The Coalition of the Swilling: November 2008 Archives

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November 30, 2008

It's Been a Long Frickin' Week

I wanted to revisit a beloved favorite, but was unwilling to spend the 3 hours doing so. This answered the call nicely...

...UNlike THIS stoopid exercise, which engages braincells I haven't even BIRTHED yet. I mean, really!!! WTF IS that anyway?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:58 PM | Comments (2)

November 28, 2008

Why I Love Australia, Part 437

Friends, meet David Boon

Boon achieved much fame and notoriety for consuming 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London before the victorious 1989 Ashes tour that saw Australia regain the trophy after five years of English dominance; the previous record had been held by Rod Marsh, who it is believed consumed 45 cans, although there is conjecture as to whether Marsh actually finished can #45, and some believe his attempt only equalled the record of 44 cans set by Doug Walters. Another passionate report of said record claims Boon finished 54 drinks totalling around 19.5 litres of beverages @ 5% alcohol (per 375ml serve), the majority of which consumed at such an altitude that the effects of the alcohol were doubled. Boon is often jokingly referred to as the "Keg on Legs" not only because of his legendary drinking exploits, but also for his "fireplug" build and stature, and dogged, iconoclastic batting displays.He is a unique interview guest, often giving short, clipped, amiable answers to every question.

As long as the Aussies are with us we can never fail.

Found via this Nanny State article which also contained this gem:

This is, after all, a country whose former prime minister, Robert Hawke, once held the Guinness world record for chugging beer: two and a half pints in 11 seconds.
"This feat was to endear me to some of my fellow Australians more than anything else I ever achieved," Hawke wrote of the 1955 stunt in his autobiography.

Indeed, Sir.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:43 AM | Comments (2)

One Man's Quest

To help families who received telegrams like this 65 years ago

The brief telegram James Hildebrand's grandmother received on Dec. 26, 1943, said her 20-year-old son died on Tarawa Atoll and included this line: "On account of existing conditions the body if recovered cannot be returned at present. If further details are received you will be informed."
...A Florida man's quest to find hundreds of U.S. Marines buried anonymously after one of World War II's bloodiest battles could lead to the largest identification of American war dead in history.

Researchers used ground-penetrating radar, tediously reviewed thousands of military documents and interviewed hundreds of others to find 139 graves. There, they say, lie the remains of men who died 65 years ago out in the Pacific Ocean on Tarawa Atoll.

Mark Noah of Marathon, Fla., raised money for the expedition through his nonprofit, History Flight, by selling vintage military aircraft rides at air shows. He hopes the government will investigate further after research is given to the U.S. Defense Department in January — and he hopes the remains are identified and eventually returned to the men's families.

Jules reminds us of the harrowing story of Tarawa, and the great sacrifices made there.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:56 AM | Comments (1)

Breaking Report: All Hostages Dead At Jewish Center?

God-damned bastards.

MUMBAI, India - A group of Indian commandos left Mumbai's Jewish center on Friday after a massive explosion rocked the building in the wake of an airborne assault on militants believed to be holding up to nine hostages.
The blast blew out windows in neighboring buildings and left the area cloaked with thick smoke. Local television reported the standoff was in its final stages.

Update: CNN is saying 5 dead and this rather cryptic phrase: "CNN's Indian sister network, CNN-IBN, also reported the deaths and said the siege at the center -- Chabad House -- was close to ending."

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:48 AM

Madness In Mumbai Continues

My heart just goes out to those poor folks.

MUMBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Indian commandos fought to regain control of Mumbai on Friday, more than 24 hours after heavily armed militants killed at least 119 people and wounded more than 300 others in coordinated attacks in the commercial capital.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pinned blame for the attacks on militant groups based in India's neighbours -- usually an allusion to Pakistan -- raising prospects of renewed tension between the nuclear-armed rivals.

He warned of "a cost" if these nations did not take action to stop their territory being used to launch such attacks.

An estimated 25 men armed with assault rifles and grenades -- at least some of whom arrived by sea -- fanned out across Mumbai on Wednesday night to attack sites popular with tourists and businessmen, including the city's top two luxury hotels.

The chaos seems to continue and the death toll keeps climbing.

Utterly horrible.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:39 AM

There Were Only Four People On My Bus To Work This Morning

And one of them was the driver.

Argh...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:23 AM

Dear FAA

Please don't tell anyone when we use private jets to beg for public money.

I mean, you can't seriously expect us to ride in the fugly crap we build to Washington, can you?

Hugs and kisses,

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:23 AM | Comments (3)

November 27, 2008

Sober Thoughts On India And Australia

From our dear friend Tim.

IF the aim of yesterday's hideous attacks in Mumbai was to weaken those forces vowed to destroy terrorist evil, then the attacks will prove a stunning failure.

We are with you guys.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:29 PM

Let The Gluttony Commence!

Ummmmm, what better way to start the day than a nice platter of Vienna Sausage nachos?

although, to be honest, they weren't nearly as good as the pulled pork nachos I made two weeks ago...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:40 PM

My New Favorite Website

Friends, say hello to Bacon Today.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:09 PM | Comments (4)

A Thanksgiving Story

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird’s vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and
screamed.

Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard
for over a minute.

Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to
the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms
and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and
actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I
fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. He was about to
ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his
behavior, when the bird continued...

