man, if even Republicans have a problem with this, I'm scared.
Brad Sherman of Cal., Dem., this congressman wants someone to co-sign the checks.
We need a good plan and it will have a moderate risk.
Sen. Bob Bennet of Utah, concerned about "realities of the situation." We need to act dramatically and rapidly, can take another day or two, but that's it. He's a republican and is against putting in all kinds of amendments that might delay things. Presumably amendments that would protect the taxpayer. Apologist for the administration.
Folks, the Sh!!t is hitting the fan. You better figure out what you have that's good for barter 'cause your money is going down in value, you betcha.
Paula Poundstone on "Wait, wait, don't tell me" (you can download past programs from NPR) had a great line. They were talking about how with all the news coverage of the presidential candidates, old George has fallen off the radar screen, doesn't seem so relevant. Paula said, "Now that the dollar has fallen so far in value, we can put his picture on it."
Right on.
Ya know, we have all kinds of hackers breaking into computers, sending malware, stealing information, raising hell for the fun of it. How come none of them has ever thought that breaking into the bank accounts of over-paid CEOs and re-distributing the money would be a fun idea?
Oops, I didn't mean that, honest, T-men, I was just kidding. I'm not really a socialist, anti-Christ loving anarchist. It's just a pose. I need excitement in my life, I'm really a tie-wearing, white-shirted, red-suspendered anally repressed republican at heart.
If they don't believe that:
My next post will be from Leavenworth, or maybe Guantanamo Bay.
Guantanamo Bay, water-boarding paradise! Only the best water-boarders come here to show their stuff. It's not torture—it's a challenge!
Eh, I've got to go and put up more sandbags around my bunker. I'm either going to be fighting off the gov't. or citizens hungry for my cans of Spaghetti-O's. In any case, I have work to do.
If either of my loyal readers haven't been arrested yet, good night to you.
Uh-huh.
How come they weren't smart enough to see this coming? I wanna know.
I'd have more confidence in Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, and you know the trouble he has. Only person in Alaska more corrupt than the current Republican VP candidate. But you have to admit he knows how to handle money.
Here's my live comments on GWB's speech:
The Bushman says we are in the midst of a financial crisis. Thanks George, I wasn't sure.
He wants to"supply" urgently needed money.
How does one do that? Oh, he takes out of my wallet.
We got here because all the money came in from foreign investors, made it easier to get credit. Credit for houses, tuition, new business.
Expectations that home values would continue to rise led to this.
Fall in value led to defaults.
Yadayada.
Basically he is saying that greed, especially Wall Street greed, led to this situation.
But he doesn't want to come out and really say it. That would be un-capitalist.
I wonder who wrote this up for him. I don't believe he wrote it himself.
George is explaining this is not normal circumstance. That's why he is abandoning his Republican ideals for the moment. There is a spirit of cooperation between presidency and congress—uh-huh.
Rescue plan should protect taxpayers.
Whoa, he just said CEOs who fscked up should not get a financial windfall. I think thats new. Also un-Republican. I don't think he means it tho.
So:
Basically George thinks the money will actually flow back to treasury when things settle down.
Not good enough. If I, as a taxpayer are supporting this, I want a corporate jet, at least.
My prediction for the future: Republicans will become socialists (tho they won't say that). Democrats will become financial reactionaries.
George spoke in platitudes for the most part.
Much gas, no solids.
Biggest financial crisis since 1930, some say since 1776, and he talked for 14 minutes and no details. But he did give a good Cliff notes account of the onset of this crisis, tho he really avoided assigning blame properly.
I've been hearing that even Republicans are gagging on swallowing this 700 bil plan.
In the meantime, Warren Buffet is putting a lot of moola into Goldman-Sachs.
And it's helping. He runs Berkshire-Hathaway, and the name Berkshire calls to me. I live near the Berkshires. He can buy me out. I'm cheap. 500 grand will do me.
Seems like most economists are having trouble with this, seems like this crisis has done what no amount of bi-partisanship preaching has done, the left and the right are sleeping with the center and enjoying group financial regulatory sex as never before.
Geez, you probably didn't need that visual.
Man, if even Republicans have a problem with this, I'm scared.
Brad Sherman of Cal., Dem., this congressman wants someone to co-sign the checks.
We need a good plan and it will have a moderate risk.
Sen. Bob Bennet of Utah, concerned about "realities of the situation." We need to act dramatically and rapidly, can take another day or two, but that's it. He's a republican and is against putting in all kinds of amendments that might delay things. Presumably amendments that would protect the taxpayer. Apologist for the administration.
