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May 31, 2009
Enabling Addictions
...makes the inevitable, delayed withdrawal even more painful.
..."The basic strategy appears to be to try to bring us back to 2006 by propping up asset prices and reflating the popped credit bubble, subsidizing bank creditors and shareholders, and delaying needed bank recapitalizations while hoping for an economic recovery," Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn said at the annual Ira Sohn Investment Research Conference...."Government intervention could draw this out much further than is necessary and is useful, although for some areas it may feel somewhat good in the interim," said Sokol, a contender to succeed Warren Buffett as head of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
..."As any drug addict knows, if you stop using drugs you will go through withdrawal. Government is making the situation worse," said Schiff. "We don't need any more stimulus. We are suffering from the stimulus we have already been given."He joked years of misguided U.S. fiscal policy has created a Ponzi economy, where new Treasury bonds must be sold to repay existing investors just to keep Uncle Sam solvent.
"I don't know why we have Bernie Madoff in jail," Schiff said.
"We should appoint him secretary of the Treasury."
Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:05 PM | Comments (3)
May 30, 2009
I Do Miss Cromarty
There was just something about that town...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 04:26 PM | Comments (4)
May 29, 2009
Yes We Can Build A New Relationship With Our Allies
One based on, say, calling their press a bunch of lying bastards
Politico has an extraordinary report on Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary, launching a furious broadside against the British press. Here are Gibbs' sneering and condescending remarks:"I want to speak generally about some reports I've witnessed over the past few years in the British media," Gibbs said. "In some ways, I'm surprised it filtered down."
"Let's just say if I wanted to look up, if I wanted to read a write-up of how Manchester United fared last night in the Champions League Cup, I'd might open up a British newspaper," he continued. "If I was looking for something that bordered on truthful news, I'm not entirely sure it'd be the first pack of clips I'd pick up."
Barack's gonna have to send over a few more dvds and iPods...
Seriously, have you ever seen a more arrogant bunch than those controlling Washington these days?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 01:39 PM | Comments (11)
Searching for Answers Friday
Harken back to the tune of "Paperback Writer" and its first line. Got it? Now, substitute the snappy ~ and descriptive ~
Toilet Bowl Diver
...and you will know what skill that 110 pound, jowly, low-rent, Looosiana swamp dog of ours has suddenly become an expert in.
WTF, over?
Filed under: Whence Cometh Such EEE-ville?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:53 AM | Comments (1)
Gerry, We Need 'Ya
Because all those electoral votes are coming to Washington with their hand out
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - If AIG was too big to fail, how about the world's eighth-largest economy?In a move with only one modern-day precedent, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers are pressing the Obama administration and members of Congress for federal loan guarantees to help the state out of a desperate, multibillion-dollar jam.
California is not asking for cash, like the tens of billions given to AIG, General Motors or Morgan Stanley. (MS) Instead, the state with the worst credit rating in the nation is asking that Washington act as a sort of co-signer on the state's borrowing, to be backed up with money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Remember those innocent days our youth, when we were told that we "had" to give billions to Chrysler and GM or they might *gasp* have to declare bankruptcy? Remember how horrible-henny-penny-the-sky-is-falling we were told that would be? And now that we've collected on the daily double by both giving them billions and having them none-the-less declare bankruptcy...what was the point of wasting those billions? And the billions we've wasted on AIG, et al? Well, ok, trillions. My bad.
California has to cut their spending, and completely expunge their legislators (as does NJ).
California leaders say that would make it easier and cheaper for the state to borrow money on the bond market, reducing the interest rate by as much as half and saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
How about this: save taxpayers hundreds of millions by not spending hundreds of millions.
The Obama administration has responded cautiously to the idea, and members of Congress from other states worry that it would put the federal government in the business of backing municipal bonds - a job traditionally held by investment banks.They worry also that the U.S. government could overextend itself and risk its triple-A credit rating if California and other states or cities in distress start coming to Washington hat in hand.
Could overextend itself? Could?
As an aside, oh for those happy, simpler times when the Dow being down 12 whole points would be reported as a "skid."
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:05 AM | Comments (7)
May 28, 2009
I Felt Bad For Her ~ Right Up
...to the "no such animal*" part.
Reporter Dragged Kicking and Screaming From Near Air Force One..."I said, 'I'll take my chances if (the president) comes by here,'" said Lee, who identified herself as a Roman Catholic priestess* who lives in Anaheim, Calif. "He became annoyed that I wouldn't give him the letter."
Lee, who was wearing what she described as a cassock...
Her donuts not all being in the same box and discretion being the better part of valour, the 'hauling away' could be described as "a prudent move".
Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:53 PM | Comments (4)
It Would Be Remiss of Me Not to Send Our Baby Boy
...A BIG "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EBOLA !!!"
SCHMACK!!!!
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:48 PM | Comments (15)
I'll See Your Pretentious Gorebal Hypocrisy
...and raise you a fishy smelling one.
Renowned Restaurant Nobu Warns Diners Not to Eat Its Endangered TunaCelebrity hotspot and renowned Japanese restaurant Nobu has written a note to diners at its London restaurants warning them not to eat the bluefin tuna on the menu because it is endangered, the London Telegraph reported Wednesday.
The restaurant, popular with stars like Brad Pitt and Kate Moss, calls the $50 dish on its own menu "environmentally challenged." It asks patrons to "ask your server for an alternative."
- Where to begin? The most obvious point would be the fact that they left it ON the menu. If it's ON the menu, then they must still be willing to serve it if someone hasn't any "save the bluefin" misgivings. OR...if one of their glitterati clientele rationalizes that ~ again, since it's still ON the menu ~ there must be a corresponding scombroid corpse on a cold slab in the kitchen, so...WTF? Can't let his sacrifice be in vain! Order the tuna, since he's dead already.