"Might I ask what the turkey did?"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

(via my F-I-L)

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:25 AM | Comments (3)

"We Have To Appease Them"

Well, I guess I'll give this ass points for clearly saying what he thinks

(CNN) -- The Indian city of Mumbai exploded into chaos early Thursday morning as gunmen launched a series of attacks across the country's commercial capital, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels frequented by Westerners. Deepak Chopra says extremists could be reacting to Barack Obama's gestures toward Muslims.
CNN's Larry King spoke with author Deepak Chopra about the situation.

Deepak Chopra:... The situation is complex, Larry, because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this.

And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this.

You know, this is Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims.

You know, there's 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. That's 25 percent of the population of the world. It's the fastest-growing religion in the world. We cannot, if we do not appease and actually recruit the help of this Muslim world, we're going to have a problem on our hands.

And we cannot go after the wrong people, as we did after 9/11, because then the whole collateral damage that occurs actually aggravates the situation.

In India, this is particularly inflammatory, because there's a rise of Hindu fundamentalism. We saw what that did in Gujarat, where, you know, Muslims were scorched and they were killed, and there was almost a genocide of the Muslims.

See, everyone knows that the Hindus and Muslims lived in perfect harmony until Chimpy McBushhitler, right? Ass.

Continuing on as a learned philosopher, Chopra then quotes from the Holy Book of Bill Maher

Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism.

You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other.

King: Thanks, Deepak Chopra, as always, extraordinarily enlightening

Yes, extraordinarily enlightening, indeed.

Asshat.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:16 AM | Comments (18)

November 26, 2008

Terror Attacks In Mumbai

Simply horrible

Mumbai: In one of the most violent terror attacks on Indian soil, Mumbai came under an unprecedented night attack as terrorists used heavy machine guns, including AK-47s, and grenades to strike at the city's most high-profile targets -- the hyper-busy CST (formerly VT) rail terminus; the landmark Taj Hotel at the Gateway and the luxury Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point; the domestic airport at Santa Cruz; the Cama and GT hospitals near CST; the Metro Adlabs multiplex and Mazgaon Dockyard -- killing at least 80 and sending more than 900 to hospital, according to latest reports.
The attacks have taken a tragic toll on the city's top police brass: The high-profile chief of the anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare was killed; Mumbai's additional commissioner of police (east) Ashok Kamte was gunned down outside the Metro; and celebrated encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar was also killed.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:27 PM | Comments (1)

Continuing On Our Theme

I find this via Insta on the state of NJ's pension system

New Jersey's pension fund has lost more than $23 billion this year, dropping to its lowest level since 2003 as a collapsing financial market battered its investments, a new state report shows.
The latest losses -- nearly $9 billion in October, and another $3 billion so far this month -- mean the fund is now worth $57.8 billion, or less than half the $118 billion in benefits it is due to pay out over time.

And our glorious Governor's cunning plan to fix things?

While Clark delivered his report to the State Investment Council in Trenton, Gov. Jon Corzine was in Atlantic City promising a convention of local government officials that he would let them postpone about a half-billion in payments they are scheduled to make to the pension funds in April.
Specifically, Corzine proposed letting local governments skip paying $541 million of the $1.1 billion due. They would gradually work their way back to full payments by 2012 under his plan.

Brilliant! The plan is under-funded, so the best way to solve the problem is to fund it even less.

And when you consider this

New Jersey is $60 billion in the hole on pension funding and the Governor is planning on skipping payments in a "pension payment holiday" until 2012 so as to not increase property taxes. To top it off, the ongoing plan assumptions are 8.25%. Sorry NJ, that simply is not going to happen.

Our state is in a huge mess, and I haven't seen anyone in either party come up with a realistic solution...or even an honest assessment of the state our state is in.

Oh, but let's spend over $100 million on a new football stadium for Rutgers.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:05 AM | Comments (5)

Here's Another Bailout

As I've mentioned before, there's a huge looming problem with the under-funded State employee pensions, and given their strong support for the incoming administration you know they will be a main concern. But there's also a big problem in the private sector

Americans with 401(k) plans in stocks have been feeling queasy for months as they've watched their savings vanish at alarming rates.
But workers covered by traditional pension plans -- the ones 100% funded and managed by companies for employees -- have so far avoided that sinking feeling.

Unlike the 401(k) crowd, they don't get monthly statements bearing the grim news of the lousy performance of the investments in their pension plans.

But with stocks and bonds crushed, many of these old-school defined-benefit plans now look downright wobbly. If the economic weakness continues long enough, many could end up in the hands of the independent government agency responsible for taking over failing plans.

This would mean that, down the road, the agency would likely ask for a $50 billion to $100 billion boost from tax dollars, experts say.

That's right: This would affect you even if you didn't have a traditional pension plan. It's the looming bailout no one is talking about.

And these losses can not be completely blamed on the poop that is the Dow, because many of these companies have been under-funding their plans for years.

About 340 of the S&P 500 companies now have plans with shortfalls. And 227 of them -- almost half -- have plans that are less than 80% funded. That's a 266% increase from the 62 companies in 2007 with plans that were less than 80% funded.
...Not surprisingly, General Motors and Ford top the list. Much of the talk in favor of allowing the big automakers to go into bankruptcy centers on how it would let them shed pension obligations. Guess who gets the bill if they do.

Unisys, which offers information technology to governments and the private sector, also places high.

These three now have pension fund shortfalls equal to anywhere from about 80% to 180% of their market capitalizations, by Zion's calculations.