Folks, the Sh!!t is hitting the fan. You better figure out what you have that's good for barter 'cause your money is going down in value, you betcha.
Paula Poundstone on "Wait, wait, don't tell me" (you can download past programs from NPR) had a great line. They were talking about how with all the news coverage of the presidential candidates, old George has fallen off the radar screen, doesn't seem so relevant. Paula said, "Now that the dollar has fallen so far in value, we can put his picture on it."
Right on.
Ya know, we have all kinds of hackers breaking into computers, sending malware, stealing information, raising hell for the fun of it. How come none of them has ever thought that breaking into the bank accounts of over-paid CEOs and re-distributing the money would be a fun idea?
Oops, I didn't mean that, honest, T-men, I was just kidding. I'm not really a socialist, anti-Christ loving anarchist. It's just a pose. I need excitement in my life, I'm really a tie-wearing, white-shirted, red-suspendered anally repressed republican at heart.
If they don't believe that:
My next post will be from Leavenworth, or maybe Guantanamo Bay.
Guantanamo Bay, water-boarding paradise! Only the best water-boarders come here to show their stuff. It's not torture—it's a challenge!
Eh, I've got to go and put up more sandbags around my bunker. I'm either going to be fighting off the gov't. or citizens hungry for my cans of Spaghetti-O's. In any case, I have work to do.
If either of my loyal readers haven't been arrested yet, good night to you.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Question
Am I the only one who thinks that the idea that the only way our economy and our way of life can survive is for everyone to go out and buy stuff, is a little weird?
If everybody stays home for a week and doesn't buy anything, what would happen?
Did I just give you a nightmare? Good.
If everybody stays home for a week and doesn't buy anything, what would happen?
Did I just give you a nightmare? Good.
700 WHAT??!!
I have always believed that dadaism and it's stepchild, surrealism, are art forms. But like other art forms they have been usurped and co-opted by the present corporal-political society. The presidency of George Bush is in itself, über-surrealism. And it all just gets more fantastic. And less artistic.
Because of the non-regulative policies of the present government, Wall Street—and its financial camp followers (originally, in previous centuries, these were the whores and shysters who followed armies around trying to remove the soldiers' pay from their possession)—has gotten itself into a real financial sinkhole. The willfully reckless sub-prime mortgage business with attendant bank failures, Bear-Stearns and Merrill-Lynch buyouts, the bail-out of Freddie and Fannie—poor Lehman Brothers had to chew on the cyanide pill—then the gov't takeover, essentially, of AIG. And much of this happening in the past week.
And now it's so bad that the US Gov't is taking on all the "toxic" debt itself. All of it. (Don't you just love that term "toxic debt"? I've got some of that myself-don't see anybody at my door trying to buy me out). Our financial leaders, Bernanke and Paulson, have sold the gov't on this task. They may actually be promoting the best course. I sure don't have any better idea. Unless it's to take the assets of all the investment companies and their CEOs and use that to guarantee the debts. But even those disgraceful earnings may not be enough for that task.
Instead it's you and me brother, who are buying up these debt vehicles, mortgages etc.
Don't be looking for any dividends or flying in a corporate jet tho. 700 billion and it's coming out of our pockets. Well i just looked and I've got 23 bucks in my wallet and maybe another 15 in change in my piggy bank.
What I have in my checking account is already claimed by the bank, the utility companies and the nice people at our friendly credit card companies.
I'm not sure how i can give much to that 700 bil bill.
Amazing how Wall Street greed and foofaraw has cost us more than the Iraq war has cost so far.
I'm not including here the incalculable loss of human life because of this abominable and needless, useless war. No way to make up for THAT.
Just remember the next time you hear someone waxing eloquent about deregulation and keeping government out of people's lives ("people" in this case means corporations. Those who talk like this could give a rat's ass about you and me—maybe we ought to incorporate. The American People, INC.—sounds good to me), that it will cost you dearly to follow their policy. Of course these wingnuts have no compunction about making our librarians reveal our reading preferences—as long as we don't make corporations reveal how they make decisions. THAT would be government interference in people's lives. God forbid. The competitors would take advantage.
This situation is so bad irony just seems lame in the face of it.
Too bad, I always liked irony.
So it goes, as Vonnegut used to say.
You think $700 bil is the end of it?
Hah.
Even Bernanke and Paulson don't know where the end is.
I know where the end is. It's right over there on the kitchen counter in that leather thing with the $23 in it.