Gosh. Restaurant, patron, green conscience . Win, win, win.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:19 AM | Comments (10)
Wistful Thought For The Day
She was only a whiskey maker, but I love her still.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:17 AM | Comments (24)
"We're Already Seeing Results"
Why, yes we are
(CNN) -- President Obama marked another 100-day anniversary Wednesday -- this time the anniversary of the enactment of his $787 billion economic stimulus package.Addressing a crowd of military servicemen and women at Nevada's sprawling Nellis Air Force Base, Obama said that "we are already seeing results" from the federal government's economic boost.
Among other things, he said, the spending has saved or created roughly 150,000 jobs while providing sorely needed infrastructure repairs and fueling increased demand for businesses.
I love how they pull these jobs saved/created numbers out of the air. According to the BLS here's the unemployment rate data for 2009:
Jan 7.6%
Feb 8.1%
Mar 8.5%
Apr 8.9%
How many jobs "saved " do you see there? While I don't doubt that Obama has in fact created a bunch of new government jobs I fail to see how growing employment in that particular sector of the economy helps the recovery in any way, shape or form.
Going purely by anecdotal evidence I see *no* increased business demand what-so-ever. Every one I talk to says business is down and they don't see any sign of recovery, and with the banks that were bailed out using taxpayer money now effectively declaring war on us folks who pay off our bills...well, I frankly have no desire to use my credit card at all. Screw the banks. If I'm going to buy something I'll pay for it in cash...but chances are I will simply cut my spending way back and not buy anything. And if I'm right I think that there are a lot of folks feeling the same way, which tells me that we are a long long way from seeing the economy improve.
Add to that the deadly combination of falling IRS tax revenue, the exploding deficit
and the corresponding explosion in interest rates that the Treasury has to pay to borrow all this money to spend. Multiply a debt of several trillion dollars by even just a few tenths of a percent and it soon adds up to real money, my friends. The only ways out of it are either to drastically cut spending or print lots of money.
So yes, we're already seeing results of Obama's policies: they're putting us well along the road to 1980's Argentina.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:39 AM | Comments (6)
May 27, 2009
Change You Can Believe In: Here Comes A VAT
Because, you know, obviously cutting spending is a non-starter
With budget deficits soaring and President Obama pushing a trillion-dollar-plus expansion of health coverage, some Washington policymakers are taking a fresh look at a money-making idea long considered politically taboo: a national sales tax.Common around the world, including in Europe, such a tax -- called a value-added tax, or VAT -- has not been seriously considered in the United States. But advocates say few other options can generate the kind of money the nation will need to avert fiscal calamity.
..."Everybody who understands our long-term budget problems understands we're going to need a new source of revenue, and a VAT is an obvious candidate," said Leonard Burman, co-director of the Tax Policy Center, a joint project of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, who testified on Capitol Hill this month about his own VAT plan. "It's common to the rest of the world, and we don't have it."
I really really want to hit these guys with a clue-by-four: CUT SPENDING!
But as long as we keep voting them in, they're going to keep spending.
And us and our kids are screwed.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:41 AM | Comments (9)
You Know, I Have To Say The French...
...are growing on me
Registered as a religion in the United States, with celebrity members such as actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, Scientology enjoys no such legal protection in France and has faced repeated accusations of being a money-making cult.The group's Paris headquarters and bookshop are defendants in the case. If found guilty, they could be fined €5 million ($7 million) and ordered to halt their activities in France.
Seven leading French Scientology members are also in the dock. Some are charged with illegally practising as pharmacists and face up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines.
I'll have to go out and buy more "Freedom" wine...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:10 AM | Comments (2)
May 26, 2009
"Thank You for Flying Church of England..."
"Cake or Death?"Eddie Izzard: the lost Legos tapes.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:37 AM
Al Capone Only Got 11 Years...
Imagine serving 81 years!
Britain's longest living married couple have celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary.Frank and Anita Milford, who live together in a nursing home in Plymouth, Devon, exchanged vows on 26 May, 1928.
Frank is 101 and Anita will be 101 next month. In February they will break the record to become the longest married couple in Britain.
Congratulations Frank and Anita!
May you have many, many more.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:25 AM | Comments (1)
Hey, You Know What We Really Need?
Another freakin' "Czar"
President Obama is expected to announce late this week that he will create a "cyber czar," a senior White House official who will have broad authority to develop strategy to protect the nation's government-run and private computer networks, according to people who have been briefed on the plan.The adviser will have the most comprehensive mandate granted to such an official to date and will probably be a member of the National Security Council but will report to the national security adviser as well as the senior White House economic adviser, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deliberations are not final.
Oh hooray. More heavy-handed government intrusion in our freedoms; what could possibly go wrong?
The report suggests that although it is a key government responsibility to help secure private-sector networks, regulation should be the last resort, the sources said.
Since when is it a "key" government responsibility to help secure private-sector networks?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:01 AM | Comments (10)
Strong Letter To Follow
Most Glorious Leader finally set one off
SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea fired two short-range missiles from its east coast Tuesday -- a day after conducting a nuclear test -- South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, citing a South Korean official."The North is continuing its saber-rattling," the unnamed official said.
The firings came a day after the reclusive communist state conducted a nuclear test and fired another short-range missile.
So now NK has been allowed to go nuclear. Don't you feel safe? But don't worry!
The U.N. Security Council condemned Monday's nuclear test as a "clear violation" of international law....At the United Nations, Security Council members took about an hour Monday to express their unanimous condemnation of the move. Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin called Monday's test "very serious" and said it "needs to have a strong response."
The UN has their best scribes scribbling furiously even now on a very strongly worded response.