We've seen this before in the airline industry in the 80s. The government allows them to under-fund their pension obligations, then they go into Chapter 11, and the employees get screwed.

But hey, what's another couple hundred billion in taxpayer mullah?

And of course no "executives" will be fired, because that might destabilize things...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:57 AM | Comments (1)

November 25, 2008

For Skyler

You were right, you know.

And to those of you who haven't seen "Streets of Fire"...do. But make sure you can CRANK the sound. You'll probably recognize quite a few of the fresh YOUNG faces in it, too. Michael Pare, Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, Robert Townsend, Rick Rossivich, Bill Paxton, Willem DaFoe...it goes on and on, with Walter Hill directing and Ry Cooder music. Even has a certain Marine Jahan, who would later do the dancing in a famous Jennifer Beals movie.

It's been a staple in our house since it hit VHS tape and the soundtrack cassette at full volume/base walked a stained glass lamp right off one of the Altec-Lansings.

I always wanted Diane Lane's little dresses. It's quite the prettiest she's ever looked.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:53 PM | Comments (6)

There Are Times When I Really Hate You Tube

Of course, when they show Al Qaeda videos. But mostly, when the reality doesn't quite match up to the fond, 20 year old memory I have. I can only believe that the initial impression was apparently distorted by the amount of alcohol perpetually in my system during a WestPac, because, while the song is still compelling...

...dear GOD, the video sucks. Bad. I guess I don't dare risk another emotional drubbing looking for "Jump".

Oh, what the hell. Cover me ~ I'm goin' in...

Thank GOD!!!

My faith is restored.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:55 PM | Comments (8)

Exercise a Little Self Control This Holiday Season

Don't be slipping Rover ANYthing under the table.

Surprising dangers for pets during the holidays

...Macadamia nuts can cause a short-term hind-limb paralysis, and bread dough, if eaten before baking, can expand rapidly once ingested and cause ethanol poisoning.

MacKinley actually wound up in the emergency room a couple Thanksgivings ago. Guests were just pushing back from the table, when Schmacks stuck his head out from under it.

And he had no eyes.

Well, he had them, but they were hidden behind the mounds of bulging flesh protruding from his once aquiline profile.

We never did figure out what he'd gotten into. Or who'd surreptitiously slipped him something, since we discourage that pretty vociferously. (A la Achmed ~ "Feed the dog, I KILL you.")

But that damn "not good for puppies" list just seems to keep getting LONGER every year.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:19 PM | Comments (9)

"It was a good day for the Marine Corps"

via RealJeffS, here's a story to make us all even more grateful this Thanksgiving

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan — In the city of Shewan, approximately 250 insurgents ambushed 30 Marines and paid a heavy price for it.

...“The day started out with a 10-kilometer patrol with elements mounted and dismounted, so by the time we got to Shewan, we were pretty beat,” said a designated marksman who requested to remain unidentified. “Our vehicles came under a barrage of enemy RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) and machine gun fire. One of our ‘humvees’ was disabled from RPG fire, and the Marines inside dismounted and laid down suppression fire so they could evacuate a Marine who was knocked unconscious from the blast.”

...“The biggest thing to take from that day is what Marines can accomplish when they’re given the opportunity to fight,” the sniper said. “A small group of Marines met a numerically superior force and embarrassed them in their own backyard. The insurgents told the townspeople that they were stronger than the Americans, and that day we showed them they were wrong.”

During the battle, the designated marksman single handedly thwarted a company-sized enemy RPG and machinegun ambush by reportedly killing 20 enemy fighters with his devastatingly accurate precision fire. He selflessly exposed himself time and again to intense enemy fire during a critical point in the eight-hour battle for Shewan in order to kill any enemy combatants who attempted to engage or maneuver on the Marines in the kill zone. What made his actions even more impressive was the fact that he didn’t miss any shots, despite the enemies’ rounds impacting within a foot of his fighting position.

“I was in my own little world,” the young corporal said. “I wasn’t even aware of a lot of the rounds impacting near my position, because I was concentrating so hard on making sure my rounds were on target.”

Deadly...and economical. God bless you, young man.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:24 AM | Comments (11)

November 24, 2008

Breaking News!

The brutal Barbie murder is solved: they've arrested Ken.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:07 PM | Comments (7)

Testing Testing

1
2
3

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:13 PM | Comments (7)

Maybe It's The Effects Of Sis' Hoffness Below

But when I saw this photo about the mystery piano in the woods

I thought...I've seen that piano before

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:46 AM | Comments (4)

Why?

What a steaming pile of manure

The U.S. government plan to rescue Citigroup (C, news, msgs) was taking shape on Sunday night, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The government has agreed to absorb hundreds of billions of dollars of potential losses in toxic assets on Citigroup's balance sheet and to inject fresh capital into the bank.

According to the plan, uncertain assets -- mostly loans and securities backed by commercial real estate -- worth about $306 billion will be absorbed, first up to $29 billion by Citigroup itself, then the rest, if necessary, by the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

It's really a kind of insurance policy for Citigroup, and the bank will give the government a percentage of its shares in proportion to the amount of protection that it needs to use.

Then the Treasury will also provide Citigroup with $20 billion in capital. Citigroup had already received a $25 billion injection of capital under the $700 billion Paulson rescue plan. Management at the bank will not be shaken up, because the government feared that such a move would further destabilize Citigroup.

Well, they can kiss my ass in Macy's window. The bastards lost billions. FIRE THEM.