Sleep well, my loyal readers.
Both of you.
Because of the non-regulative policies of the present government, Wall Street—and its financial camp followers (originally, in previous centuries, these were the whores and shysters who followed armies around trying to remove the soldiers' pay from their possession)—has gotten itself into a real financial sinkhole. The willfully reckless sub-prime mortgage business with attendant bank failures, Bear-Stearns and Merrill-Lynch buyouts, the bail-out of Freddie and Fannie—poor Lehman Brothers had to chew on the cyanide pill—then the gov't takeover, essentially, of AIG. And much of this happening in the past week.
And now it's so bad that the US Gov't is taking on all the "toxic" debt itself. All of it. (Don't you just love that term "toxic debt"? I've got some of that myself-don't see anybody at my door trying to buy me out). Our financial leaders, Bernanke and Paulson, have sold the gov't on this task. They may actually be promoting the best course. I sure don't have any better idea. Unless it's to take the assets of all the investment companies and their CEOs and use that to guarantee the debts. But even those disgraceful earnings may not be enough for that task.
Instead it's you and me brother, who are buying up these debt vehicles, mortgages etc.
Don't be looking for any dividends or flying in a corporate jet tho. 700 billion and it's coming out of our pockets. Well i just looked and I've got 23 bucks in my wallet and maybe another 15 in change in my piggy bank.
What I have in my checking account is already claimed by the bank, the utility companies and the nice people at our friendly credit card companies.
I'm not sure how i can give much to that 700 bil bill.
Amazing how Wall Street greed and foofaraw has cost us more than the Iraq war has cost so far.
I'm not including here the incalculable loss of human life because of this abominable and needless, useless war. No way to make up for THAT.
Just remember the next time you hear someone waxing eloquent about deregulation and keeping government out of people's lives ("people" in this case means corporations. Those who talk like this could give a rat's ass about you and me—maybe we ought to incorporate. The American People, INC.—sounds good to me), that it will cost you dearly to follow their policy. Of course these wingnuts have no compunction about making our librarians reveal our reading preferences—as long as we don't make corporations reveal how they make decisions. THAT would be government interference in people's lives. God forbid. The competitors would take advantage.
This situation is so bad irony just seems lame in the face of it.
Too bad, I always liked irony.
So it goes, as Vonnegut used to say.
You think $700 bil is the end of it?
Hah.
Even Bernanke and Paulson don't know where the end is.
I know where the end is. It's right over there on the kitchen counter in that leather thing with the $23 in it.
Sleep well, my loyal readers.
Both of you.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
AIG (as in Aagh! I don't believe it! Geez! )
Oh, life is getting so interesting. I see from the comments I've been getting from my three loyal readers that the economy is on everyone's mind (except for Gleek the Space monkey—I'm not sure WHERE that mind is).
But, the shit is hitting the fan with unerring accuracy. My middle child said she had a date with a guy from AIG this weekend and he didn't feel too nervous—then. Is he sighing relief today or anxiously checking Craig's list for ANY position that could use someone with financial skills?
Hey, I hear Louie the Squeeze needs a few runners for his neighborhoods. They have to be good with numbers—perfect for an insurance company employee, you know, figuring out the odds.
Really, aren't insurance companies just bookie joints elevated to respectability?
But oops, seems like some aren't as respectable or responsible as we thought. What a surprise.
At least with Louie you knew where you stood. Or didn't, if you defaulted and Bruno the knee-capper came around to collect.
Obama, stop worrying about offending the 'lipstick on a pig' Alaskan and concentrate on how shitty things are in this country after eight years of G.W.B. This is your election to lose. Your opponents are an Alzheimer's poster boy and a gun-toting whacko who fires librarians. Hit'em hard and hit'em often.
Uh, i just want to ensure my gun-owning friends that my emphasis on the above remarks was on the "whacko" part, not the "gun-toting" part. I'm sure you are all sane.
As one of my Macintosh forum members puts it "An armed society is a polite society." But I have to wonder about Lebanon and Iraq. Don't see much politeness there.
Am I getting off-topic again?
Anyway the economy is going from bad to worse. This is actually contrary to what I remember in the past. Usually the economy improves in an election year as the incumbent tries to help his party win and applies pressure in the appropriate places. I guess President Cheney doesn't really care.
Oops, did I leave off the "vice?" Vice-President Cheney, that's what I meant to say. Emphasis on the "vice" part.
Enough. We're getting sucked into a black hole of greed and stupidity. You know it, I know it. Try to sleep on that.