And in the vigilant tradition of UN-o-philes everywhere our own Glorious Leader is expressing "grave concern"
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Monday that nuclear and missile tests conducted by North Korea were a "grave concern to all nations" and a legal violation that warranted action by the international community."North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security," Obama said in a statement after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test and reportedly fired a short-range missile.
I mean, I really hate to quibble, but, dude, NK is not "attempting" to develop nukes; they have developed them.
The nuclear test was a major diplomatic challenge to Obama at a time when he is facing a global economic crisis and working to curb Iran's nuclear enrichment program, which the West fears is aimed at producing nuclear arms but Tehran says is for energy.Obama vowed when he took office to extend a hand to troublesome countries "willing to unclench your fist" but so far he has had little success with North Korea or Iran, which have continued to advance their nuclear programs and showed little interest in renewed dialogue.
And why should they stop? They know the West has now lost it's spine and will do nothing but issue strong letters to dissuade them.
Sorry Japan. You're SOL.
Once again Trey Parker and Matt Stone are five years ahead of the asswipes at Foggy Bottom.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:32 AM | Comments (9)
May 25, 2009
Oh Damn
I cooked 18 lbs of pork butt on Friday night, had a few folks over on Saturday and we had a great time. I had lots of pictures to torment y'all with, but my the batteries on my camera died while I was transferring them over and that little detail erased all the photos. I am not amused.
So I'll leave you with some dog p0rn
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:28 PM | Comments (5)
Remember Them
...and give thanks.
We went there today ~ Barrancas National Cemetery ~ to say "hi" to our Uncle Nat. I always yell howdy from the car every time I go by the place, but we thought we'd park and find him this time. Say "hi" for reals.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:37 AM | Comments (2)
May 23, 2009
As We Remember This Weekend...
Let's hope we can recapture the spirit
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:03 AM | Comments (4)
May 22, 2009
Oh, Dear! This Is
...baaaaaaaaa-d.
So horrifying, I hoof goat to take a break.
Mountain goats are packed up and heading for turbine-free Afghani cave sanctuaries, preferring turbianned Taliban love fests over unmolested but sleepless nights in turbine twanged Taiwan.-TPI
Thanks loads, Blair. I hope the goasts of turbines past keep you up at night.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:56 AM | Comments (2)
Is This One of His Feints?
Or for reals...?
Governor plans to completely eliminate welfare for families... The proposals would completely reshape the state’s social service network, transforming California from one of the country’s most generous states to one of the most tightfisted. The proposals are intended to help close a budget deficit estimated at $21.3 billion.
If 'for reals', I would offer some will be saying "it's about effin' time", but they won't be heard over the screams.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:35 AM | Comments (3)
But It's For the Polar Bears!!
"...When the first government-mandated fuel-economy standards went into effect in the 1970s, cars got smaller and lighter, and traffic fatalities increased. The National Research Council estimated that the CAFE standards contributed to about 2,000 additional deaths per year. If these tighter standards lead to a similar increase in traffic deaths, that could mean more Americans killed each year due to President Obama's new CAFÉ standards than have been killed during the Iraq war."I'm sure the answering argument will be "If you weren't so FAT, you wouldn't be propelled through the windshield so brutally!" and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) will become:
Corpulent Americans Face Fried Fatty Feasting End (CAFFFFE)
You know he'll do it.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:41 AM | Comments (8)
I Need The Weekend
Lots of grilling tonight, more bbq every day following.
Oh, and lots of wine.
What are your plans?
Yeah, it's weak but I am so &*%#$@^ tired of all the sheeeet coming out of our Political Leaders these days that I just want to crawl into a hole and hide.
So I will, for the next three days.
You're welcome to join me.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:54 AM | Comments (21)
May 21, 2009
Darth Cheney Speaks
The Force is strong in this one
...Our government prevented attacks and saved lives through the Terrorist Surveillance Program, which let us intercept calls and track contacts between al-Qaeda operatives and persons inside the United States. The program was top secret, and for good reason, until the editors of the New York Times got it and put it on the front page. After 9/11, the Times had spent months publishing the pictures and the stories of everyone killed by al-Qaeda on 9/11. Now here was that same newspaper publishing secrets in a way that could only help al-Qaeda. It impressed the Pulitzer committee, but it damn sure didn’t serve the interests of our country, or the safety of our people.
That's some serious smack-downage.
Read the whole thing.
It's important.
(link via Allah)
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:47 PM | Comments (18)
It Does NOTHING For My Sense of Well-Being Nor My Confidence in the Future
...when I watch our president yet AGAIN on the telly, and ~ for all his prosing, posing and posturing ~ the ONLY descriptive word that springs immediately to mind?
"Pissy".
Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:53 PM | Comments (2)
Aw Geesh
Best of luck, Amy, and I hope they can cure it completely
The news that Amy Mickelson has breast cancer stunned and saddened the sports world and put the playing schedule of her husband, 36-time PGA Tour winner Phil Mickelson, on hold indefinitely.A brief statement released Wednesday morning by Gaylord Sports, Mickelson's management company, said: "More tests are scheduled, but the treatment process is expected to begin with major surgery, possibly within the next two weeks."
Mickelson withdrew from this week's HP Byron Nelson Championship and has suspended his Tour schedule indefinitely, which casts doubts on whether he'll play the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black on Long Island June 18-21. Mickelson became an East Coast favorite at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage, where he finished second to Tiger Woods. In 18 U.S. Open tries, he's finished runner-up four times, most recently at the 2006 Open at Winged Foot, but he's never won the event.
I pray they caught it quickly enough.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:44 AM | Comments (2)
Presbyterian Update: Terror Plot Broken Up
Oops, sorry, I meant "Man-Caused Disaster Averted"
The FBI and NYPD busted a four-man homegrown terror cell Wednesday night that was plotting to blow up two Bronx synagogues while simultaneously shooting a plane out of the sky, sources told the Daily News.The idea was to create a "fireball that would make the country gasp," one law enforcement said.
