Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace allow you to state what you are doing at that moment in time. Many people will state that they are "letting the dogs out now", or "going to bed now" or " just got up ,need coffee". As if anyone really cares about those things?
I've posted some lame updates myself like this just to see what response I get. I get some great responses sometimes. I'm not dogging this completely because I do see some value in it, even though I could care less that you are making dinner, caulking your bath tub, or you are complaining the clock is moving slow at work.
What makes someone want to tell everyone that they are now drinking coffee or watching a tv show? There has to be a new term for this online thinking. What is it, what is it? Is it some form of exhibitionism, or your simply way of just saying hi to the world, or just conversation starters? Or is it people that just want attention. I think people do also get sucked in, and just type without really thinking about much of anything they are saying.
I must say this one I came across on myspace takes the cake:
1. if you send me rude/offensive/perverted cmmnts or messages you will be deleted
2. i do not trade pics/send nudes.
3. if i dont reply, i did NOT forget to so, dont annoy me by continuing to send me messages, i will delete you
4. no pic, no add. KK?? I LOVE signs & when people make me PICS<3 When you add, please say hello:)
Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand
And I come here to talk
I hope you understand
That green eyes
Yeah the spotlight shines upon you
And how could anybody deny you
I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter
Now I met you
And honey you should know
That I could never go on without you
Green eyes
Honey you are the sea
Upon which I float
And I came here to talk
I think you should know
That green eyes
Youre the one that I wanted to find
And anyone who tried to deny you
Must be out of their mind
Because I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter
Since I met you
And honey you should know
That I could never go on without you
Green eyes
Green eyes
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
You can't delete what is on the internet. Do you understand? Pictures..comments...things from years ago, they are still up there for all to see...for all to find. Haunting you like the ghosts from Christmas and Relationship Past!
The Internet Archive and its Way Back Machine gives you a historical snapshot of a site within just seconds. So it's there. Google even caches stuff as well.
So when you post your drunk photos, in five years when you need to apply for college or seek new employment will it matter? Probably. Additionally, you have to ask yourself whether you're just leaving more stuff for the next generation to clean up and deal with.
Get smart people! Don't put up stuff you don't want your kids to see, or your employer. It matters.
LOVEMAIL I have no idea who you are but you are so freakin halarious!
LOVEMAIL Thank you Dino....People like you that make me smile and laugh ..very few do.. but it makes life worth living..and I mean that.. never change.. thank you for being you all the way across the country and via satellite
LOVEMAIL I love how you're mind works, you could keep me enthralled for hours!!!
LOVEMAIL You are without a doubt, one of my favorite people on this planet.
LOVEMAIL The Cure? The Smiths? And now depeche mode? I think i love you.
LOVEMAIL I think you are so funny and very imaginative
HATEMAIL Surely, I'm not the first to object to the constant bitching about Obama and left wing politics? Don't be offended, I simply do not subscribe to your point of view, so I removed myself.
HATEMAIL You love women. You love talking to them, listening to them...everything about them. I have a dream that one day my little Dino can talk to women like they're equals.
You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.
I've been a huge proponent of Facebook and all that it has to offer. I've yet to find one thing that Myspace presents that is better than Facebook. I do get comments from people who like to have ugly layouts, and annoying glitter graphics, because it somehow gives them creativity or something..??? Yeah right..it sucks, grow up.
Facebook grew 127 percent in the past year to 222 million users replacing MySpace.
Facebook is trouncing MySpace in the global social networking war, drawing in nearly twice as many unique visitors as its arch rival, new figures show.
By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles
In December, over 220 million people visited Facebook worldwide compared to around 125 million for MySpace, according to data from internet marketing research company comScore cited by technology site TechCrunch .
Facebook's numbers represent a nearly 11 per cent increase on the previous month when it drew 200 million unique visitors, evidence the site's popularity continues to soar. In December, over a fifth of all web users visited Facebook, TechCrunch reports.
About eight months ago, the net's two biggest social networking sites were pretty evenly matched in terms of unique visitors. Now Facebook has nearly 100 million more worldwide than MySpace, which is owned by News Corp.
The difference in page views is even more accentuated with Facebook, which remains in private hands, attracting 80 billion monthly page views in December compared with 43 billion for MySpace.
The global picture, however, is different than for the US where MySpace remains on top, although Facebook is catching up, according to comScore statistics on US traffic released earlier this month.
"Facebook is the world's default social network. MySpace is still the king in the US, but trends suggest that 2009 is its last year on top," TechCrunch predicts. "By January 2010, at current relative growth rates, Facebook will overtake MySpace as the largest U.S. social network as well."
In a statement to the technology site, MySpace said it was "laser focused on building a sustainable global business which we measure by profits and revenue - not just eyeballs" and emphasised its revenue building credentials.
"In a tough economic climate, our international revenue is up 35 percent year over year and we continue to focus on those markets with the strong monetization opportunities.
"Additionally, MySpace continues to dominate the U.S. market where the bulk of online advertising revenues reside both in terms of monetization and user engagement with more than 76 million unique users and a 40 percent spike in engagement year over year."
I believe what Obama said in his inaugural address was (and I paraphrase) that it's not about reducing or increasing the size of government..it's about making government work better. The problem with that "nice idea", is that it's inherently incorrect. It's hypocritical by design. Government by design is destined to fail and not operate in the best interests of the people. There is no incentive for government to make things work. There is no incentive for government workers to work hard or become efficient. No country in the history of the world has become prosperous by government intervention or taxation. The problems we face are because past administrations and congress have increased spending, taxes, and the role of government putting a stranglehold on businesses.
I shall repeat this until I'm blue in the face brothers and sisters.
1. I got this message sent to me: "Not to bring you down dear, but it's been said by many people that men that are fans of Coldplay tend to be gay as they are a "chick group". Now not saying this pertains to you, but just thought I'd let you know." Am I not allowed to like Coldplay? I do like them, but I do have my doubts on whether I should or not.
2. I got this message sent to me in defense of me leaving the Detroit Lions: "Leaving the Lions isn't like leaving your wife who is in a wheelchair, its like leaving your wife that makes fun of you for being in a wheelchair and spits on you before she goes out on a date with another man." Ouchy.
3. A coworker of mine cannot eat cookies. The texture of the cookies cannot be handled in her mouth. She just doesn't like it and freaks her out. I say I say, what a freak-a-zoid for not eating cookies. Did you know, well know you do, that my nickname was Cookie Monster back in the day. That's when I was 165lbs soaking wet and could eat a package of fig newtons in one setting without breaking any kind of sweat. True!
5. Someone please tell me what is up with Facebook and Myspace people going crazy using the word MOBSTERS all over the place. I see it everywhere. What is it? What's the point? I don't get it. I get invited to all these mob war applications, people wanting to add me as mobster friend. What is this all about? Forgetaboutit!
4. I played this really cool game called BUZZ the other day at some friend's house. They had a 56 inch big screen which made playing the game fun of the 15 or so people there. It's on playstation, and 4 people play by chiming with answers to trivia questions. I had a blast, and of course I WON! Me be Smert.
6. Helping family or friends move just sucks. Moving boxes from their basement to the car or moving truck, sucks. I have no problem helping, but inevitably I end moving more than I anticipated. Not to mention the stress involved by those who are moving carries over to you. I don't know whether I feel more bad for them, or myself for having to help move? There's got to be an easier way to move people. Perhaps lose my phone forever?