I'm outa here. (Don't I wish—'poo and I have alien abduction dreams. If only…)
But, the shit is hitting the fan with unerring accuracy. My middle child said she had a date with a guy from AIG this weekend and he didn't feel too nervous—then. Is he sighing relief today or anxiously checking Craig's list for ANY position that could use someone with financial skills?
Hey, I hear Louie the Squeeze needs a few runners for his neighborhoods. They have to be good with numbers—perfect for an insurance company employee, you know, figuring out the odds.
Really, aren't insurance companies just bookie joints elevated to respectability?
But oops, seems like some aren't as respectable or responsible as we thought. What a surprise.
At least with Louie you knew where you stood. Or didn't, if you defaulted and Bruno the knee-capper came around to collect.
Obama, stop worrying about offending the 'lipstick on a pig' Alaskan and concentrate on how shitty things are in this country after eight years of G.W.B. This is your election to lose. Your opponents are an Alzheimer's poster boy and a gun-toting whacko who fires librarians. Hit'em hard and hit'em often.
Uh, i just want to ensure my gun-owning friends that my emphasis on the above remarks was on the "whacko" part, not the "gun-toting" part. I'm sure you are all sane.
As one of my Macintosh forum members puts it "An armed society is a polite society." But I have to wonder about Lebanon and Iraq. Don't see much politeness there.
Am I getting off-topic again?
Anyway the economy is going from bad to worse. This is actually contrary to what I remember in the past. Usually the economy improves in an election year as the incumbent tries to help his party win and applies pressure in the appropriate places. I guess President Cheney doesn't really care.
Oops, did I leave off the "vice?" Vice-President Cheney, that's what I meant to say. Emphasis on the "vice" part.
Enough. We're getting sucked into a black hole of greed and stupidity. You know it, I know it. Try to sleep on that.
I'm outa here. (Don't I wish—'poo and I have alien abduction dreams. If only…)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Economy? We don't need no stinkin' economy!
I actually wrote the previous post a few days ago. Meant to review it but …time goes by.
Looking back at the previous post, I have to say that really the most alarming thing about McCain's decision is the evidence of mental fatigue. I've heard that he sometimes seems out of it, responds inappropriately to questions, can't keep facts straight etc. Choosing Palin is just another piece of that trend. The most worrisome thing about his getting elected is that he may not have many useful days to go. Will he make it to inauguration day? Are you ready for President Palin? Considering how she acted in Alaska, it could be very ugly as she unleashes the force of the federal government upon those who offend her. And invades Iran and picks a fight with Russia.
That should keep you awake nights.
In the meantime the economy is going to pot. For years the Republicans and conservative economists have called for, and got—with the help of some doofus Democrats, as much deregulation of business practices as they could get.
Deregulate! they said. The market will correct itself and the economy will be strong. They said that a free market, unfettered by government rules and regulations is the best way to promote prosperity and financial health for all Americans.
Those people are idiots.
The idea is predicated on the honesty and intelligence of the business people involved, that in their self-interest they would seek profits in a way that would benefit all America. How asinine. But hey, these are white guys in suits with power suspenders. They went to business school, they must know what they are doing. White guys in suits are the backbone of our economy.
Wrong.
Notice how conservatives (so-called, I call them reactionary) think:
Social services like unemployment insurance and welfare and health care guaranteed by government is bad. Somewhere some layabout guy is going to gull the system out of a few grand, or some ghetto mom will pop out another kid just to get some more money from the gov't. We have to protect the country and its economy from these welfare cheats. It could cost us millions, if there are enough of them. Can't have the taxpayers paying for incompetents who can't hold a job or mothers who don't know enough to not have sex anymore and keep having kids. (Birth control? Morning after pill? Uhuh. That just encourages them).
But, our white guys in suits would never be incompetent, would never over-extend their resources, would never try to weasel undeserved money out of the feds. Rrriighhht.
But their mistakes cost us billions and billions.
Now years ago I couldn't get food stamps because I had 10 grand in the bank from a house sale after my divorce. It didn't matter that I was unemployed and had no health insurance and needed to keep that money in case one of my three kids got hurt or sick and needed to go to the hospital. I was also told that I had to sell my car and buy a junker because at only three years old it was too new! I, and millions like me, can't get any help unless we are totally destitute. And can prove it.
But, if you own an investment company or a mortgage lending company, why the doors of the vault are open to you. The government doesn't say you have to sell your car to get help. The government is right there with check in hand, and no checking to see who was cheating and who was incompetent or stupid. Here's the money, white guy in a suit, we'll save you. (There are probably some black guys and Hispanic guys and Jewish guys in that crowd, and if you're offended by my leaving you out of this rant, I apologize).