This is insane.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:23 AM | Comments (9)

November 23, 2008

So I'm Cruising Up 81 Yesterday In Deep SW Virginia

Aw hell, it was probably only 7:30 or so in the morning. I had the cruise control set right at 65 (well, 66, really) and this black pickup goes flying by me, his rear window emblazoned with a large "Ron Paul: Libertarian For President!" bumper sticker as he proudly displayed his disdain for the crushing, all-encroaching apparatus of the State.

About two miles later I came around a corner and I found him pulled over by a Virginia State Trooper.

Am I a Bad Person™ for finding this deliciously ironic?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:27 AM | Comments (4)

November 22, 2008

VINDICATION, My Friends

...is SCHWEET!!

UNFORTUNATELY, THE SHOW ITSELF SUCKS: Knight Rider’s KITT is a Hydrogen Electric Hybrid. At least, I watched a few minutes of the new Knight Rider a while back and found myself unexpectedly admiring the comparative genius of...
David Hasselhoff.

Oh....

...YEAH.

UPDATE: It IS the Season of Giving! Schweet Baby Jeebus, a gen-you-ine Blogfadda Instalanche!!!! Merci, Professor and a Warm Swill Welcome, gentle InstaHoff-ians! And yes, there is a teensy bit of Hasselhoff history (and ~ bafflingly ~ no small amount of animus on the part of our peevish and distinctly un-Hoff cultured regulars)(I mean, seriously ~ whut up wid dat?), hence my crowing. God BLESS the good Professor.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:24 PM | Comments (11)

And Justice for All

Unless, of course, you happen to NOT be a Muslim? Then not so much.

..."Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country and hijacking its ship is a bigger crime than other ships," Sheikh Abdirahim Isse Adow, an Islamist spokesman, told Reuters. "Haradheere is under our control and we shall do something about that ship."

I just love those Religion of Pieces guys. I can't wait 'til the prevaricating a$$holes finally take over the world.

That'll show us.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:29 AM | Comments (2)

November 20, 2008

One Hung Low

I beg to differ.

...Members of Congress were clearly looking for sacrifice from the union's older workforce and retiree pensioners. "The average family of four in my district makes $36,000 a year, and I find it difficult to ask them to fund much richer salaries and health care of workers in other states," said Walter Jones, Republican Representative from North Carolina.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger shot back with the concessions the union has made in the past two years. "The UAW is not the low-hanging fruit here," said the union chief.

Oh, yeah, you are, pal. I've never been able to stand Walter Jones, but he made points with me today. And I'm about sick of Gettelfinger's outraged and indignant martyrdom act. He hasn't learned a thing from the howling brought on by those private jet rides to D.C., considering his tune is the same as it was last week:

...The prospect of concessions from the union came up during a meeting involving executives of Detroit's Big Three auto makers and Democratic Congressional lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday. But UAW President Ron Gettelfinger made clear that concessions were out of the question, union lobbyist Alan Reuther said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires Friday.

"Workers and retirees have already made significant sacrifices," said Reuther, paraphrasing remarks that Gettelfinger made to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D- Calif., and others in the meeting, including renegotiated contracts. "We feel we've already stepped up."

Considering the mood of the country, I think it's more that you've already stepped IN it.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:32 PM | Comments (6)

November 19, 2008

Talk About Trying to Corner the Market!

4 Illegal Immigrants Found in Wal-Mart Truck

I had NO idea you could put them on lay-away. That Walton family thinks of everything.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:54 AM | Comments (3)

Quote of the Day

Police haven't said what type of sandwich was involved.

And, no ~ "knuckle" isn't the correct answer.

She didn't crash the car when he walloped her, so I'd guess you could call it the "Miracle Whip". However, we'd have to ask our Curdled Cat Piss expert if that'd be an accurate description.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:39 AM | Comments (7)

CrapTACular! What's Gonna Happen When You Can No Longer

...blame Chimpy Mc Bush?

The top Senate Democrat is trying to lower expectations for emergency legislation to help the beleaguered U.S. auto industry.

Sen. Harry Reid said Wednesday it's the Bush administration's responsibility to save the once-mighty carmakers from collapse.

Oh, come on. WHO am I kidding? If Dirty Harry and Co. can keep pulling off such brazen bullshit, they'll be blaming him for the next eight years. Or longer.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:28 AM | Comments (2)

November 18, 2008

I Sure Hope He Backs Up

Obama vows quick action to curb warming
In surprise speech, he says U.S. to help lead 'new era of global cooperation'

Somebody's got to warm something, 'cause I'm freezing my ass off here!

And just look what our balmy Florida weather's done to the Oriskany...
Last week:

Last night:

Tough to dive THAT mofo now.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:49 PM | Comments (4)

November 17, 2008

Good Lord, I Hope SO!

...Like its more moderately priced rival American Eagle (NYSE: AEO), Abercrombie has a strong brand name status among teen shoppers. However, teens and young adults are moving away from the herd mentality where all the "cool" kids show off identical moose-branded polos.

And about time. Not to mention that I shudder at what Abercrombie has morphed in to. Ebola is old enough to remember going into Abercrombie & Fitch in South Coast Plaza when they were still expedition outfitters. The store was full of safari gear, high tech hunting/mountain climbing accessories/fly rods, A & F tomes about the sporting life and cool gadgetry for life in the bush. Mesmerizingly exotic ~ like entering another world or a 1940's black and white movie. Did you know they'd outfitted Charles Lindbergh for his 1927 trans-Atlantic flight? Or tried to trademark "Safari"? History in that name, man. (FYI: Eddie Bauer used to be as revered. At one time they were THE outfitters for all the major Himalayan expeditions and the quality was unsurpassed. I still have my circa 1972, goose-down Karakorum -40º mummy bag. The label says "For the rest of your life" and they meant it.)