Little did they know the plastic explosives packed into their car bombs and the plane-downing Stinger missile in their backseat were all phony - supplied by undercover agents posing as Pakistani militants linked to Al Qaeda.
And why was this MCD plotted?
"They wanted to make a statement," a law enforcement source said. "They were filled with rage and wanted to take it out on what they considered the source of all problems in America - the Jews."The group's alleged ringleader, James Cromitie, according to the complaint, discussed targets with an undercover agent. "The best target [the World Trade Center] was hit already," he allegedly told the agent. Later, he rejoiced in a terrorist attack on a synagogue.
"I hate those motherf-----s, those f---ing Jewish bastards. . . . I would like to get [destroy] a synagogue."
A great note of thanks to the FBI and other law enforcement folks involved in averting this. Any other info on these Presbyterians?
Sources said the four men were arrested after a year-long investigation that began when an informant connected to a mosque in Newburgh said he knew men who wanted to buy explosives....The suspects - three U.S.-born citizens and one Haitian immigrant - at least three of whom were said to be jailhouse converts to Islam, were angry about the deaths of Muslims in Afghanistan, sources told The News.
You don't say. Well, neither does CNN. To their credit MSNBC, ABC News and CBS all mention that seemingly relevant information.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:32 AM | Comments (10)
May 20, 2009
The Mets Play In Flushing
Here's the proof
A hapless Mets fan tried to make a diving catch when her gold tooth fell into a Citi Field toilet -- and got her arm stuck in the commode.The unidentified woman's bizarre Flushing adventure happened during last Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves, sources said yesterday.
It's unclear how long she was trapped screaming in the john, but stadium security guards and emergency medical personnel eventually showed up.
But they could not pry her loose on their own.
There's no word on whether she stepped on third.
(via HotAir)
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:20 PM | Comments (5)
President Obama Has "Tough" Negotiations With The Somali Envoy
...about Piracy
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:11 AM | Comments (1)
May 19, 2009
This Is Pretty Cool
The "Missing Link" has perhaps been found
Scientists have unveiled a 47-million-year-old fossilised skeleton of a monkey hailed as the missing link in human evolution.
This 95%-complete 'lemur monkey' is described as the "eighth wonder of the world"
The search for a direct connection between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom has taken 200 years - but it was presented to the world today at a special news conference in New York.
The discovery of the 95%-complete 'lemur monkey' - dubbed Ida - is described by experts as the "eighth wonder of the world".
They say its impact on the world of palaeontology will be "somewhat like an asteroid falling down to Earth".
Researchers say proof of this transitional species finally confirms Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, and the then radical, outlandish ideas he came up with during his time aboard the Beagle.
If this turns out to be true I'm sure there will be many folks who will proclaim that this "proves" religion to be false, but it does nothing of the sort. I have a strong Christian faith but I've never had any problem with evolution or science in terms of them being "incompatible" with my religion.
I can see the Almighty trying to figure out a way to explain molecular biology to the ancient Hebrews and thinking "you know, I better go with the Genesis bit..."
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:57 AM | Comments (18)
House Speaker To Step Down
Sadly, it's the House Of Commons' Speaker
Michael Martin is set to announce he will stand down as Commons Speaker in a statement to MPs at 1430 BST.Mr Martin has been criticised over his handling of the furore over MPs' expenses and a motion of no confidence in him has been backed by 23 MPs.
He also faced open challenges to his authority in the Commons on Monday.
It is understood he plans to step down "soon" rather than immediately. It is the first time in 300 years a Speaker has been effectively forced out.
Well, it's a start.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:36 AM | Comments (6)
And That's Why They Play the Game
Because you can't be THAT stoopid and a millionaire doing anything else...unless you're Paris Hilton.
When the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers make their trip to the White House Thursday, one of the players largely responsible for their victory over the Arizona Cardinals says he won't be attending.Linebacker James Harrison said he'll pass on the invite from President Barack Obama.
..."This is how I feel — if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl.
As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won," said Harrison.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:31 AM | Comments (5)
Sigh
Totally uninspired today, so I will leave you to contemplate the glory that was the Battlecruiser.
Is it the weekend yet?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:00 AM | Comments (2)
May 18, 2009
Well, That's Sad
The Hawk Checks Out
May 18, 2009: The American carrier, USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), after a four month delay, was finally decommissioned in Bremerton, Washington on May 13th. The Kitty Hawk served for 48 years and 13 days.
That name is an instant memory flash every time. I can immediately smell the wet heat of a Subic Bay afternoon and the shippy stink of the old girl, her naked flight deck broiled and baked in the sun.
I'd been at Dungaree Beach when her birds flew off and then overhead on their way to Cubi Point NAS (the end of the runway was directly behind me). What an incredible, exhilarating, deafening twenty minutes that was! The section flights of Tomcats and Intruders at full throttle, each trying to outdo the previous with the snap of their banks and the precision of their formation. All, I swear to God, at what seemed to be about 100 feet off the deck. Flippin' rippled the water around my knees.
And then she came into the mouth of the bay, making her way majestically to the waiting tugs, their fire hoses spraying a mad welcome, like a hundred city fountains gone berserk.
A day later, a couple of us had wangled a tour. One of my most persistent memories is catching the tips of my fingers in the chain links that pass for railings in the narrow stairwells ~ the same chain links that the ship's crew slid up and down like they were greased firepoles. One of those skills you pick up, I guess. Inside, she was cramped, smelly, dangerous for both head and shin...and amazing. She hummed with life in port, even with half her crew out in town and the rest trying to work through the hangovers. It was my first taste of a living ship ~ a vastly different experience than the USS North Carolina in her museum stillness.