[ This blog is brought to you by the word phoenix and the number XLIII ]
7. If your significant (aka main squeeze) other tells you that you are perfect, but doesn't want to be with you, what does that say? If they tell you that you've done nothing wrong and they don't want to be with you, what does it say? If they tell you they aren't lying and there is no one else, and they still don't want to be with you, what does that tell you?
8. Dino (the snorkasaurus) has been kidnapped by Sports Divas and is being held for ransom. I do not negotiate with terrorists, however I am curious as to what their demands are. I shall keep you posted of what is going on. He's been kidnapped before, about 10 years ago...and finally showed up 6 months later. I hope he is being taken care of, because he needs his medicine or he'll not do well. He's like a delicate flower you know. Save Dino!
9. Is the coronation over yet for King Obama? My god...when will the mainstream media stop talking about what he eats for breakfast and what he wears to bed? I still think I'm living in some weird dream or movie, because I still can't figure out how a guy with NO real experience becomes the leader of the free world. It's mind boggling to me and always will be. No thanks still on the Kool-Aid.
10. My 4th favorite holiday, Valentine's Day (Christmas, my Birthday, April Fool's Day)is just around the corner. Another great day for you to shower me with gifts, chocolate, cards, and compliments. I'll accept all of that stuff, so don't fret. Usually I say no to chocolate, but times are tough and choosers can't be beggars. Anyways what do you expect to do on Valentine's Day this year? What are some good ideas to do with your love puppy? Smooches Gracias, let me know!
THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon
THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Specificity
2. Anti-constitutionalistically
3. Passive-aggressive disorder
4. Transubstantiate
THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. No thanks, I'm married.
2. Nope, no more booze for me!
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type.
4. Taco Bell ? No thanks, I'm not hungry.
5. Good evening, officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
6. Oh, I couldn't! No one wants to hear me sing karaoke.
7. I'm not interested in fighting you.
8. Thank you, but I won't make any attempt to dance, I have no coordination.
I'd hate to look like a fool!
9. Where is the nearest bathroom? I refuse to pee in this parking lot or on the
side of theroad.
10. I must be going home now, as I have to work in the morning.
You are part of the problem, not the solution. Everytime you open your biased mouth you become no better than any other politcian we all loathed. You make me sick.
Roids anyone? Sure, if the price is right...come on down!
Performance-enhancing drugs
Big and Rich
By Thomas Boswell
Performance-enhancing drugs, especially in baseball, and performance-enhancing leverage on Wall Street may be akin under the skin.
I don't insist that the parallel holds. But I certainly suspect it. Trends in society, good and bad, seldom appear in just one place. Sport is sometimes an area that tips us off to what's coming. Perhaps something as large as a financial crisis shows itself in countless arenas and we each recognize some aspect of it in the places we understand best.
For me at least, it seems clear that baseball hit several of the same sad landmarks as the financial world, though baseball arrived at each juncture a few years earlier. At the risk of an iota of optimism, the national pastime seems to have passed the nadir of its crisis of public trust within the last year. If only banks could mend as fast.
Before the bosses of finance, already rich beyond imagination, took on too much risk and debt, baseball had broken fresh ground on greed, lax rules, indifference to risk and an anything-goes-if-it-makes- a-buck ethos. Yet it took the game a decade to slide into a sorry state. Rot is slow.
Starting in the late '80s, steroids made their way into the sport. But they were adopted slowly. Players, sensibly, viewed the drugs as risky, mysterious, not fully tested. By 1991, steroids were also specifically against baseball's rules. So, if you cared about your health, your ethics or the implications of getting caught, you had ample reason to look at "juiced" players and say, "Not for me."
The strike of '94 changed that. When the game came back in '95 after a canceled World Series, a sense of crisis was everywhere. Baseball's hierarchy, in management and the union, made no pretense that they cared what players did to jack up their performance. The game's popularity had to be saved. Nobody cared how. The ad slogan "Chicks love the long ball" sent a message.
A culture, whether in sport or business, changes a click at a time, not all at once. By '98, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa finished their pursuit and demolition of Roger Maris's record 61 home runs, the shift in mores was in full swing. If you weren't using "whatever it takes," then you were at a competitive disadvantage. To be the greatest in the game, always the furious driving force behind seven-time MVP Barry Bonds and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, wasn't the choice clear?
At that point, with the whole sport in a tacit agreement to remain silent (and set a new attendance record almost every year), who was going to blow the whistle? Nobody. The excessive behavior had to run its course until some unpredicted event -- like the FBI busting a drug lab in San Francisco -- sent the secrets and sins spewing out.
Only then could the long process of blame and recrimination, congressional outrage and public disgust, begin to take shape. Finally, attempts at reform, and a new attitude within the sport toward the problem, could emerge.
Now, even a president has said, "Wall Street got drunk and we got the hangover." But the process of inebriation took a long time, just like baseball's spiral into widespread steroid use. Many of the new "financial products" -- which could be used to gamble more -- arrived in the '90s.
But just as ballplayers were initially reluctant to try something as little known and dangerous as steroids, financial markets stuck one toe at a time into derivatives. Who knew that new concoctions, all too familiar now, like CDOs and credit default swaps, were on some math whiz's mind. Just as, perhaps, the "clear" and the "cream" were still just a Balco chemist's fantasy?
Steroids and human growth hormone never really took over baseball until an industry-wide trauma -- including a canceled World Series -- helped create an anything-goes ethos. The financial arena may have had a similar watershed crisis -- the popping of the Internet stock bubble.
After that devastation, the markets faced a problem like baseball's: How do we bring back the customers, juice the business? In that environment, derivatives and various types of leveraged strategies were big money makers. Who would blow the whistle on excessive risk? Some did. Not many.
Neither Commissioner Bud Selig nor union boss Don Fehr had motive to get tough on performance-enhancing drugs after the strike. And few at financial institutions, in Congress or at weak regulatory bodies, had compelling reason to speak out against such a wonderful party. Tape-measure home runs? Big profits? What could be bad?
At this point, let's note that (among plenty of dissimilarities), the new financial instruments that have exacerbated so many problems were legal. The way they were used may have been incredibly irresponsible and greedy. But the tools being used were not against the law.
Perhaps the most undeniable parallel between masters of the universe and elite athletes is that they are hyper-competitive to their core. That can lead to bad judgment as quickly as almost any trait. If players on another team suddenly arrive in spring training 20 pounds bigger, other teams see it. And the pressure to keep up is enormous. If Lehman Brothers came up with a complex new SIV that made $100 million, how likely is it that Bear Stearns would've said, "No, that's too risky." Actually, we know the answer; they're both defunct.
The lure of more muscle to an athlete, even when he's already a lock for the Hall of Fame, is not so different from the lure of a bigger bonus to an investment banker who already has more houses than he can live in.
In baseball's worst days, when Bonds was booed as he chased Hank Aaron's record, fans agreed that the game might lose the public's confidence. How could we ever again know who was cheating? How could modern records be considered authentic? Would the Hall of Fame be more of a mockery with McGwire or Rafael Palmeiro in it or out of it?
When it comes to sports, the public wants to believe. An almost childlike benefit of the doubt is provided to our games and those who play them. Given time and the least excuse, fans go back to old habits and affections with almost alarming speed. So as soon as a pretext was found to give baseball a fresh start ("better drug testing!"), that new confidence started to appear almost immediately.