Uh, am I as a taxpayer, going to get some stock or dividends or something from these people when they are on their feet again? I thought not. But it's only because these guys are so important that our economy and my own well-being depends on them getting the bail-out money that I sure could use. Hey, government, the local deli will really suffer if I can't buy food there anymore. I spend a lot there. Bail me out and I can continue to make sure of the deli's continued financial health. The country will benefit.
Really. I'm a white guy, and I have a suit, well, actually I have a sport coat and a good pair of pants which is almost as good. So you know I'm not lying and I deserve help.
I'm waiting.
I expect to get help from the government about the same time as the aliens arrive to take me away.
That's it. I'm outa here for the night. Why aren't you doing something useful?
Looking back at the previous post, I have to say that really the most alarming thing about McCain's decision is the evidence of mental fatigue. I've heard that he sometimes seems out of it, responds inappropriately to questions, can't keep facts straight etc. Choosing Palin is just another piece of that trend. The most worrisome thing about his getting elected is that he may not have many useful days to go. Will he make it to inauguration day? Are you ready for President Palin? Considering how she acted in Alaska, it could be very ugly as she unleashes the force of the federal government upon those who offend her. And invades Iran and picks a fight with Russia.
That should keep you awake nights.
In the meantime the economy is going to pot. For years the Republicans and conservative economists have called for, and got—with the help of some doofus Democrats, as much deregulation of business practices as they could get.
Deregulate! they said. The market will correct itself and the economy will be strong. They said that a free market, unfettered by government rules and regulations is the best way to promote prosperity and financial health for all Americans.
Those people are idiots.
The idea is predicated on the honesty and intelligence of the business people involved, that in their self-interest they would seek profits in a way that would benefit all America. How asinine. But hey, these are white guys in suits with power suspenders. They went to business school, they must know what they are doing. White guys in suits are the backbone of our economy.
Wrong.
Notice how conservatives (so-called, I call them reactionary) think:
Social services like unemployment insurance and welfare and health care guaranteed by government is bad. Somewhere some layabout guy is going to gull the system out of a few grand, or some ghetto mom will pop out another kid just to get some more money from the gov't. We have to protect the country and its economy from these welfare cheats. It could cost us millions, if there are enough of them. Can't have the taxpayers paying for incompetents who can't hold a job or mothers who don't know enough to not have sex anymore and keep having kids. (Birth control? Morning after pill? Uhuh. That just encourages them).
But, our white guys in suits would never be incompetent, would never over-extend their resources, would never try to weasel undeserved money out of the feds. Rrriighhht.
But their mistakes cost us billions and billions.
Now years ago I couldn't get food stamps because I had 10 grand in the bank from a house sale after my divorce. It didn't matter that I was unemployed and had no health insurance and needed to keep that money in case one of my three kids got hurt or sick and needed to go to the hospital. I was also told that I had to sell my car and buy a junker because at only three years old it was too new! I, and millions like me, can't get any help unless we are totally destitute. And can prove it.
But, if you own an investment company or a mortgage lending company, why the doors of the vault are open to you. The government doesn't say you have to sell your car to get help. The government is right there with check in hand, and no checking to see who was cheating and who was incompetent or stupid. Here's the money, white guy in a suit, we'll save you. (There are probably some black guys and Hispanic guys and Jewish guys in that crowd, and if you're offended by my leaving you out of this rant, I apologize).
Uh, am I as a taxpayer, going to get some stock or dividends or something from these people when they are on their feet again? I thought not. But it's only because these guys are so important that our economy and my own well-being depends on them getting the bail-out money that I sure could use. Hey, government, the local deli will really suffer if I can't buy food there anymore. I spend a lot there. Bail me out and I can continue to make sure of the deli's continued financial health. The country will benefit.
Really. I'm a white guy, and I have a suit, well, actually I have a sport coat and a good pair of pants which is almost as good. So you know I'm not lying and I deserve help.
I'm waiting.
I expect to get help from the government about the same time as the aliens arrive to take me away.
That's it. I'm outa here for the night. Why aren't you doing something useful?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
I'm getting Pale-in
A while ago I prayed for an alien abduction to spare me having to put up with 8 months of political BS as candidates sought to receive their parties' nominations. It didn't happen and I'm still pissed about that.