Some of the guys with me had been out on her when our sister squadron had done carrier work-ups, so that made the tour a little more personal. They dragged me to where the Marines are berthed and, sure as shittin', there was arresting gear stuff running under the racks, in a not-so-subtle bit of Navy "take that". The cable, as you can imagine, runs damn near twenty-four-seven during ops, so, as a Marine, even if your time on deck is over? You get treated to the cable being pulled out and rewound in your sleep.
When at last I got back out on deck, the heat hitting my face like a mugging and blinking at the brilliant light, I witnessed the most indelible memory maker of the whole couple hours. With all the birds at Cubi, the flight deck was just bare naked acres of bubbling, oozing asphalt and aviation fluid spills, heat shimmers and mirages. Dantesque. All I could think about was my flip-flops melting on my way to the boarding ladder. Or worse ~ getting glued to the deck, pulling off mid-stride and my bare puddies...oh, ick. Mentally shaking myself not to act like such a 'girl', I glanced up at the stern. And there, in the middle of that primordial morass, was a sailor. Sunbathing. In his skivvies. Laying on a miniscule white military towel (for the uninitiated: a couple inches larger than a kitchen towel), with his overhanging, unprotected calves and shoulders on the festering deck, a ball cap under his skull and the fumes of his profession rising around him like a curtain. Complete with tiny boombox nestled on a plastic sack.
That's what I remember about the USS Kitty Hawk.
Sleep well, old girl. And thank you.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:29 AM | Comments (9)
Yes, Yes We Cancun
A room with a flu
Hotels in Mexico’s coastal resort of Cancún, one of the world’s most popular getaways, are adopting extreme measures as holidaymakers scramble to cancel bookings in the wake of the swine flu scare.Visitors to one hotel, The Royal, are being offered a “flu-free guarantee”: anyone who contracts the flu virus within 14 days of checking out gets three free annual holidays.
Discounts abound elsewhere in Cancún, where Bestday, a Mexican-based internet broker, says four in five of the 31,000 hotel rooms it monitors in the city – and in the Riviera Maya coast to the south – are empty. The figure was one in five before the outbreak.
I'm sure their bookings were already down due to the economic mess.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:57 AM | Comments (1)
May 15, 2009
It's 10 P.M.
Do you know where your kids are?
TIJUANA, Mexico — The bodies of four U.S. citizens were found strangled, beaten and stabbed in a van in this border city, two days after they reportedly left their Southern California homes for a night at the Mexican clubs, U.S. officials said Thursday.The victims, ages 19 to 23 years old, were found tied up on Saturday, but their deaths were not reported earlier because they were under investigation, said Fermin Gomez, an assistant state prosecutor in Baja California.
For God's sake, stay on the north side of the border, kiddies.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:07 AM | Comments (6)
TARP: Taxpaying Americans Rear-ended Purposely
In times like these, it's good to know who's on your side. We can eliminate a couple agencies, Congress and the President right off the bat, thanks to articles like this. And recent testimony from bail-out-ees like AIG's Liddy, which tells us more about the AIG machinations than we EVER wanted to know. Basically "The Fed made me do it!" Do what, you ask? Overpay to close out AIG's credit default swaps, perhaps?
..Counterparties received 100 cents on the dollar for the CDOs, even though the prices paid by the Federal Reserve suggest that the bonds were actually worth 47 cents on the dollar.“The latest admission from the (defunct yet living) company [AIG] is that well over $100 billion in taxpayer monies has gone to counter-parties at 100 cents on the dollar - no haircut, no penalty, no cost to those who made bad bets or chose their counter parties poorly,” notes Barry Ritholz, one of the sharpest minds on Wall Street who runs the must-read website the Big Picture Typepad.
I watched David Faber from CNBC go after this yesterday morning. He notes $180B of taxpayer moneyto AIG and asks how much went "NOT to bail out AIG, but it's counterparties?...When the Fed went in and AIG took the money and closed out these credit default positions, why did it do so at par, when many of them were trading at steep discounts and could therefore have been unwound at numbers that would have been a lot less cost" to AIG and, ergo, the American taxpayer. Faber was listening when AIG's Liddy testified before Congress Wednesday and was asked that exact question...and the answer to that is just horrific.
Liddy: "The FEDERAL RESERVE decided that we should pay a hundred cents on the dollar...that a hundred cents on the dollar should be paid in the settlement.."
Congressman Issa (R-CA): "But these were credit default swaps that I could have bought for a fraction of that on the open market, to the extent that somebody was floating them at the time, right? So we paid more than their current value at the time we paid them off."
Liddy: "I believe that's what the FEDERAL RESERVE decided was in THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM."
Note to self: Geithner was the NY Fed president during all this. Another interesting footnote: Goldman Sachs was one of the beneficiaries of the Fed's generous repayment policies in our name. For starters, 'interesting' because...
..Even more intriguing is Geithner’s informal brain trust, loaded with Wall Street luminaries. Since coming to the Fed in November 2003-recruited by then-New York Fed chairman Pete Peterson, co-founder of the Blackstone Group-Geithner has learned the ways of the financial industry at the feet of some of its biggest legends. He was almost immediately taken under the wing of Gerald Corrigan, a gregarious former New York Fed chief who is now a managing director of Goldman Sachs.
...especially when you consider...
...Digging deeper, it was likely Paulson who orchestrated the entire show and made the decision to pay claims at par, knowing that it would be a simple yet effectively hidden manner of further re-capitalizing Wall Street (and Goldman) without pesky questions from Congress. We have been told there were 4 attendees at the meeting to decide AIG's fate: Paulson, Lloyd Blankfein (CEO of Goldman Sachs), B-52 and Geithner. That is Paulson's crew, and any decisions emanating from this meeting are ultimately his responsibility, no matter how it is spun to Congress months later.