How simple, almost innocent and costless, it seems to watch baseball begin to heal and return to our good graces. If only the parallels could continue. But fixing half the banks on earth may take a bit more time. Oh, and money.
One of the best features in the Chrome browser by Google is the way it showcases tabs. In Chrome, when you click a link, the tab that opens appears to the immediate right of the current tab. It may seem like a small thing, but when you have so many tabs open in Firefox that they spill off the sides of the screen, thus having to scroll to the end to see the new web page is very annoying and inefficient.
I've been using Chrome for a few months now, and I'm not going back. IE I could care less about, and Firefox well you were there when I needed you, thanks for the good times.
The following is a letter from rock legend Ted Nugent. He wants to be the drug czar. Ted has always stood out against drugs in rock and roll, and follows a pure lifestyle; well at least as drugs go. Anyways I rarely disagree with Ted, and he raises some very good points. However I think more than enough money has been thrown on the war on drugs and it has not stopped anything. How long are you going to keep pouring gasoline on a fire? If you want to stop drugs, legalize them, and make them less valuable for the dealers. Crime will go down. Now I'm all for enforcing current laws, especially along the border. I'm not a fan of drug users either, but I think the government should stay out of people's homes. It's not a cut and dry solution, but as always I have a libertarian bent when it comes to this stuff.
Nugent for Drug Czar
by Ted Nugent
One of the most dangerous places on earth is our own 2,000 mile border with Mexico. Our southern border is a drug war zone, and we are losing the fight. Know it.
So dangerous is our border that Arizona Governor Napolitano has declared a state of emergency along the Arizona/Mexico border due to drug trafficking, shootouts and an increasing illegal immigration invasion.
Our Justice Department stated in April that Mexican drug cartels are the "largest threat to both citizens and law enforcement agencies in this country and now have gang members in nearly 200 U.S. cities." This in the big, bad, brave United States of America! How can this be? DOJ admits it, so now what?
There isn't a city in America that has not been scorched by drug-related violence.
In 2008, the Mexican drug cartels killed more than 4,000 people. Almost 500 Mexican police officers and soldiers have been murdered since January 2007. It is a nonstop orgy of vicious, violent crimes against law-abiding Americans living along that border and increasing acts of violence against our Border Patrol agents. This is unbelievable and totally unacceptable.
The drug cartels are extremely well financed and armed. They are as evil an adversary as the voodoo terrorist Taliban our soldiers face in Afghanistan.
President Obama has stated he will go after the cartels and increase efforts to combat gang-related crime. Good. But he had better be prepared to wage war with them with more than just soaring rhetoric.
I am aware there are prominent conservatives who make strong arguments in favor of legalizing drugs. Their argument is that legalizing drugs will take the crime out of drugs. Not only do I not believe that, but I have never been in favor of pouring gas on a blazing fire in hopes of extinguishing it, which is what I believe will happen if ever we are foolish enough to legalize drug use in America.
We have all the laws we need to fight drugs. What America needs is the will-power and a renewed warrior spirit to crush evil and evil doers.
We need a Drug Czar who will commit to the American people to stopping at least 50% of the illegal drugs flowing into the country within the first year of the Obama Administration. That's the kind of leadership America wants and deserves from its government.
Call me, President Obama. Hippies, dope heads, corrupt politicos and various other human debris hate me, which makes me the perfect man for the job.
As Drug Czar, I would charge our mayors and police departments to commit to fighting the drug gangs their top priority. Our inner cities will remain war zones until we commit to taking the trash out.
America needs to better arm our Border Patrol agents and we need more of them. The governors of the border states should call out the National Guard to assist the Border Patrol in securing the border. As Drug Czar, I would challenge them to do this today.
I would work with the Mexican government and other Central American nations to root out and arrest and/or kill the drug kingpins and their underlings. Working with the Columbian government a few years back, U.S. Special Forces filled Pablo Escobar full of bullet holes. Until assuming room temperature, Escobar was one of the world's richest
cocaine smugglers and controlled 80% of all the cocaine shipped into America.
I am not naïve enough to believe we can ever fully eradicate drugs. However, as America's Drug Czar, I would put a big hurt on the drug kingpins and consumers like they have never seen. Every American who smokes dope, manufactures, buys or sells meth or uses any illegal drugs is aiding and abetting the enemies of America. Case closed. This spiritual inbreeding and cannibalism must be identified, admitted to and stopped immediately. America can, and must do this. Good over evil. Next.
I just got off the phone with Stoney who was at Roosevelt's in Farmington having a few pops with his departed WDFN colleagues, he was upbeat and understanding, they are in good shape.
The question is "what is next for the Detroit sports radio icons?" NOTHING, at least not for a while. Stoney and Wojo are only two years into five year guaranteed contracts which will see them collect a salary until 2012. Clear Channel simply cannot stop paying them or they will be sued for even more than they owe the guys. Stoney and Wojo's contracts are a blessing and a curse, they have income but they really can't take other work unless somebody is willing to pay them what there current deals will pay them and it doesn't appear that anybody is able or willing to do that in the current economic climate in Michigan. That leaves Stoney and Wojo on the sidelines for the foreseeable future. Hell, they may be able to ride out the economy without working and return when things are better.
This is now the second and third Air Personality in 12 months to be paid NOT to work. Jamie Samuelsen was fired with a year left on his guaranteed contract last December and now Stoney and Wojo are being paid NOT to show up. What sense does it make? It is just more stupidity from a company that invented it.
What happened to Rona?
Sources told me tonight that Rona Danzinger was surprisingly asked to stay on as PD of WDFN but declined saying "give the job to somebody who has a family." This is a noble gesture but one that was necessary as she is largely responsible for the demise of the radio station. Action by her years ago would have prevented the radio station from collapse but she and others didn't keep the station relevant and allowed it to atrophy and slowly die. I have no personal ill will for Rona but she could have been part of the solution, instead she became part of the problem. Best to her and her husband Jeff.
Sean Baligean
Sean is a good man, but I don't see him getting hired because WXYT has no incentive to add payroll. It is more likely they will cut salaries at WXYT than add new ones. Sean is a good Air Personality who I brought to WDFN years ago, unless he is willing to leave town I don't know where he could possibly end up.
WDFN's future?
Sadly, there isn't one. It would not surprise me one bit of WDFN flipped to syndicated talk radio once the Piston's season is concluded. The Pistons are as good as gone and will be looking for a new radio partner in the off-season, likely one willing to put the games on FM. I doubt they would have stayed with Clear Channel even if these cuts hadn't been made, they look longingly at 97.1 and covet their own big FM signal. They could even end up on WJR or WWJ.
Well Clear Channel axes Stoney & Wojo, and Sean Baligian from WDFN. They are now going to an ESPN type format. Clear Channel now will air nationally-syndicated Fox Sports Radio programs. Can you say BORING?
Clear Channel could care less about the local Detroit market, let alone the local sports celebrities. If 97.1 FM Detroit is smart, they'll pick up Stoney & Wojo, and Sean Baligian as well to bolster their already strong lineup.
I'm big on sports tradition, and I think guys like this need to be around. I'm old school, and you don't toss away guys like this.
Actually it would be nice to hear these guys on satelite but that doesn't help the local market. 15 years of sports tradition down the drain. Way to go Clear Channel, you corporate shrills!
Pensions are being dragged into treacherous waters by investors who consciously choose to direct their money in socially conscious ways. It’s a questionable risk for cautious times. The use of political criteria may be fine for affluent investors and activists who gamble their own money and assume the extra risk, but pension funds should be held to a higher standard.