But, moving on…
Instead of an alien abduction we've gotten an alien visitation. And it's name is Sarah. Sarah the M-16, or maybe Kalashnikov, carrying member of the NRA, beauty queen, ice babe, book-banning bitch from the far north. What is most alarming is not McCain's feckless behavior in choosing her, but her total inability to understand what America is about.
McCain is a war hero. He endured, with honor, five years of incarceration by the North Vietnamese. I admire him for that. I'm not sure I could have done as well as he did. But this is the last time I will refer to that, because it was a long time ago (and I know how I was a long time ago, and people who knew me then might not recognize me now), and the world is a different place now, and he has become a total veteran embarrassment.
The only smart thing he's done lately, is to choose Palin as his running mate. And this curmudgeon has to admit that that is huge. She adds the "sex" to politics he is lacking. I'm not referring to gender, really, here. Fred Flintstone could have added sex to his campaign, it was doing so badly.
Now she can come out and say the things he wouldn't dare. Because he paints himself as a maverick (tho voting with the Bushman over and over again) but he doesn't dare aggravate the creationist, anti-abortion, but also anti-sex education, whacko right.
Hey America, here is a person who fired a librarian because she wouldn't ban the books Palin wanted her to. Here is a person who wanted to fire a guy who wouldn't fire a state trooper who was Palin's hated ex-brother-in-law. Here is someone who enjoyed all the earmarks she is now inveighing against. Here is a person who CHOSE to have a Down's syndrome child, but who would deny the right to any other woman to choose. This person is a liar, dissembler, and all around deceiver—in short a hypocrite and a proto-fascist. My way or the highway. Have we heard that before?
Does the word "Republican" come immediately to mind?
These people yap about keeping government out of people's lives (by "people" they mean "corporations") but they wouldn't hesitate to pass laws to make a 12 yr-old who was raped by a relative have a baby. Even if it might kill her.
It's time to stop this baloney. It's time to go and vote in the direction of freedom, which means freedom from fear (of terrorist attack), freedom from having to follow someone else's religious beliefs, freedom to enjoy the world God gave us in Her infinite wisdom…
But, moving on…
Instead of an alien abduction we've gotten an alien visitation. And it's name is Sarah. Sarah the M-16, or maybe Kalashnikov, carrying member of the NRA, beauty queen, ice babe, book-banning bitch from the far north. What is most alarming is not McCain's feckless behavior in choosing her, but her total inability to understand what America is about.
McCain is a war hero. He endured, with honor, five years of incarceration by the North Vietnamese. I admire him for that. I'm not sure I could have done as well as he did. But this is the last time I will refer to that, because it was a long time ago (and I know how I was a long time ago, and people who knew me then might not recognize me now), and the world is a different place now, and he has become a total veteran embarrassment.
The only smart thing he's done lately, is to choose Palin as his running mate. And this curmudgeon has to admit that that is huge. She adds the "sex" to politics he is lacking. I'm not referring to gender, really, here. Fred Flintstone could have added sex to his campaign, it was doing so badly.
Now she can come out and say the things he wouldn't dare. Because he paints himself as a maverick (tho voting with the Bushman over and over again) but he doesn't dare aggravate the creationist, anti-abortion, but also anti-sex education, whacko right.
Hey America, here is a person who fired a librarian because she wouldn't ban the books Palin wanted her to. Here is a person who wanted to fire a guy who wouldn't fire a state trooper who was Palin's hated ex-brother-in-law. Here is someone who enjoyed all the earmarks she is now inveighing against. Here is a person who CHOSE to have a Down's syndrome child, but who would deny the right to any other woman to choose. This person is a liar, dissembler, and all around deceiver—in short a hypocrite and a proto-fascist. My way or the highway. Have we heard that before?
Does the word "Republican" come immediately to mind?
These people yap about keeping government out of people's lives (by "people" they mean "corporations") but they wouldn't hesitate to pass laws to make a 12 yr-old who was raped by a relative have a baby. Even if it might kill her.
It's time to stop this baloney. It's time to go and vote in the direction of freedom, which means freedom from fear (of terrorist attack), freedom from having to follow someone else's religious beliefs, freedom to enjoy the world God gave us in Her infinite wisdom…
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I try to be nice…
…really I do. And, unlike many politicians, I make mistakes (one or two of my ex-es immediately come to mind) and I will admit it. I guess this is the moment to admit I was wrong about Paris Hilton being McCain's running mate. And I really wish I had been right about that.
A minor disappointment.
But then I see this stuff on Yahoo news, via the Associated Press about Sarah Palin:
A minor disappointment.