If I thought money in the mattress would do any good, I'd say go for it.
But the way things are now, it won't be even be worth the effort to stuff it.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:36 AM | Comments (3)
Spending Is Bad, M'Kay?
...says the man who's spent more than anyone, ever
May 14 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama, calling current deficit spending “unsustainable,” warned of skyrocketing interest rates for consumers if the U.S. continues to finance government by borrowing from other countries.“We can’t keep on just borrowing from China,” Obama said at a town-hall meeting in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, outside Albuquerque. “We have to pay interest on that debt, and that means we are mortgaging our children’s future with more and more debt.”
Holders of U.S. debt will eventually “get tired” of buying it, causing interest rates on everything from auto loans to home mortgages to increase, Obama said. “It will have a dampening effect on our economy.”
This is the guy who is currently spending $150 for every $100 of projected revenue.
With all due respect...what an ass.
“Most of what is driving us into debt is health care, so we have to drive down costs,” he said.
No, it's rampant, out-of-control-drunken-sailor spending by the bastards in government, on both sides of the aisle.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:42 AM | Comments (4)
May 14, 2009
As Stewie Says: "This is So Deliciously Evil..."
Hoyer Declines to Back Up Pelosi's Claim That CIA Misled Congress
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer does not vouch for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's accusation against the CIA.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi's deputy in the House declined to back her up on her stunning claim Thursday that the CIA misled Congress about its use of enhanced interrogation techniques.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader, panned the recent criticism of Pelosi as a "distraction" during a verbal tangle with Republican Whip Eric Cantor on the House floor.
But when asked directly whether he shares Pelosi's belief that the CIA misled Congress, he backed off.
"I have no idea of that. I don't have a belief of that nature because I have no basis on which to base such a belief," Hoyer said. "And I certainly hope that's not the case. And I don't draw that conclusion."
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:31 PM | Comments (8)
Your Tax Dollars At Work
Bailing out the Chinese
DETROIT (AP) - As thousands of General Motors workers await word on more U.S. plant closures, reports that the company plans to import Chinese-made vehicles to the U.S. have created a political problem for the automaker and the White House.The reports, which GM will neither confirm nor deny, could mean trouble because GM is supported by $15.4 billion in U.S. government loans, largely due to the Obama administration's desire to preserve the company's 90,000 U.S. jobs.
The United Auto Workers charged last week that the Detroit automaker intends to almost double over the next five years the number of vehicles it imports to the U.S. from Mexico, South Korea, China and Japan.
"GM should not be taking taxpayers' money simply to finance the outsourcing of jobs to other countries," Alan Reuther, the union's Washington lobbyist, wrote in a letter to U.S. lawmakers.
Pinch me hard sweet baby jeebus, because I find myself agreeing with the UAW.
I also feel like barfing.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:54 AM | Comments (10)
May 13, 2009
Oh, NOOOEESSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The fourth picture. Can't be. C.A.N'.T.
Not...
...Dobby?!?!?!
Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:07 AM | Comments (1)
You Said "Engage Auto Pilot"?
Silly me! I thought you said Eroto-Pilot
LOS ANGELES — A helicopter pilot who was videotaped receiving oral sex from a woman as he flew her around San Diego acted so recklessly that his license must be revoked, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The actions of David Martz were so dangerous, the NTSB concluded in a written ruling, that they put the lives of everyone on his aircraft and on the ground below him in danger....In rejecting his appeal, the NTSB said both Martz and the woman unfastened their safety restraints during the flight and that her body blocked his access to controls vital to operating the aircraft in an emergency.
Let the jokes begin.
Update: We have an exclusive photo from inside the helicopter:
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:02 AM | Comments (9)
Quote of the Day
"The basic rule of thumb is simple: Don’t stick things in your mouth if you don’t know what they are."Be ye president or peasant ~ truly words to live by.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:43 AM
Since Woman Was Made From Adam's Rib
(Or so they tell me) it seemed only fitting that I make some fine swine baby backs for my Bride for Mother's Day...9 pounds worth
these porcine suckers were large enough
that I figured it was best if I cut them in half
and then coat them with the dry rub
then on to the smoker
for 3-4 hours of hickory-steeped pollution infusion!
Finger-lickin' good.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:25 AM | Comments (8)
Why Cut Spending
...When you can tax fun?
If you make big bucks — or enjoy alcohol, cigarettes and Coke — the government might hit you up to pay for fixing the nation’s health care system.On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee peeked into vending machines and liquor stores, company payrolls and health savings accounts, looking for a mix of tax increases and spending cuts as a way to pay for a health overhaul — which could cost more than $1.5 trillion over 10 years.
...People who like the tax-free status of their company health benefits could be asked to ante up. Money in the pot: more than $700 billion over 10 years.
Treasure the tax benefits from your health savings account? Some experts say the accounts encourage “excess consumption” of health services — and committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) agreed they’re worth a look. Money in the pot: $60 billion over 10 years.
What encourages “excess consumption” of health services is making them free.
Update: And of course I see the Fearster was on this yesterday.
Oh well, that will teach me to go out of town for a few days...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:30 AM | Comments (7)
May 12, 2009
WHERE Do They GET This?
The Obama administration is defending its claim that the $787 billion economic stimulus plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs before 2011...
From the economic school of: "There is no
Posted by tree hugging sister at 08:25 AM | Comments (5)
So, While We All Know
...this is true...
..."Blaming George" still makes a tingle run up the legs of all the hymn-singing true believers, but outside the embrace of the cult, that tingle is beginning to sting instead.This is Mr. Obama's government now.
...the bet's on when they finally admit it.
I say they try to take the...
...Anticipating D-Day, Peter Orszag, the president's budget director, said Monday that the scarier than expected economic news - the deficit out of control, tax receipts down and costs of bailouts and "stimulus" plans up - is all the fault of George W. Bush:"It's an economic crisis President Obama inherited."