Saw this ditty from Steve DenBeste on the election of Obama as the president. He makes some good points, some pretty strong and scary predictions too. Let's hope he's wrong on some and right on the others. Don't worry...it'll be ok.
Not the end of the World
Steven DenBeste
It's easy to let yourself go in despair and start thinking things like "We are well-and-truly screwed" or "This is the worst of all possible outcomes". But it isn't true.
I think this election is going to be a "coming of age" moment for a lot of people. They say, "Be careful what you wish for" and a lot of people got their wish yesterday.
And now they're bound to be disappointed. Not even Jesus could satisfy all the expectations of Obama's most vocal supporters, or fulfill all the promises Obama has made.
I think Obama is going to turn out to be the worst president since Carter, and for the same reason: good intentions do not guarantee good results. Idealists often stub their toes on the wayward rocks of reality, and fall on their faces. And the world doesn't respond to benign behavior benignly.
But there's another reason why: Obama has been hiding his light under a basket. A lot of people bought a pig in a poke today, and now they're going to find out what they bought. Obama isn't what most of them think he is. The intoxication of the cult will wear off, leaving a monumental hangover.
And four years from now they'll be older and much wiser.
A lot of bad things are going to happen during this term. But I don't think that this is an irreversible catastrophe for the union. I've lived long enough to absorb this basic truth: the US is too large and too strong to destroy in just 4 years. Or even in 8. We survived 6 years of Nixon. We survived 4 years of Carter. We even survived 8 years of Clinton , God alone knows how.
The President of the United States is the most powerful political figure in the world, but as national executives go his powers are actually quite restricted. Obama will become President, but he won't be dictator or king, let alone deity. He still has to work with the House and the Senate, and he still has to live within Constitutional restrictions, and with a judiciary that he mostly didn't appoint.
The main reason this will be a "coming of age" moment is that now Obama and the Democrats have to put up or shut up. Obama got elected by making himself a blank slate, with vapid promises about "hope" and "change" -- but now he actually has to do something. Now he has to reveal his true agenda. And with the Democrats also having a majority in both chambers of Congress, now the Democrats really have to lead. And they're not going to do a very good job of it. It's going to be amusing to watch.
And the people who fell for the demagoguery will learn an invaluable lesson.
Oh, the Democrats try to blame failure on Republican filibusters, of which there will be many. But that's always been a factor in our system, and many people believe it's an important check on government excess. The tradition in the Senate is that it is supposed to be a buffer against transient political fads, and the filibuster is a major part of that.
If the Democrats go all in, and change the filibuster rule, then they'll have truly seized the nettle with both hands and won't have any excuses any longer. That's why they won't do it. It's their last fig-leaf. But even with the filibuster rule in place, they'll be stuck trying to deliver now on all the promises implied, or inferred, during this election. The Republicans can only filibuster on bills the Democrats have already proposed.
And it ain't possible for the Democrats to deliver what's been promised. Gonna be a hell of a lot of disillusioned lefties out there. A lot of people who felt they were deceived. A lot of people will eventually realize that the Obama campaign was something of a cult.
Disillusionment will turn to a feeling of betrayal. And that will, in turn, convert to anger.
In the meantime, Obama and Congressional Democrats will do things that cause harm, but very little of it will be irreversible.
I would have enjoyed watching lefty heads explode if McCain had won. But we're going to see lefty heads exploding anyway; it's just going to take longer.
In the meantime, those of us who didn't want Obama to be president have to accept that he is. And let's not give in to the kind of paranoid fever dreams that have consumed the left for the last 8 years. Let us collectively take a vow tonight: no "Obama derangement syndrome". Obama is a politician. He isn't the devil incarnate.
So what are the good sides of what just happened?
1. It is no longer possible for anyone to deny that the Mainstream Media (MSM) is heavily biased. The MSM have been biased for decades but managed an illusion of fairness. That is no longer possible; the MSM have squandered their credibility during this campaign. They'll never get that credibility back again.
2. Since the Democrats got nearly everything they hoped for in this campaign, they'll have no excuses and will have to produce. They'll have to reveal their true agenda -- or else make clear that they don't really have any beyond gaining power.
3. Every few decades the American people have to be reminded that peace only comes with strength. The next four years will be this generation's lesson.
Now, a few predictions for the next four years:
1. Obama's "hold out your hand to everyone" foreign policy is going to be a catastrophe. They'll love it in Europe . They're probably laughing their heads off about it in the Middle East already.
2. The US hasn't suffered a terrorist attack by al Qaeda since 9/11, but we'll get at least one during Obama's term.
3. We're going to lose in Afghanistan.
4. Iran will get nuclear weapons. There will be nuclear war between Iran and Israel . (This is the only irreversibly terrible thing I see upcoming, and it's very bad indeed.)
5. There will eventually be a press backlash against Obama which will make their treatment of Bush look mild. Partly that's going to be because Obama is going to disappoint them just as much as all his other supporters. Partly it will be the MSM desperately trying to regain its own credibility, by trying to show that they're not in his tank any longer. And because of that they are eventually going to do the reporting they should have done during this campaign, about Obama's less-than-savory friends, and about voter fraud, and about illegal fund-raising, and about a lot of other things.
and
6. Obama will not be re-elected in 2012. He may even end up doing an LBJ and not even running again.
One last thing: I'm not saying I'm happy with this outcome. I would much rather have had McCain win. But this is not the end of the world, or the end of this nation. We've survived much worse.
And now we need to show the lefties how to lose. Our mission for the next four years is to be in opposition without becoming deranged.
UPDATE: One other good thing: no one will be spinning grand conspiracy theories about this administration's Vice President being an evil, conniving genius who is the true power behind the throne.
http://www.denbeste.nu/archives.shtml
(Thank you Gambler W.)
1. One of my pet peeves, probably number 582 is dirty dishes on the kitchen counter. Now I'm not talking about after parties, but just sitting around all day long. It bugs me. It bothers me. I don't like it. Put your dishes in the sink, or in the dishwasher. Do I have to do everything for you?
2. Got a friend who met her boyfriend online. She's a bit distressed at revealing this to her family and friends, because she feels they will give her a hard time about it. Aren't we past the "online" is taboo concept in this day and age. It's probably not unheard of for this to happen right? I'm sure you know people who do this or have done this. Would it be better to mention you met someone in a bar instead?
3. I was recently questioned that my leaving the Detroit Lions as a fan was wrong. That it was akin to leaving a wife who then got into an accident and was then handicapped. That I was leaving them when they needed my help most or I discarded them when things became too difficult for me. I find this laughable and absurd. The Lions left me!
5. I got into a debate with some buddies at the bar the other day, who said they can't understand why an athlete would choose more money over being with a winning team. I said I can understand that. Their time is short, they need to maximize their revenue. Playing with a bad team gives you more ice time, and you still get the coin. More coin! So for an extra 5 to 10 million dollars, I'm playing for the lesser team. They got into the whole playing for glory argument. Lame!
4. Uncle Ted Nugent wants to be the Drug Czar. While I mostly agree with everything he stands, I can't really support this. For one, we don't need more bureaucracy, and while he will probably clean things up, it'll never fully work. The drug war needs to have drugs not be valuable for it to work. How do you do that? Legalize drugs! I got me a rock and roll band it's free for all!