But then I see this stuff on Yahoo news, via the Associated Press about Sarah Palin:
By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer 47 minutes ago
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."
In an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it "God's will."
Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.
"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."
A video of the speech was posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.
Palin told graduating students of the church's School of Ministry, "What I need to do is strike a deal with you guys." As they preached the love of Jesus throughout Alaska, she said, she'd work to implement God's will from the governor's office, including creating jobs by building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to North American markets.
"God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.
"I can do my job there in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded," she added. "But really all of that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."
Palin attended the evangelical church from the time she was a teenager until 2002, the church said in a statement posted on its Web site. She has continued to attend special conferences and meetings there. Religious conservatives have welcomed her selection as John McCain's running mate.
The Assemblies of God, which claims nearly 3 million members, is one of the biggest Pentecostal groups in the U.S. Unlike most other Christians — including most evangelicals — Pentecostals believe in "baptism in the Holy Spirit." That can manifest itself through speaking in tongues, modern-day prophesy and faith healing. The Assemblies of God teaches that spirit baptism must be accompanied by speaking in tongues. Still, some churchgoers never have the experience.
Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, lamented Palin's comments.
"I miss the days when pastors delivered sermons and politicians delivered political speeches," he said. "The United States is increasingly diverse religiously. The job of a president is to unify all those different people and bring them together around policy goals, not to act as a kind of national pastor and bring people to God."
The section of the church's Web site where videos of past sermons were posted was shut down Wednesday, and a message was posted saying that the site "was never intended to handle the traffic it has received in the last few days."
Oh, so much here to gripe about it almost makes me cheerful—in a curmudgeonly sort of way.
The Iraq war, "a task from God?" It was a major blunder from George (wants to be God—or at least american dictator) W. Bush! Why would god want us to send our young men and women to fight and die in Iraq when the people really responsible for attacking us were somewhere else!?
And it's God's will that we drill and build a pipeline from the North Slope? Does she really think God gives a rat's ass about pipelines?
AAaarrghhh!!!
Where do these people come from?
Sarah Palin doesn't realize it, but her very existence is an argument against the idea of a benevolent God who watches over us.
And I believe in God. I just don't think She really cares about pipelines and wars, but She may really care about how gddm stupid and hypocritical we are.
So there.
It's late. I'm going to go and release my aggravation by chewing on an old tire for a while .
It's just mind-boggling how ignorant we can be.
God wants us to build a pipeline? Oy vey.
I guess that's better than asking us to sacrifice our first-born son, or to build an ark while He (it's a He in this case) destroys the rest of the earth.
Okay, I said I was going to stop.
But when stupidity comes up and slaps you in the face with such stupid authority, it's hard to stop kvetching. And retching.
Why oh why do these people think that what THEY want to do is what GOD wants to do?
I'm going to have to devour a Firestone radial and also kick a silver maple into splinters to work off this aggravation.
It's a good thing i am a non-violent person—but i have to admit to wishing i weren't sometimes.
Let's see, what am i going to do after i kick that tree into splinters…
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
PS
I still think that Paris Hilton would have made a killer VP.
But hey, I lived through the sixties and you know what THAT means.
But hey, I lived through the sixties and you know what THAT means.
Repubicans
I made a mistake. I tuned in to the NPR station at quarter to ten and got Laura Bush mouthing platitudes. Now I have to listen to her hubby swallowing his bile and telling us Johnny Mac is ready to lead the nation.
I never liked listening to George Bush.
He's bringing up the POW thing. No one denies the courage of John McCain in that time. I admire him, and wonder if I could do as well.
That doesn't automatically mean he should be pres.
Johnny Mac has as much as admitted that he went with his gut on the Palin nomination. Right. His gut said,"hey you could get all those Hillary supporters with an anti-abortion evangelist for VP." He must've had indigestion that day.
Fortunately the Pres's speech was short. But Laura is still going on.
She's a nice lady, I won't dump on her.
There's been some talk that GWB's tenure was successful because we haven't been attacked since 2001. They forget that we WERE attacked in 2001, in GWB's tenure. And if memory is correct, the first attack on the World Trade Center was in 1993 (someone among my vast congregation of readers can correct me) so there was about 8 years between that and the 2001 attack. I guess Bill Clinton also protected us from attack. And it's been almost 8 years since the WTC attack. Hmmm.
Terrorists don't necessarily work on the same time scale as the rest of us.
Who is this on now? Joe Lieberman? Joe Weaselman?No, Fred Thompson.