A & F now?

Clothing that is not made of any higher quality than any other line of clothes that is sold for what you'd usually pay for a small boat.

I couldn't find but one teeny picture of a vintage A & F "colonial" safari scene. The rest were all the new incarnation's carnally inclined crap. They're just revolting. And if more than one pre-teen (and her parental units) says "no thanks" to the pressure, that's okay by me.

No bail-out money for them, either!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:15 PM | Comments (10)

The Economy May Be Glum For You

But things are definitely looking up for me, based on this email:

Dear Friend, Greetings! It's really disturbing and worrying that you will keep mum all these while. I can't get it; I've tried all your numbers without success. Your email doesn't seem to be working anymore, as there are always no responses to my mails. What could be happening please?.
It’s been over one month that the VISA ATM CARD of (USD$750,000.00) was Loaded in your favor and you can Withdraw your money in any ATM Cash Point Machine Worldwide and the Maximum you can Withdraw daily is (USD$1,000.00). Since I did not hear from you, I went and deposited the ATM CARD Package with Access Trust Delivery Company Accra, Ghana before I traveled UK for a year Course that will end on the 6th November, 2009.

You need to contact the Access Trust Delivery Company and request for the immediate deliver of your package. For your information, I have paid for the Dispatching, Insurance and Clearance Certificate charges of the ATM CARD showing that it is not a Drug Money or to sponsor Terrorism.

Thus, quickly contact the Access Trust Express Courier Company for the delivery of the ATM CARD Package with this information bellow.

Access Trust Express Courier Co. Ltd.
Contact Person: Mr. James Michael
Position: Dir. Foreign Delivery Department.
# 117 Sir Arku Korsah Street, Roman Ridge,
P.O. Box, AD237, Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
E-Mail: accesstrustexpresscouriercoltd@gmail.com

Make sure that you provide them with your current delivery details such as your (Full Name, Office or Residence Address and Direct Call Number) to avoid any mistake on the delivery. Try to contact them once you receive this massage for their immediate action. And notify me through (+44- 703-199-5860) once you receive your VISA ATM CARD as I might not be contacting you soon because I am very busy with my course here in the UK.

As a matter of fact, you must contact the above Company by indicating the following Code (CZ-61-42-EX) as the rightful beneficiary of the ATM CARD Package of (USD$750,000.00) to enable them attend to you and deliver the ATM CARD Package to you as they have the code in their record.

Take care and remain Blessed.

Yours really,

Mr. Emmanuel Annan.

Now you'll pardon me if I'm offline for a while as I must rush to take advantage of this most generous offer. It will be a truly wondrous holiday season at the Bingley household now!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:48 AM | Comments (8)

I'm Shocked!

Really. Stunned, even

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe said Saturday that Congress was not told the truth about the bailout of the nation's financial system and should take back what is left of the $700 billion "blank check'' it gave the Bush administration.
"It is just outrageous that the American people don't know that Congress doesn't know how much money he (Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson) has given away to anyone,'' the Oklahoma Republican told the Tulsa World.

"It could be to his friends. It could be to anybody else. We don't know. There is no way of knowing.''

..."I have learned a long time ago. When they come up and say this has to be done and has to be done immediately, there is no other way of doing it, you have to sit back and take a deep breath and nine times out of 10 they are not telling the truth,'' he said.

"And this is one of those nine times.''

Damn straight.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:37 AM | Comments (7)

November 14, 2008

Here We Go

"I want some too!"

WASHINGTON (AP) - Three big city mayors asked the federal government Friday to use a portion of the $700 billion financial bailout to assist struggling cities.

The mayors sought help with their pension costs, infrastructure investment and cash-flow problems stemming from the global financial crisis.

The mayors—Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, Shirley Franklin of Atlanta and Phil Gordon of Phoenix—made their request in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

Nutter said cities are facing an economic crisis not seen since the Depression and need help just like financial institutions.

"I want to make sure that cities and metro areas are at the table, that their voices are being heard, that our challenges and problems are well understood, so that we can get relief," Nutter said.

President-elect Barack Obama has also called for some sort of aid to state and local governments so they don't have to raise taxes or lay off workers while the federal government is trying to revive the economy, but he hasn't proposed or endorsed a specific aid plan.

The Government that couldn't say "no."

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:53 PM | Comments (16)

Oddest Thing Yesterday

Ding-dong went the doorbell, the dogs go apesh*t and...there's an Edward Jones type at the front door with a pamphlet and business card, asking major dad to give him a call if he needs any advice. On, you know, like any of the 57 things they're financial wizards at.

Hmmm. Can't say as we've ever experienced a door-to-door investment solicitation. I'm not sure if that's marketing genius, or a desperation move putting them on the level of the "prime-steaks-in-the-back-of-the-truck" guy, who was just delivering to your neighbor (!) and thought he'd stop to see if you were interested, since...well...he had them in the back of the truck.