...line clean through at least 2010, especially if things go as south as they're looking to right now.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:24 AM | Comments (3)
May 11, 2009
In Light of the Critical Eye
...turned to the LOUSY Airforce One photo, I'd like to remind all what a REAL military aviation photo looks like.
As a matter of fact, I consider it to be the best one ever.
Even though it makes me cry.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 05:14 PM | Comments (5)
May 10, 2009
I Really Needed This On Friday
Indeed I did.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:02 AM | Comments (7)
Hey Paco
If Oscar ever needs someone to talk to...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:55 AM | Comments (3)
May 08, 2009
On A Dark Spanish Highway...
Cool wind in my hair
Warm smell from the tapas, rising up through the air
Far behind in the mirror, I saw a blue flashing light
My foot grew heavy and my grip grew grim
Then I flew out of sight
Then he stood by my door side;
I heard the mission
bell
And I was thinking to myself,
this could be heaven or this could be hell
Then he took out the handcuffs and he led me away
There were voices down the corridor,
I heard the magistrate say...
"Taking a drive in your Ferrari California..."
A Scottish expatriate living on the Costa del Sol has been fined more than £3,000 for driving at the highest speed ever recorded in Granada province.Alan Heron, who is originally from Glasgow, was also banned from driving for 10 months.
Traffic police caught the 56-year-old speeding at 169 mph in his Ferrari California on a motorway near Baza on Wednesday morning.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:36 AM | Comments (12)
"We Recommend Running Away"
This is the bold response of the Obama Navy
(CNN) -- Pirates off the eastern coast of Somalia picked the wrong target this week when they tried to attack a U.S. Navy ship, the Navy said Thursday....The Lewis and Clark sped up and tried to escape the pirates, and the ship's security team issued verbal warnings to the approaching skiffs, the Navy said.
... "The actions taken by Lewis and Clark were exactly what the U.S. Navy has been recommending to prevent piracy attacks -- for both commercial and military vessels," said Capt. Steve Kelley, commander of Task Force 53, assigned to the Lewis and Clark.
"Merchant mariners can and should use Lewis and Clark's actions as an unequivocal example of how to prevent a successful attack from occurring," he said, adding that "the US Navy will not hesitate to taunt them a second time should they approach one of our vessels again."
The commander of the Lewis and Clark, Brave Sir Robin, was unavailable for comment.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:21 AM | Comments (14)
May 07, 2009
Note to Self:
Fat-free cream cheese sucks.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:01 AM | Comments (24)
Liar, Liar, Smokey Bear Hats
...on fire?
U.S. to Condemn Land for Flight 93 MemorialThe government will begin taking land from seven property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said.
In a a statement obtained by The Associated Press, the park service said it had teamed up with a group representing the victims' families to work with landowners since before 2005 to acquire the land.
"But with few exceptions, these negotiations have been unsuccessful," said the statement, which was to be released later Thursday.
..."It's absolutely a surprise. I'm shocked by it. I'm disappointed by it," said Tim Lambert, who owns nearly 164 acres that his grandfather bought in the 1930s. The park service plans to condemn two parcels totaling about five acres — land, he said, he had always intended to donate for the memorial.
"To the best of my knowledge and my lawyer, absolutely no negotiations have taken place with the park service where we've sat down and discussed this," Lambert said.
(The design itself has enough problems as it is...)
This whole memorial thing is completely and utterly out of hand. If you can't frickin' get something built within eight YEARS of such a horrific event that touched ALL Americans, f*ckin' fuggedaboudit. Leave both sites empty with simple plaques or put them back the way they were before. Save the touchy-feely, deeply profound, over wrought, over thought, endlessly argumentive sh*t for, oh, I don't know ~ how 'bout Obama's presidential library?
Almost a decade of wrangling and divergent interests do nobody any honor.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:56 AM | Comments (5)
That's Fine as Long as There's a "Catholic Day"
..."Wiccan Day", "Espicopalian Day"...you get my drift.
Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'
Why am I thinking that's not the case?
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:39 AM | Comments (3)
Sometimes You Just Feel Like Grumpy
Just looking for something to tear apart and eat in my own Land of the Lost...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:18 AM | Comments (2)
May 06, 2009
The Grapes Are A Comin'
Now if we'd only get some sun.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:28 AM | Comments (3)
May 05, 2009
Quote of the Day
The President's attempted diktat takes money from bondholders and gives it to a labor union that delivers money and votes for him. Why is he not calling on his party to "sacrifice" some campaign contributions, and votes, for the greater good? Shaking down lenders for the benefit of political donors is recycled corruption and abuse of power.I hope he doesn't pay too dearly for this...
...because you KNOW he's gonna pay.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:12 PM | Comments (3)
A Gloomsday Scenario
...that makes very depressing sense.
With stocks rallying and early signs the economy is stabilizing, when will the employment situation improve? The answer for many may be never.This is because the "natural" rate of unemployment, the level at which the economy is running at full steam, could move higher as entire sectors of the economy, such as automobile manufacturing or financial services, are permanently downsized. These jobs are just not coming back -- which means people will either need to retrain, seek low-skilled employment, or drop out of the workforce.
According to Edmund Phelps of Columbia University, and winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in economics, the natural rate could rise from 5.5% to as high as 7% as this process runs its course. If this is the case, millions of Americans will be left out of the immediate recovery.
The ranks of the non-taxpayers will swell, through no fault of their own. I can't wait to see what our President will do then to fund his adventures in governance.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:35 AM | Comments (3)
I Really Really Really Should Stop
Going to Costco when I'm hungry. But, since I'm hungry all the time, that's probably a bit much to ask. My latest adventure in shopping excess happened on Thursday, when I popped into Costco just to buy some whole chickens, at only .89/lb, for grilling and beer canning. Or at least that's what I thought I was going to buy. Ah, but the Gods of Gluttony had other plans for my arteries...