Lots of BS about Palin's independent streak, taking on the Alaska Republican establishment. First time I've heard Republicans praise someone who took on the Republican establishment. Usually they save their praise for those who take on Democrats.
Usual stuff about McCain. Seems like they are willing to sacrifice their children in Iraq. That really endears me.
About Palin. Lots of BS about her pregnant daughter. Forget it. My own experience tells me that you just can't make a cogent argument against someone whose 17 yr old gets in trouble. My parents were lucky. I got away with my sins. Other parents weren't. I'm not going to dump on Sarah Palin for her kid's peccadillos.
Man. Thompson is really piling on the saccharine BS. He is really dwelling on the POW episode.
Talk about pandering.
Back to Palin.
This from the NPR site:
I never liked listening to George Bush.
He's bringing up the POW thing. No one denies the courage of John McCain in that time. I admire him, and wonder if I could do as well.
That doesn't automatically mean he should be pres.
Johnny Mac has as much as admitted that he went with his gut on the Palin nomination. Right. His gut said,"hey you could get all those Hillary supporters with an anti-abortion evangelist for VP." He must've had indigestion that day.
Fortunately the Pres's speech was short. But Laura is still going on.
She's a nice lady, I won't dump on her.
There's been some talk that GWB's tenure was successful because we haven't been attacked since 2001. They forget that we WERE attacked in 2001, in GWB's tenure. And if memory is correct, the first attack on the World Trade Center was in 1993 (someone among my vast congregation of readers can correct me) so there was about 8 years between that and the 2001 attack. I guess Bill Clinton also protected us from attack. And it's been almost 8 years since the WTC attack. Hmmm.
Terrorists don't necessarily work on the same time scale as the rest of us.
Who is this on now? Joe Lieberman? Joe Weaselman?No, Fred Thompson.
Lots of BS about Palin's independent streak, taking on the Alaska Republican establishment. First time I've heard Republicans praise someone who took on the Republican establishment. Usually they save their praise for those who take on Democrats.
Usual stuff about McCain. Seems like they are willing to sacrifice their children in Iraq. That really endears me.
About Palin. Lots of BS about her pregnant daughter. Forget it. My own experience tells me that you just can't make a cogent argument against someone whose 17 yr old gets in trouble. My parents were lucky. I got away with my sins. Other parents weren't. I'm not going to dump on Sarah Palin for her kid's peccadillos.
Man. Thompson is really piling on the saccharine BS. He is really dwelling on the POW episode.
Talk about pandering.
Back to Palin.
This from the NPR site:
"Under Gov. Palin, the state's quest for federal earmarks has not slackened.
Also, during her tenure as mayor of Wasilla, the city hired its first Washington lobbyist to get earmarks.
Steve Ellis is vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group that tracks the booming business of congressional earmarks.
"She [Palin] was an avid recipient of earmark dollars as mayor, and now that she's on the ticket with McCain, who is an unabashed opponent of earmarks, she's toeing that line," he says.
Taxpayers for Common Sense combed through the lobbying reports that Wasilla filed when Palin was mayor. It came up with 14 items, totaling slightly less than $27 million.
Wasilla was doing about as well at getting earmarks as Boise, Idaho, but its population is about 10,000 people whereas Boise's is about 200,000."
From that it seems that Palin is not above using the procedures that she vows to quell as VP.
Now, Hillary had to put up with a lot of misogynist bullshite in her quest for the nomination. From men. Stuff about her pantsuits, her crying, etc. I hope the opposition doesn't go that route with Palin. Seems like there is enough fodder to work on with out that. Leave her family out of it. Don't say that this or that is particular to her being a woman.
It's time to grow up.
She can be defeated on more pertinent grounds.
Got lots of executive experience? Uh yeah, mayor of a small town and 2 year gov of a state that drills oil and takes as much US govt money as it can get. What's the population of Alaska? Anywhere near Ohio, Pennsylvania, even Massachusetts? I think not, even if you count the polar bears.
I'd rather have a polar bear as VP. At least you can understand IT'S bloodlust.
The Republicans are actually lucky that hurricane Gustav came thru in their convention time. They had a chance to look like they were concerned about people. As opposed to corporations. They worked for relief agencies, made a big deal about putting off the main part of their convention to show their concern for the poor, poor people of New Orleans and the South coast. Of course their convention was going to be as interesting as watching a dog pee, Sarah Palin not withstanding, so any distraction was to be applauded.
Republicans are depressing.
And I'm going to bed.
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