Note to Ed and Co.: we've never bought those steaks, either. Your model may need tweaking, but I don't think ringing doorbells sends the right note, capiche?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:14 AM | Comments (3)

November 13, 2008

A Billion Here, A Billion There...

and pretty soon it add up to real money

For all the fury over Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's $700 billion emergency economic relief fund, it seems downright puny when compared to the running total of the government's response to the credit crisis.
According to CreditSights, a research firm in New York and London, the U.S. government has put itself on the hook for some $5 trillion, so far, in an attempt to arrest a collapse of the financial system.

The estimate includes many of the various solutions cooked up by Paulson and his counterparts Ben Bernanke at the Federal Reserve and Sheila Bair at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., as the credit crisis continues to plague banks and the broader markets.

Nice, huh? We're on the hook for trillions, and they're still running up the tab. And in the interest of open government they have put the Fannie and Freddie trillions off budget. Our children are so screwed.

David Hendler, an analyst at CreditSights, says it looks as if government is left holding the bag, and of course that translates into everyone.
"The losses have to be taken, but no one wants to take them," Hendler said at a conference Wednesday, speaking about the banks and their handling of troubled assets. "It seems like the taxpayers are going to be taking a good portion of that."

We need to take control. Take back our local and state offices from these entrenched parties; Repubs or Dems, there's no difference. Get rid of all of them.

Change this course why we still can.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:10 AM | Comments (4)

November 12, 2008

"Consumers Are Running Scared"

Now there's a bold grasp of the obvious

For now, consumers are running scared, and so no good news may be expected today when retailer Macy's (M, news, msgs) reports third-quarter earnings before the markets open today, with a conference call scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET. Analysts expect a loss of 19 cents per share on revenue of $5.5 billion.
Department stores like Macy's, already hit by weak consumer spending, have been reducing prices drastically. But even with lower prices, same-store sales at Macy's are down 6.4% for the month of October -- same-store sales are sales at stores that have been open for at least a year. Macy's has already said that further sales deterioration can be expected in the next two quarters. Macy's began restructuring in February by slashing 2,300 management jobs.

Can someone explain to me why American Express (a company whose Travel Service I love, btw, as they arranged our fantastic trips to Scotland and Alaska) should qualify for a Government bailout?

Who the hell doesn't qualify these days?

Well, aside from us poor saps the taxpayers, obviously.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:35 AM | Comments (5)

Attention Christmas Shoppers!

Like me, I'm sure you've been stumped about what to get our buddy Val at Babalu Blog for Christmas.

Well, wonder no more!

(thanks to Sad Old Goth for the pointer)

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:40 AM | Comments (5)

November 11, 2008

Happy Veteran's Day

Thanks you for all of your sacrifices.

It's been 90 years since the "War to End All Wars" ended.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:18 AM | Comments (4)

November 10, 2008

Being of Sufficient Quality and Quantity, In the Finest Tradition of the Marine Corps

“Parade the main course.”

(After ringing a bell to announce the last chance for a bathroom break — “paying tribute to Lord Nelson,” as it’s known during Mess Nights.) I proclaim this beef "Fit for Human Consumption".

President of the Mess: “Mister Vice, the United States Marines.”

Vice President of the Mess: “Gentlemen, long live the United States and success to the Marines.”

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:57 PM | Comments (8)

I Saw This Frickin' Thing

...and thought it was an election map.

It might as well be, for all the good the 'facts' are gonna do when the Global Warming President gets to town and has to pay for all those promises. The thought chills me to the bone, El Niño not withstanding.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:59 PM | Comments (6)

"They Have Always Defended Each Other..."

"...and this nation. They still do."

Jesus, I love you guys and the big brotherhood I'm privileged to be a small part of.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:35 AM | Comments (5)

Happy Birthday USMC

Semper Fi.

And thank you.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:06 AM | Comments (8)

November 09, 2008

A Salute Update

Congress has included the provisions of H.R.3380 and S.1877 in H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which President Bush signed into law on January 28th, 2008! The relevant section is Section 594 of the resolution and reads as follows:
SEC. 594. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG.
Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘all persons present’’ and all that follows through the end of the section and inserting the following: ‘‘all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.’’.

That snappy salute is good to go!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:02 PM | Comments (12)

November 07, 2008

What A Classy, Inspirational Orator

In his first press conference as President-Elect

Obama says in his first post-election press conference that he's spoken to all the former presidents — Carter, Bush, Clinton, as well as the current Bush — and, looser than he's been in months, dares a joke at the expense of the widow of a deceased one.
"I have spoken to all of them who are living," he says. "I didn’t want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about doing any séances," he says.

Nice reaching across the aisle kind of talk.

Hey, I've got some lines for your next presser, you know, just to relax the mood a bit!

"When I see the budget projections I know how Jackie Kennedy's dry cleaner must have felt in Dallas"

"The Detroit Automakers' stock has gone down faster than Monica Lewinsky"

always helps to get your point across in that smooth Cicero-like style of yours.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:04 PM | Comments (7)

TGIF Sentiments From an Investor Kinda Kitteh

more animals

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:42 PM

No Question, the Squeeze Is On

More true for some than others, though.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:38 PM | Comments (2)

Your Zen Shot of the Day

I hope Barney's up on his shots. You never know where that reporter's hand has been.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:03 PM | Comments (7)

An Ugly Number

The jobs picture ain't purdy

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The government reported more grim news about the economy Friday, saying employers cut 240,000 jobs in October - bringing the year's total job losses to 1.2 million.
According to the Labor Department's monthly jobs report, the unemployment rate rose to 6.5% from 6.1% in September and higher than economists' forecast of 6.3%. It was the highest unemployment rate since March 1994.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a loss of 200,000 jobs in the month. October's monthly job loss total was slightly less than September's revised loss of 284,000.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:04 AM

Blech

I'm tired after all this week's stuff.