6. Obama just jumped a tall building with a single bound. Obama can run faster than a speeding locomotive. He also arm wrestled Godzilla and won. Did you hear he won the noble peace prize just for being himself? Not only that, he is the reason there will be peace in the middle east. I'm betting he can walk on water too!
[ This blog is brought to you by the word epiphany and the number 13]
7. I have been aggravated with people from the younger generation just letting the door slam in your face when you are walking in somewhere right behind them. I always hold the door open for the person behind me, even if it means waiting a few seconds. I did see a little 4 year old boy hold the door open for a few people and I thanked him. He said, 'you're welcome'. Now someone is thankfully teaching this kid manners and etiquette. I hope kids don't end up tormenting him in school because he's too nice or polite and ruin it all when he grows up to be a stupid teenager.
8. I have found that a roast cooked in a slow cooker all day, is comfort food. I know it's not easy, but the smell of it cooking all day is very savoring to say the least. I would like you to cook me a nice roast, with some gravy, and some carrots. Then maybe make me a pie. That'll be great!
9. Have you ever noticed when a celebrity dies the attention the media gives this person. The attention you give this person? Sure it's newsworthy, but wouldn't it be nice to praise such notable celebrities well before they pass on, rather than after the case. Kind of seems not worth it so much to me when that person isn't there to enjoy the acknowledgment. Celebrity deaths come in 3. Ricardo Montalban just died, so who is next?
10. In the mood to stay at a hotel room? The ice bucket, phones, and clock radio have been found to be loaded with Escherichia coli, the fecal-borne organism commonly known as E. coli, and Candida albicans, a fungus that causes yeast infections. Showers, remote controls, and desk chairs (where people tend to sit in the nude) have these things. Motel 6 anyone? We'll leave the light on for you.
...The question to everyone's answer
Is usually asked from within
But the patterns of the rain
And the truth they contain
Have written my life on your skin
You live in a world of illusion
Where everythings peaches and cream
We all face a scarlet conclusion
But we spend our time in a dream...
The San Jose Sharks have recalled the 43-year-old Claude THE TURTLE Lemieux from Worcester (AHL), where he had 11 points in 23 games. This means Claude, one of the best clutch players in NHL history, will likely be in the lineup Tuesday night when the Fish host the Vancouver Canucks.
Love Mail I had some extra time today so I thought I'd check out your page a little. I gotta tell you...you're either full of sh!t or a seriously deep dude. I think a lot of people can connect with what you've said about yourself but either are afraid to express it such as you did or aren't quite sure how to express it. Anyway well done...
Hate Mail Since the election coverage ended, your posts have been super boring. You are funny, but I'm not interested.
So the team I'm leaving wants me to come to a town hall meeting to talk. Will they let me talk? Or will they just give me the same old song and dance, filled with useless substance and corporate fluff? What could they possibly say to remove my resentment? How will it change the past? What guarantees are they going to give me that they already haven't? Are they going to tell me that they are going to have a 5 year plan of rebuilding? Will they apologize? Does it matter? I've been cheated I say...cheated. Winning won't erase the pain. It won't change what they did.
Sure it's pointless to dwell on the past, and one should move forward. But how many times do you plan to walk into a two by four swung in your face? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me 8 seasons in a row...shame shame shame.
Should I go and voice may displeasure? I'm sure they are already practicing and getting ready for their standard answers. Their sugar coating, their generic caring blah blah. It would be a good time though to test the clap on clap off bra.
Know Anyone who has ever crashed a computer without a backup? It's a painful, slow, and arduous process to restore the machine to its previous state. Perhaps get a back up hard drive? Duh
But there's another vast set of data many of us are creating on a daily basis that has little to no backup at all - beyond the services that host that content: our lifestreams, blogs, and photos. A new service named LifestreamBackup - aims to provide the peace of mind that your online data will always be just as accessible as the backup of your computer.
http://lifestreambackup.com/
Sign up...when they launch, you have a good back up plan there Jerky!
It's great that an Africa-American will be sworn in as president of the United States. It's not great, that it's Barack Obama. The additional trillion dollar budget he is going to implement is going to come from your pocket. Good Luck with that kids.
Bitching, Moaning, Complaining....is that all I do here for you people? Well mostly...when you are a bitter old coot like myself..it happens. But alas, I'm here to provide you some good tips for everyday living. Why? Because you love me.
Cheese:
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Brownies:
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Garlic:
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Dating
Maker her pay for it, because eventually you'll be paying for it more ways than one.
Starbucks: “Are You In” Obama’s Civilian National Security Force?
Starbucks wants to make it easy to join Obama’s proposed brown shirt volunteers. “Starbucks will honor each person who pledges with a free tall brewed coffee beginning Wednesday, Jan. 21 through Sunday, Jan. 25. The goal of the effort is to raise pledges in excess of one million hours of service from all over the country,” a Starbucks press releases states.
Starbucks wants to make it easy to participate in the new president's call for national service! Obama plans to “leverage volunteerism in communities across the country” and make government “cool again.”
I knew there was a reason I hated to drink that motor oil Starbucks calls coffee. Now I have even a better reason. How about Starbucks takes that million dollars, and uses it towards not laying off more people and closing more shops? But noooooooo.
Finally slept 7 hours last night. I haven't had a full nights sleep since early November. What's up? Why can't I sleep more than 5 hours? Some people say I must be stressed, others blame it on the LIONs. The Lions? Aint no team worth losing sleep over. That's not it. Besides have I told you I'm Lions free? I am. Anyways others say to catch up on sleep at work...well that's not gonna happen anytime soon. I could sleep while I drive perhaps? Can't gotta be awake to text. Is it because I'm older now? It is something weighing on my mind? I need to sleep on this and figure it out. I'm very tired. So tired.
Ricardo Montalban dead at the age of 88. Wrath of Kahn, Fantasy Island...but to me, he was CORINTHIAN LEATHER pushing Chrysler products.
The Lions hire Titans Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz to be their new Head Coach. What do I care? I'm LIONS FREE. Yeah I'm sure he'll be an improvement. Yeah I'm sure he'll be here for about 4 years...probably winning 9 games by the 4th year, maybe sooner. That's the nature of the NFL. However, I don't care.
I'm done. I'm tired of waiting. I've been used, abused, and lied to by that team. Always waiting, always told one thing, but shown another. Always never taken care of. Always told I'm loved, but really...what does that mean? They can tell me they love me all day long, but they never show it. I had hope, lots of hope...but it's gone. They took it from me. You can only beat a man for so long before he let's go. But did I really let go? The fact is they let me go. They lied to me. They led me to believe I they would be there for me. That things would get better. That there would be change. It's been a long wait. I feel cheated. I feel ripped off. I am hurt. I am mad. I resent that team. It's going to take more than winning to win me back. It's going to take more than that. It may just take time. Time heals all wounds, and this wound is pretty deep. Why have you forsaken me?
Why can't the effects of Global Warming happen from December through March? Today would be a good day to start your lawn mower so we can effect the carbon footprint. Afterall we do make a difference, right Al Gore? As I write this in my speedo laying out in the snow, with the windchill at minus 15, I have to ask - Al Gore what are you doing right now?
He's laughing all the way to the bank.
It's so cold, even the Good Humour Man is in a bad mood.
It's so cold, chicken wings are being sold only in hot and suicide.
It's so cold, Paris Hilton is actually wearing clothes.
It's so cold, fleece is once again fashionable.
It's so cold that I can feel icicles forming beneath my eyelids
It's so cold that I put the meat in the freezer to defrost.