Look at that beauty. Nearly 15 lbs of untrimmed New York Strip glory!
How could a feller say no? Hell, why would a feller say no?
Based on my previous success trimming out a whole tenderloin I felt up to the task...
My first problem was that the slab-o-beef was bigger than my cutting board, so let's hack this baby into more manageable halves
As you can see there's a goodly-sized fat cap that needs to be trimmed off, so fir...what are you peeking at, dog?
New York Strip is people food. People food. P-E-O-
P-L oh all right but I want you to count to 10 first in Labradorian before you dive in
Excellent. What happened to your tail?
Now that that's out of the way I could trim the fat and slice off a bunch of steaks, each one about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick...oh yeah
Now that's a tower of power! I got 12 steaks, each one weighing roughly a pound trimmed, which is enough for at least four meals for us. The price worked out to about $7 per steak, which is pretty good. Using the ever-handy (and cheap) Ziplock Vacuum sealer I packed 9 steaks away for the freezer
and kept 3 out for dinner, coated them liberally with Montreal seasoning
and opened up a bottle of McManis Cab to marinate myself with whilst the grill warmed up
Not the greatest wine, really. A little thin and acidic so this won't be one I'll get again; there are many better wines out there in the sub-$10 range that I dwell in...such as that bottle of zinfandel you see lurking in some of the early pictures
Dancing Bull Zinfandel. Good fruit, full bodied...and 14.5% alcohol! W00t!! All for $9. Yippee.
Any-hoo, back to the grill
sizzle sizzle sizzle
and if you'll excuse us now...
yum.
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:01 AM | Comments (18)
Play Ball!
Nevada turned blue for Barack Obama and Joe Biden last November, but there hasn’t been much love since the election.First, Obama was criticized for telling companies not to schedule junkets in Las Vegas and now the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is taking a swipe at Biden’s retracted statement that people should avoid flying because of the swine flu.
The full-page USA Today ad reads...
“Mister Vice President, if you had said it here no one would have known,”...a reference to the famous “What Happens Here, Stays Here” slogan.
(A Swill salute to the Campaign Spot.)
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:58 AM | Comments (1)
The "Obully Pulpit"?
I like the sound of that.
...The assault on hedge funds, derided by the Bully in Chief as a small band of "speculators" seeking a "bailout", was more than President Obama's usual opportunistic populism - it's a signal of the pernicious effect of the increasingly intrusive federal role in the private sector.To set the record straight, some investors in Chrysler debt are asserting their legal rights - in fact, their legal obligation to shareholders - by electing to make their case in bankruptcy court.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:45 AM
I Watched This Yesterday
It was painful.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:38 AM | Comments (2)
May 04, 2009
Ever Feel Like the Law's on Everyone Else's Side?
Well, sometimes you should.
An illegal immigrant who uses false identification papers must know they belonged to another person to be convicted of identity theft, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday.
Apparently anybody can be you...as long as they "don't know it".
This is gonna make defense lawyers real happy ~ spend five minutes rehearsing the "I know nozzink No sé nada" line...
...and you're done.
Next!
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:52 PM | Comments (2)
I Can't Get the Freakin' Comment Thing to Post
But I wanted Will to know how very sorry we were.
Good dog, Bob.
Biggest hugs to you both.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:45 PM | Comments (1)
The Blueberries Are A Comin'
The deer can't wait...
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:07 AM | Comments (10)
May 01, 2009
OO-Rah and Semper Fi
...my brave little brothers.
FIREBASE VIMOTO, Afghanistan...If all goes according to the Pentagon’s plan, this tiny perimeter — home to an Afghan platoon and two Marine Corps infantrymen — contains the future of Afghanistan....
...In all, Corporal Conroy said, in five months here, he and Lance Corporal Murray have been attacked more than 70 times. He said he respected the insurgents’ courage, but was grateful that most of them lacked an essential skill.
“They are experienced and understand the principles of the ambush,” he said. “But they are not very good shots. If these guys knew how to shoot like even the U.S. Army, we would be taking 50 percent casualties on all of our patrols.”
(Sorry, Jeff...{8^P)
It's a great story.
Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:05 AM | Comments (33)
Not That I Would Ever Even Consider That The MSM Might Have An Agenda
I mean, goodness! Perish The Thought. But I do find it...shall we say somewhat curious that there is something lacking from their diligent and impartial reporting now
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three U.S. troops were killed in Iraq on Thursday, making April the deadliest month for U.S. servicemembers this year.Two Marines and a sailor were killed during operations against militants, according to a U.S. military news release. The military did not release the names of the troops.
In April, 18 U.S. troops died in Iraq, according to a CNN count of reported troop fatalities. Sixteen of those troops died in combat.
March's nine fatalities was the lowest death toll for U.S. troops in Iraq since 2003.
April was also the deadliest month this year for Iraqi civilians. At least 290 Iraqi civilians died in April, compared to 185 in March, according to an Interior Ministry official. Nearly 80 Iranian pilgrims were killed in suicide bombings last week.
April has seen a rise in attacks, most of them targeting Shiites. A series of suicide bombings last week killed almost 160 people and left almost 300 wounded.
Six car bombings struck Shiite areas of Baghdad in the span of four hours on Wednesday, killing dozens of people and wounding more than 100 people.
Notice what's missing? What has been included in every, and I do mean every, single story from Iraq by the MSM from moment one until, oh, say early November last year?
The Grim Milestone-O-Meter, that running tally of US deaths.
Gee, what could have possibly changed that the Fourth Estate feels it can move on to its next project?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:21 AM | Comments (1)