Now it's time for the important things: I've got a few cooking posts to put up, lots of cooking to do this weekend, lots of mutants to eliminate in Fallout 3, and lots of wine to drink.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:55 AM | Comments (2)

November 06, 2008

The Coming Round Of "Bailouts"

Think the Bank welfare was fun? We've only just begun. The "Big 3" automakers will be meeting very soon with Pelosi and crew, who are already promising billions more in "stimulus" packages for them. This Congress is going to ram through the "Employee Free Choice Act," more properly known as the "Let Me Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse Act," to radically enhance union power. Next they will in effect nationalize the auto industry, to be followed by the airlines and so on down the line. They will be using your money to strengthen their union powerbase, thereby ensuring their grip on electoral power for years. Most ethical evah my ass.

And I promise that if I ever use the words "Pelosi" and "stimulus" (and "package"...ick) in the same sentence again I will jump in front of a bus.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:15 PM | Comments (4)

As Expected, October Retail Sales Tank

And I don't see it getting any better any time soon

NEW YORK (AP) - The nation's retailers saw their sales plummet last month to the weakest October level since at least 1969, as the financial crisis and mounting layoffs left shoppers too scared to shop.
The stunning and rare drop, from an already weak September, is further darkening the outlook for the holiday season and raising more concerns about the financial health of the industry, which is not expected to see a recovery until at least the second half of 2009.

A number of stores, including J.C. Penney Co. and Nordstrom Inc., cut their profit outlooks as they slashed prices on everything from coats to holiday ornaments in a desperate bid to pull in shoppers. Analysts expect a do-or-die holiday season for more retailers, which have already seen competitors like Mervyns LLC and Linens 'N Things forced to liquidate.

I'm sure not planning on spending any where near what I've spent in the past (well, outside of libations, obviously). But I will make damn sure to spend much more time with good friends.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:21 PM | Comments (2)

Man, I Hate This Time Change

Pitch black when I leave the house in the morning, and pitch black when I get home.

Blech.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:33 AM | Comments (6)

November 05, 2008

A Neat Story

Via Insta, she's got to be one of the last, if not the last, child of a slave still alive

Along a rural highway in central Texas sits a small white house with some cows grazing out back and a wheelchair ramp leading to the front screen door. Inside that house lives Amanda Jones, 109, the daughter of a slave. No one in her family, least of all Jones, thought she would live long enough to vote for the man who is to become the first black president.
Jones is the living link between the time when black men were owned as property and the time when a black man has been elected president of the United States.

...Her father was Emmanuel Alfred Roberts, who was emancipated in 1865 at the age of 12. He took the name of his last master, a farmer and rancher named Abe Roberts.

He eventually married Moriah Josephine Washington. They farmed on Alum Creek, east of Austin, and had 13 children. Amanda Jones is the sole survivor.

She remembers very little of what her father told her about slavery days.

"When he was a little boy, he herded [the master's] sheep," she says, and he protected them from mountain lions that then prowled the forests of central Texas.

A precious piece of history she is.

God bless her.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:56 AM | Comments (2)

You Know, I Like Minnesota

My Bride grew up there, and it's a lovely place. Nice, sweet people and, for me, a wonderful climate.

But I never want to hear any of them ever again say a disparaging word about Ronald Reagan. I mean, good god, first they elect Jesse Ventura Governor, and now they may put Al Franken in the Senate?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:02 AM | Comments (8)

So It's President Obama

Congratulations to him and his supporters on a successful campaign. As Allah wrote last night

So in that spirit, congratulations to Barry O on a race superbly run and to our country for not having let the wrong reasons deter it from making the wrong choice. I’ll never be a fan, but I swear I’ll never take a nutroots posture either in relishing his failures because it helps my party. Like it or not, he’s my president. As a great man once said, country first.

Damn straight. The idea that the winner of an election, if they're not the person you voted for, is somehow illegitimate is one of the most pernicious memes that the Left has promulgated over the last eight years. It is horribly divisive and corrosive to our entire system, and the blame for this is solely theirs. Barack Obama is my President now, and I hope he leads our country to better days.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:33 AM | Comments (15)

November 04, 2008

Thank You Sweet Blessed Baby Jeebus

That this Election Day has finally come. I am so tired and disgusted by this whole thing. The Republicans frankly deserve a drubbing for how they've screwed things up; the Democrats are chomping on the bit to impose 'Fairness' and societal leveling and criminalize political disagreements. There's no winning here, only a way to try and limit the damage until we can find a way to get rid of both of these parties.

The parties have had glorious, shining moments in their past of which they can be rightly proud; both of them have. But as it stands now they, like any human institutions, have become corrupted by their power and have morphed into creatures mainly concerned with their own survival, their own continued hold on political power. I think both parties are ready to fracture. The Republicans are dispirited by how their leadership has abandoned most of the principles they claim to hold dear; Democrats are a roiling bucket of special-interest pandering held together only by their hatred of Bush. Assuming he wins I think that President Obama will be stunned by the vitriol that will flow his way from his own side when his followers discovery that he is not, in fact, able to control the tides and introduce eternal Spring.

Closer to home, for my fellow NJ voters we have some ballot questions.