It's so cold that I saw a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets for once.
It's so cold that even members of congress couldn't get into a heated argument.
It's so cold that cigarette smokers were passing out because they didn't know that
they were through exhaling.
It's so cold that instead of the finger, Detroiters are giving each other the mitten.
It's so cold that cabbies are wearing flannel turbans.
Jay Leno: "It was so cold, I saw an Amish guy buying an electric blanket."
It's so cold that I actually feel like listening to Hillary Clinton. That's how desperate I am for some hot air.
It's so cold, even Ted Kennedy won't go outside without pants.
It's so cold that Times Square strip clubs are advertising "Live Heavily-Dressed Girls!"
It's so cold that people are buying hot roasted chestnuts to put in their pants.
It's so cold, Richard Simmons was seen putting on a pair of long pants.
I'm at the point now, where I'll get an email and I won't open it for a day or two. I can see it in my inbox, but the stress of actually having to respond to it is too overwhelming. Most emails I will read, but then there are some that just scare me sitting there. I know it's some argument that won't end, some debate I'm not in the mood for, some forwarded chain letter that I'll instantly delete, some joke I've seen 500 times, and probably something sports related from some chick.
There has to be a word for this fear of opening an email. Perhaps a snigglet exists? I don't know, but I know this concept lives, and it lives with me everyday..all day.
In no particular order:
Rickey the diplomat: When Rickey broke Lou Brock's all-time Stolen Base record, Brock had given up his own time to come to the game and stand next to Rickey for the presentation. Rickey addressed the crowd: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time.”
Rickey, friend to the little people: With the Mets in 1999, Rickey asked a teammate why there were so many reporters around and he was told the team had fired Tom Robson. "Who's he?" Rickey replied Robson was the Mets hitting coach.
Rickey the Wizard of Wall St. The A's accounting department was in a panic because their books were off by a million bucks. The source of the discrepancy was Rickey, who had taken a $1 million bonus check and instead of cashing it, framed it.
Rickey the Wizard of Wall St. Part II: He once held onto a bonus check rather than cash it because he was "waiting for the rates to go up."
Rickey the geographer: He once asked a teammate how long it would take to drive to the Dominican Republic.
Rickey the geography, Part II: His apartment had a "view of the Entire State
Building."
Third person Rickey: He once left Padres GM Kevin Towers this voicemail: “This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”
Rickey the linguist: When he was20looking for a seat on the Padres bus, Steve Finley said "You can sit anywhere you want. You've got tenure." To which Rickey replied “Ten years? Ricky’s been playing at least 16, 17 years.”
Classy Rickey: When he broke Ty Cobb's All Time Runs Scored record on a home run, he took full minute to round the bases then slid home.
Rickey the mathematician: When Ken Caminiti said that 50% of ballplayers were juicing, Rickey said “Well, Rickey’s not one of them, so that’s 49 percent right there.”
Gracious Rickey: At the end of his days with the Sox, Tom Werner offered him a car as a going away present and Rickey said he wanted John Henry's Mercedes. Not the same make and model. He wanted John Henry's car. So the team presented him with a red Thunderbird and when he saw it Rickey said "Who's ugly car is on the field?"
My all time favorite Rickey story that turns out not to be true even though I wish it was: Legend has it that when he was with the Mets, Rickey asked John Olerud why he wears a helmet in the field and Olerud explained how he had had an aneurysm and had to as a precaution. "Man," Rickey supposedly said, "I was with Toronto last year and we had a guy with the same thing!" And Olerud said "That would be me." Too bad both men deny it ever happened.
But a true story of Rickey, great teammate: His locker was next to Billy Beane's, but Beane got sent down to the minors. After a few months, Beane got called back up to the bigs. Six weeks after his call up Rickey said “Hey, man, where have you been? Haven’t seen you in awhile.”
I can't wait until Henderson gets into the Hall. His is going to be the greatest induction speech in the history of sports.
This was passed on to me..so I don't know who wrote. Kudos to the author. I loved Rickey Henderson as a player...he was MONEY.
1. Having too many key chains is a pet peeve of mine. I know some chicks who have like 5 keys, and 10 key chains attached to the same ring. What's the point? What a mess! It's been brought to my attention that I myself have too many keys. Maybe since I don't know what most of my keys are even for any more. I think I'll never know either and that hangs over my head like a dark cloud following me everywhere.
2. What do you think about personalized license plates? I remember being in Washington D.C. and they pretty encouraged people to use them. They were getting a shortage on number and letter combinations because of the growing population. I think something like HISTOY and HERTOY are stupid, and others like CATNIP are pretty funny. I do however think there's somewhat of a security issue, because you then know who drives what car. That's my issue with the personalization. I wonder if ULUVEME is taken?
3. You ever look at your clothes and think, I don't like that...then decide to not wear it because you just don't like it. Well then why do you have it, if you don't like it? I think you are nuts.
5. Got a friend who reads this blog who is buying a Sunday car just to tool around in. Well it's a very sporty BMW. Very nice car for sure and nice. But doesn't it initially seem to you that it's an Anti-American move on his part because the car is German? Isn't that your first reaction?
4. Some people refuse to eat mushrooms or cheese, because they see it as eating mold and fungus. Mushrooms are valuable health food - low in calories, high in vegetable proteins, chitin, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Most mushrooms provide a wealth of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin C, as well as calcium and other minerals. Bet you didn't know that.
6. I blogged recently about the internet being too interpersonal. I got quite a few people agreeing that they didn't understand how anyone could not have email let alone a myspace or facebook account. I don't get it either. I think they are missing out on sharing things. They are missing out on photos, events, ideas, and commentary that they would never get otherwise. It just seems silly to me to not be connected. I can appreciate being anonymous, and I defintely support online security measures. However connecting with the world isnt wrong. You might want to be scared of those who don't connect, because you just don't know anything about them.
[ This blog is brought to you by the word asseocarnisanguineoviscericartilaginonervomedullary ]
7. I'll never understand why there is no peace in the middle east. Will it ever come about? What is it going to take to make it happen? Sometimes I talk myself into thinking I don't care, but how can I not? It's not safe there, and it's a time bomb ready to explode all of us into WW III. The people there have to want peace. Hopefully the messiah Obama can fix it.
8. How YOU doin?
9. Hey for the record, when I mention that I have a friend who did something or said something...it really is a friend. It's not me! Anyways so my friend comes home, goes in the basement and finds his 20 year old daughter in bed with another person. He's a bit embarrassed. He then realizes the other person is another female. Hello!!! What do you do? What do you say if you were him?
10. Somebody get me a doctor! I suffer from LISTOTHERIA. It's the compulsive behavior to have things in a list. I made the top movies list. I'm making a top artists list. I will make a best baseball players of all time list. I will have a list that has the best hockey players. I have the most beautiful women list. Somebody help me make it stop! I was thinking about making a list of all my lists. Is there something wrong with me? Please make a list of why I need to stop making lists.
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I have many friends who still to this day think the Internet is a waste of time. They think Facebook is lame, and Myspace is a meat market. They think talking to someone online via email or chat, is impersonal and not "cool". They think it's just a fad.
They fail to see the fact you can easily and quickly connect and communicate with people you may have not had the opportunity before. Not to mention the cost savings involved. Do you really get more out of a written letter to someone than an email? I know a few people actually who do not have an email address. I find that odd I guess. I suspect these people aren't social, and are content in their own bubble. They could be just afraid, or perhaps smart to not get involved in the world of spam.
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Remember that? Well it still exists, but it's not what it used to be. It sure aint easy. This article from The Liberty Voice gives in interesting perspective on The American Dream:
What Happened to the American Dream?
Jan 9th, 2009
by Jim Quinn
“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
—Historian and writer James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book “Epic of America.”
Mr. Adams penned these words in the midst of the Great Depression. Then as now, the reason the American Dream is slipping away is due to the actions of politicians running our government and bureaucrats running the Federal Reserve. Those with ability who have earned a better life through their hard work and intelligence should be attaining a higher position in the social order. Instead, our government is rewarding those Americans who have taken unwarranted risks, made brainless decisions, and willingly chose the course of excessive debt to climb the social ladder.
As the politicians scurry to “save” capitalism through the use of communist measures, more Americans are becoming disheartened.
George Bush, Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke have decided to seize money from the vast majority of Americans who lived within their means, utilized debt sparingly, and worked hard to get ahead — giving it to the most appalling failures in our society. They have shoveled billions to banks that operated their businesses like gambling parlors. They have shoveled hundreds of millions to people who bought houses with no money down, interest-only mortgages and fraudulent loan applications. They are now rewarding automakers who made the wrong vehicles, pay 30,000 workers per year to not work, and have only been able to “sell” cars by giving them away with 0% financing to anyone who could sign on the dotted line.
The jig is up. According to the Wall Street Journal, $530 billion of debt will come due in the next three years, with $160 billion due in 2009. Of course, in the America of today, bad business decisions of yesterday are cast aside with the “Too Big to Fail” excuse and “our government” will take money from the innocent taxpayers and give it to the rich negligent developers. The crux of the problem is that Americans, with a strong sense of morality are no longer steering the American ship. Thomas Jefferson declared that Americans had the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. The government’s obligation is to protect the life and liberty of its people. Representative Ron Paul bluntly speaks the truth about our government:
“The obligations of our elected representatives are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.”
Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Johnson Field further clarified pursuit of happiness in an 1884 opinion:
“Among these inalienable rights, as proclaimed in that great document, is the right of men to pursue their happiness, by which is meant the right to pursue any lawful business or vocation, in any manner not inconsistent with the equal rights of others, which may increase their prosperity or develop their faculties, so as to give to them their highest enjoyment.”
Our current system of incentives is inconsistent with the equal rights of others. The pursuit of happiness by Americans is where the American Dream has gone off the track. The pursuit of excessive wealth, power, influence, luxury automobiles, McMansions and electronic devices has substituted for happiness in the world we live in today.
Federal Reserve Fraud
Thomas Jefferson said of central banks:
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. … The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs. The modern theory of the perpetuation of debt has drenched the earth with blood, and crushed its inhabitants under burdens ever accumulating.”
We did not heed Mr. Jefferson’s prudent advice. The result has been persistent inflation that has destroyed the purchasing power of the US dollar. It takes $1.00 to buy what cost 5 cents in 1914, a 95% loss of purchasing power since the creation of the Federal Reserve. Most of this loss in purchasing power has occurred since 1971. “Tricky Dick” Nixon took the country off the gold standard in 1971 and uncorked the bottle letting out the inflation genie. The unchecked issuance of debt by our government, facilitated by Federal Reserve policies since 1971, has brought our great country to the brink of financial disaster. The organization that caused the problem and has utterly failed in stem-ming the damage, is now taking actions completely outside of its mandate, while telling the public they have the answers. They have duped the American public for 85 years through the insidious use of inflation, and now they are trying to dupe the world into keeping their Ponzi scheme going for a while longer.
The Federal Reserve was created in 1913 with the dual purpose of maximizing employment and preserving stable prices. New York Senator Elihu Root, in voting against the creation of a Federal Reserve, saw a vision of our bleak future:
“Little by little, business is enlarged with easy money. With the exhaustless reservoir of the Government of the United States furnishing easy money, the sales increase, the businesses enlarge, more new enterprises are started, the spirit of optimism pervades the community. Bankers are not free from it. They are human. The members of the Federal Reserve board will not be free of it. They are human. Everyone is making money. Everyone is growing rich. It goes up and up, the margin between costs and sales continually growing smaller as a result of the operation of inevitable laws, until finally someone whose judgment was bad, someone whose capacity for business was small, breaks; and as he falls he hits the next brick in the row, and then another, and then another, and down comes the whole structure.”
The concept of forming this central bank was to stop bank panics from happening. So far, they are 0 for 2. They were in charge in 1929 during the greatest bank panic in history. Their actions in the 1930s exacerbated and prolonged the Depression. Alan Green-span and the Fed are the chief cause of the current disaster. The absurdly low interest rates of the early 2000s and the complete lack of oversight of bank lending practices caused the greatest debt bubble in history. During September and October, the country experienced an electronic bank run. Americans rightfully lost trust in all financial institutions and began withdrawing their money. The Federal Reserve has done the only thing it knows how to do. Print money. It has doubled its balance sheet to $2.3 trillion.
The Federal Reserve is supposed to be protecting the people of the United States. Transparency is essential for financial systems and democracies to function. Instead, Ben Bernanke is withholding which banks have borrowed from the Federal Reserve and what collateral was put up for the loans. They have lent out over $2 trillion of your money with no accountability to the American taxpayer. Bloomberg News has sued the Federal Reserve to obtain this information under the Freedom of Information Act. They are covering up their actions because they know that the collateral they have accepted is worthless. These are criminal actions with the intent to deceive the American public. The government and Federal Reserve work for “We the People,” not vice versa.
Last week, the Federal Reserve decreased its discount rate to 0.25%, the lowest in history. They also announced they would use any means necessary to re-inflate our bubble economy. Deflation is not a bad thing for most Americans. Cheaper gas, food, cars and flat screen TVs are nice, and for people and countries without debt, deflation is just fine. Unfortunately, that does not describe American consumers or the US government.
Deflation in a country that has $10.6 trillion in debt will annihilate the debtor. Therefore, Mr. Bernanke has chosen to try and inflate us out of this mess. As an expert on the Great Depression, Bernanke believes that fiscal and monetary expansion will save the country, but there is one significant difference: When the crisis hit the US in 1929, the total US debt as a percentage of GDP was about 200% and we were a net exporter nation. We enter this crisis with total US debt exceeding 350% of GDP and we have a trade deficit of $700 billion.
Foreigners have been buyers of 70% of our newly issued debt in the last few years. Does Ben Bernanke really believe that foreigners will be willing to accept 2% interest for 10 years on bonds while we are printing trillions of new dollars? The all-out assault on deflation will work. It will work so well that it will lead to a crash in the US dollar as foreigners begin to shun the debased currency. A hyper-inflationary bust ala Argentina and the Weimer Republic is in our future. There is one thing for sure. Whatever happens will take the Fed by surprise. They didn’t see the credit crisis coming and will not see the inflation tsunami before it washes over us.
The last 85 years of allowing our currency to be manipulated by a private bank has been a series of crisis, failure, and mismanagement. Ron Paul clearly articulates why the Federal Reserve has helped destroy the American Dream:
“Abolishing the Federal Reserve will allow Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over monetary policy. Though the Federal Reserve policy harms the average American, it benefits those in a position to take advantage of the cycles in monetary policy. The main beneficiaries are those who receive access to artificially inflated money and/or credit before the inflationary effects of the policy impact the entire economy. It is time for Congress to put the interests of the American people ahead of the special interests and their own appetite for big government.”