On Question 1, I recommend a "Yes" vote, as I want as much spending/bond issuing as possible to require voter approval. Trenton needs to be reined in; it's our money. Now I understand the loophole that people are complaining about with this, that the concurrent legislation allows them to refinance old debts and slip that under the radar, but guess what? We're stuck paying that no matter what; the bastards have put us on the hook for billions and the only way to solve things is to get rid of the people doing the spending. This is a step in the right direction.

On Question 2, I recommend voting "No." As much as I am a big proponent of local involvement and control, and I really am in favor of having the locals involved in their town's concerns, there needs to be some level of oversight at the State level to counter balance entrenched local machines. There's definitely a dynamic tension here, and I prefer that the Governor and the Legislature retain some review of pan-municipal appointments.

So go vote, crack open a bottle or three of wine and toast the future.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:36 AM | Comments (24)

November 03, 2008

Boo Says "BOO!" to Obama's "Spread the Wealth"

Boo figures he's already ponying up enough.

...Milton High graduate Boo Weekley said he isn't sure whether he'll follow suit. What happens on Election Night may sway him one way or the other.

"That might be something I look into," said Weekley, who will be heading to Disney World to play in the Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart starting Thursday. "I'm not 100 percent on what I'm going to do yet.

"If the economy stays the way it is, I'll pack up and head over there (and get joint membership)."

...Weekley earned almost $2.4 million on the PGA Tour in 2008, placing him 25th on the money list. In the current tax system, Weekley estimates that he only sees about half of his winnings.

Obama's tax plan is expected to raise the taxes of families making $2.87 million or more by an average of 11.7 percent according to a study by the Tax Policy Center. If in place in this season, that increase would have cost Weekley an additional $280,000 in earnings alone, not counting endorsements or appearance fees.

Save us a seat on the QE II, will ya, buddy?

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:49 PM | Comments (1)

A Day at the Office With ths Can Be Pretty Cool

Bud McFarlane and several of his friends stopped by, and what a lovely, delightful gentleman he is!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:08 PM | Comments (1)

What To Cook For Tommorow Night?

And, more importantly, what to drink.

I know I'll drink a lot of it, regardless.

Since the next four years will have a lot of pork in Washington...hmmm.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:13 PM | Comments (10)

You Can Have My Twinkies...

When you pry them from from my cold dead fingers

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Hostess Twinkies are becoming the latest product remade and repackaged into 100-calorie snack packs, a product some analysts say could do well given that more people are packing their own lunches in the slumping economy.
The maker of the golden yellow, creme-filled cake is launching "Twinkie Bites" nationwide in stores on Monday.

I'm thinking "Twinkie Bites" is really not the best name...

Slimmed down Twinkies?

You communist bastards!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:26 AM | Comments (5)

"I'll Never Forget That Order..."

"...'Hold and die'"

Neither will we, sir.

God speed and Semper Fi.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:04 AM | Comments (7)

A GREAT Story Called

"Sunday: Live From Scranton"
I am at Democrats for McCain Headquarters in downtown Scranton [ths: and SHE'S from FLORIDA!] and this place is buzzing. There are a LOT of people in this little office. We are waiting for the canvassers to return. Harriet Christian is trying to catch McCain at the airport. She and her bus posse tried to get into his rally here in Scranton earlier this afternoon but were turned away by the fire marshall. The place was overflowing.

...I recognize a lot of the volunteers here from Denver. They are the die hard PUMAs who were determined that the DNC were not going to get the best of them. But the manager of this office, Carol, made her decision when Hillary suspended her campaign.

...As a Pennsylvanian from the Scranton area, she was offended by Obama’s remarks regarding bitter small towners who cling to God and guns. Obama hasn’t reached out to the working class and the sexism really got under Carol’s skin. She decided in McCain’s favor. Then, this former Hillary supporter approached the McCain campaign and convinced them to open an office for Democrats for McCain because she felt this area of Pennsylvania would be receptive to McCain’s message.

PUMA !!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:27 AM | Comments (2)

So Sarah Palin Comes Home From Hunting...

With a deer she has shot and cooks it for dinner.

Both she and Todd decide that they won't tell the kids what kind of meat it is, but will give them a clue and let them guess.

The kids were eager to know what the meat was on their plates, so they begged their dad for a clue.

"Well," he said, "It's what mommy calls me sometimes".

Hearing this, Willow screams to Piper

"Don't eat it, it's an asshole!"

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:29 AM | Comments (4)

If I Were To Ask God For A Favor

It would be that the election indisputably ends tomorrow. The electorate is pretty evenly split as the last few elections have shown, and the last thing we need is more drawn-out questions and debates and legal challenges out the yin-yang. Wednesday morning we have a new President-elect and we move along.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:39 AM | Comments (3)

November 02, 2008

Sophomoric

...Barack Obama has the kind of cocksure confidence that can only be achieved by not achieving anything else.
... The kind of self-righteous self-confidence that has become Obama's trademark is usually found in sophomores in Ivy League colleges-- very bright and articulate students, utterly untempered by experience in real world.

The signs of Barack Obama's self-centered immaturity are painfully obvious, though ignored by true believers who have poured their hopes into him, and by the media who just want the symbolism and the ideology that Obama represents.

The emptiness of One.

UPDATE:

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:44 PM | Comments (1)

Just to Clarify "Coal Belt"

You know, all those filthy folks that need bankrupting. Seems to be a fair amount of territory.

Maybe someone oughta let those folks know what he and Joe have in mind.