We are about to experience the largest government outlay in the history of our glorious Republic. President-elect Obama and his team of economic masterminds are preparing to borrow and spend the country back to prosperity. The Obama plan to spend $1 trillion to stimulate our economy has the 17,000 lobbyists in Washington, DC swarming like voracious locusts over a field of crops. These lobbyists will utilize the $3 billion per year they spend (bribe) to “influence” policymakers like there is no tomorrow.
The dice are loaded and the fight is fixed. Those who played by the rules, lived within their means, went to work every day, didn’t flip condos, or use home equity to lease a Mercedes, will pay for those who lied, cheated, and cut corners. This is how the American Dream has turned into the American Nightmare.
Ann Coulter the self appointed voice of the right drives me nuts. Why? Because everything is about Democrat vs Republican. So much so, it clouds the point she is trying to make. More often than not, she does raise good points..decent points, however when she because so venomous, it ruins her credibility. Then all you hear is this angry person who just hates democrats. It's people like here that create divisibility. She needs to attack the message, the messenger, not generalize with her message which clouds the attack. I don't dislike her, but her tact is horrible. It gets old.
A seven-day trip to Israel for the American Israeli Education Foundation’s African-American Leadership Mission. Conyers leaves for the region on the same day the U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory for Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip because of ongoing armed hostilities between Israel and Hamas forces in Gaza
This comes the same day that news comes out Detroit is the 2nd worst place to live. So while the Big 3 tank, unemployment increases, and recession is here...she has to go to a war zone to learn what? To do what?
What a waste of time. What a waste of money. Detroit you deserve this moron while your city crumbles to ruins.
Fix your backyard first before you go visiting other countries that just want the press and your money.
Mark Nebus scores 5 goals in a minor league hockey gmae. November 23, 2008 Kalamazoo Kwings vs. Port Huron Ice Hawks...Mark Nebus scores 5 goals in 1 game against port Huron Ice Hawks that ties a 25 year old record.
Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.
The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.
When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
Thank you all for the kind birthday wishes, gifts, and comments. I really appreciate them. Without you I'm sure I'd be doing something more productive with my time, so thanks!
Although I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with a miniature pony, stuffed armadillo, Erick Estrada poster, and 10 pounds of regifted holiday fruitcake.
LOVE MAIL
Birthday greetings, all the way from Poland! I like your blogs and your music. Keep on having fun! God Bless you my dear brother, I love you!
I wanted to send you something sexy for your birthday, but the mailman told me to get my ass out of the mail box.
You are loved here! Looking forward to another year of your blog!
totally wrong! I don't love you, Dino. I absolutely adore you, even when I disagree with you. You rock. I only wish I could write and well and as consistantly as you do.
You ARE the best, I don't care what they all say
.....you are such a goof, maybe thats why I love you so much!!!
HOPE YOU GOT ALL THE THINGS ON YOUR LIST....I MOVED THE LIONS TO LA FOR YA....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DINO:))KISSES FROM POLAND...
I bought you the cutest pink ear muffs and matching scarf....hope you like them~
Die besten wuensche zu deinem geburtstag
Happy Birthday Chicken Butt!
You say its your birthday... DA da da da da da... your gonna have a good time!.. da da da da daa HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU SEXY THANG!!!
Happy Happy oh weird one!
Happy Birthday Dino! You're awesome!"
You're getting grayer, crankier and less continent
Close your eyes....blow out your inferno.....and make a wish~ Enjoy yourself today!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HotStuff!
Continue to keep up the good work of annoying a few and making a few of us happy reading your scribblings
Hippo Birdie Two Ewe
Happy Birthday Old Man
Happy Birthday Mister "I don't talk sports with Chicks."
Hey sweetheart just wanted to let you know that i stop by to wish you a happy bday.your a wonderful person
It takes just one nut job politican, a few enviromentalist wackos, and some sheep to make something like this happen. Don't let it happen.
from foxnews.com
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles. The idea first emerged nearly 10 years ago as Oregon lawmakers worried that fuel-efficient cars such as gas-electric hybrids could pose a threat to road upkeep, which is paid for largely with gasoline taxes.
"I'm glad we're taking a look at it before the potholes get so big that we can't even get out of them," said Leroy Younglove, a Portland driver who participated in a recent pilot program.
The proposal is not without critics, including drivers who are concerned about privacy and others who fear the tax could eliminate the financial incentive for buying efficient vehicles.
But Oregon is ahead of the nation in exploring the concept, even though it will probably be years before any mileage tax is adopted.
Congress is talking about it, too. A congressional commission has envisioned a system similar to the prototype Oregon tested in 2006-2007.
The National Commission on Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing is considering calling for higher gas taxes to keep highways, bridges and transit programs in good shape.
But over the long term, commission members say, the nation should consider taxing mileage rather than gasoline as drivers use more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles.
.. --> QUIGO --> .. --> QUIGO -->
As cars burn less fuel, "the gas tax isn't going to fill the bill," said Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The next Congress "could begin to set the stage, perhaps looking at some much more robust pilot programs, to begin the research, to work with manufacturers."
Gov. Ted Kulongoski has included development money for the tax in his budget proposal, and interest is growing in a number of other states.
Governors in Idaho and Rhode Island have considered systems that would require drivers to report their mileage when they register vehicles.
In North Carolina last month, a panel suggested charging motorists a quarter-cent for every mile as a substitute for the gas tax.
James Whitty, the Oregon Department of Transportation employee in charge of the state's effort, said he's also heard talk of mileage tax proposals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado and Minnesota.
"There is kind of a coalition that's naturally forming around this," he said.
Also fueling the search for alternatives is the political difficulty of raising gasoline taxes.
The federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993, and nearly two dozen states have not changed their taxes since 1997, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.
In Oregon's pilot program, officials equipped 300 vehicles with GPS transponders that worked wirelessly with service station pumps, allowing drivers to pay their mileage tax just as they do their gas tax.
Whitty said the test, which involved two gas stations in the Portland area, proved the idea could work.
Though the GPS devices did not track the cars' locations in great detail, they could determine when a driver had left certain zones, such as the state of Oregon. They also kept track of the time the driving was done, so a premium could be charged for rush-hour mileage.
The proposal envisions a gradual change, with manufacturers installing the technology in new vehicles because retrofitting old cars would be too expensive. Owners of older vehicles would continue to pay gasoline taxes.
The difference in tax based on mileage or on gasoline would be small — "pennies per transaction at the pump," Whitty said.
But the mileage tax still faces several major obstacles.
For one, Oregon accounts for only a small part of auto sales, so the state can't go it alone. A multistate or national system would be needed.
Another concern is that such devices could threaten privacy. Whitty said he and his task force have assured people that the program does not track detailed movement and that driving history is not stored and cannot be accessed by law enforcement agencies.
"I think most people will come to realize there is really no tracking issue and will continue to buy new cars," Whitty said, noting that many cell phones now come equipped with GPS, which has not deterred customers.
Others are worried that a mileage tax would undermine years of incentives to switch toward more fuel-efficient vehicles.
"It doesn't seem fair," said Paul Niedergang of Portland, that a hybrid would be taxed as much as his Dodge pickup. "I just think the gas tax needs to be updated."
Lynda Williams, also of Portland, was not immediately sold on the idea but said it was worth consideration.
"We all have to be open-minded," she said. "Our current system just isn't working."
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