Just a couple of quick things to get you out of the holiday doldrums...
Dateline: Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
From the Star Tribune, November 26, 2008
Crowd cheered Metrodome sexcapade
by Paul Walsh
While the Iowa Hawkeyes were scoring at will on the field Saturday night, two fans from the Hawkeye State were scoring elsewhere in the Metrodome.
Police say a man and woman were "having relations" in a bathroom stall as a crowd cheered them on.
Ross M. Walsh, 26, of Linden, Iowa, and Lois K. Feldman, 38, of Carroll, Iowa, were cited for misdemeanor indecent conduct. Walsh was released to his girlfriend and Feldman to her husband, police said.
A security guard came upon the scene in the handicapped stall, police said. Police were summoned, and they separated the two.
Both were intoxicated, said University Deputy Police Chief Chuck Miner.
I have this uncomfortable picture of the "separation" of the two...followed by MORE discomfort at the thought of both of them answering to their respective partners about why, exactly, they thought it was a good idea to have sex in the bathroom. Never did figure out whether it was a men's or women's restroom.
And to wrap up this special day of Thinking VERY Hard, here's a little clip of porn that's actually SAFE FOR WORK. It was made by Diesel (I assume this is the apparel company, but I could be wrong) for their 30th (read: XXX in greek, naturally) Birthday Party. You've GOTTA see this! (feel free to leave the kids in the room for this one...they'll like the pinball machine)
-B-
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
Anyone here (other than Kat) crazy enough to jump into THIS mess on Black Friday?:
This was for a pallet full of Xbox 360s at a Walmart on Black Friday. And that's not even the worst of the crowds. That's just a sprinkling of nutmeg on your Insane Shopping Crowd Hot Chocolate. Check this out... 34-year-old Walmart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death Friday morning at 5am at the store in Long Island, NY, as he and other employees unlocked the front doors for shoppers. TRAMPLED TO DEATH. That means people actually had to walk on this guy and kick him without stopping to help him up, just to get to the "Doorbuster Deals." Police were trying to give first aid to the Damour and got bumped by even MORE shoppers rushing in. And what's worse, I bet the people who trampled Damour saw the story later and thought "Oh, THAT'S what I stepped in." And don't even get me started on the two guys in California who got into a shootout at a Toys R Us store. No, they weren't fighting over any toys or anything, BUT WHO TAKES A GUN TO GO SHOPPING AT TOYS R FRIGGIN' US???
Okay, so people are assholes when they think they can get a good Black Friday deal. It's really nothing unusual, though I would have pictures things differently since the economy is down the shitter this year. Consider this...despite all the layoffs and federal bailouts you keep hearing about in the news, the National Retail Federation (a group paid to track this kind of thing...now THERE'S job security) estimates Black Friday shoppers this year spent about $10.6 BILLION more this year nationwide than last year. For those of you who don't have those numbers handy, that's an estimated $470.4 BILLION SPENT IN ONE DAY!
For the past several years, the term "Black Friday" has been used to describe the Friday after Thanksgiving because that's when stores offer some of their deepest discounts... and rely heavily on the day's sales to move them from the "red" (losses) to the "black" (profits). But we might as well call it "Bleak Friday" this year, with regard to the shoppers. Many families laid off in the last few months could be seeing this Christmas as one "last hurrah" to give the family everything they want... and worry about the credit card bills in the spring.
Andy sent me a link to an article in today's New York Times (I assume he was not reading the Peruvian version). In it, a business columnist published an e-mail he received from an anonymous banking executive. Here's the link if you want to read the full article (because it's fascinating), but here are just a few points...
I received a catalog today from Casual Living and in big bold print on the front page, it said “BUY NOW, PAY NOTHING”. Then in significantly smaller print underneath, it said, (until April). That mantra has been sung throughout the credit markets over the last 10 years. The banks wave a carrot in front of the consumer and reel them in and encourage them to go deeper and deeper into debt. They do this by prescreening customers through credit reporting agencies, mailing offers to apply, and to transfer balances at teaser rates or zero percent financing. They base it on credit score and not on capacity to repay. A good credit score does not equate to the ability to repay debt.
Over my career, I have seen thousands of consumers that have credit card lines in excess of their annual salaries. Some are sinking under their burden. Some have been fiscally responsible and have minimal amounts outstanding. My 21-year-old daughter, who’s in college, gets pre-approved offers all the time. She has no ability to repay debt, yet the offers flow in just the same. We all know how these lines are accumulated. The banks, in their infinite stupidity, keep upping credit lines because the customer pays the minimum payments on time. My daughter’s credit line started at $1,000 and has been increased over the last two years to $4,400. She has no increased earnings to support this. But the banks do it without asking. And without being asked. The banks reel in the consumer, charge interest rates higher than those charged by the mob, increase lines without the consumer asking and without their consent, and lure them into overextending. And we can count on the banks to act surprised when they aren’t paid back. Shame on them.
The bank exec goes on to propose a plan that would help cut back on these problems. But for those people already out of a job or looking at declaring bankruptcy, there's not a whole lot for them to do. The pallet of Xbox 360s is empty. And now THEY'RE the ones getting trampled...only this time, it's by the banks looking to take the money of some other poor schmuck.
-B-
This was for a pallet full of Xbox 360s at a Walmart on Black Friday. And that's not even the worst of the crowds. That's just a sprinkling of nutmeg on your Insane Shopping Crowd Hot Chocolate. Check this out... 34-year-old Walmart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death Friday morning at 5am at the store in Long Island, NY, as he and other employees unlocked the front doors for shoppers. TRAMPLED TO DEATH. That means people actually had to walk on this guy and kick him without stopping to help him up, just to get to the "Doorbuster Deals." Police were trying to give first aid to the Damour and got bumped by even MORE shoppers rushing in. And what's worse, I bet the people who trampled Damour saw the story later and thought "Oh, THAT'S what I stepped in." And don't even get me started on the two guys in California who got into a shootout at a Toys R Us store. No, they weren't fighting over any toys or anything, BUT WHO TAKES A GUN TO GO SHOPPING AT TOYS R FRIGGIN' US???
Okay, so people are assholes when they think they can get a good Black Friday deal. It's really nothing unusual, though I would have pictures things differently since the economy is down the shitter this year. Consider this...despite all the layoffs and federal bailouts you keep hearing about in the news, the National Retail Federation (a group paid to track this kind of thing...now THERE'S job security) estimates Black Friday shoppers this year spent about $10.6 BILLION more this year nationwide than last year. For those of you who don't have those numbers handy, that's an estimated $470.4 BILLION SPENT IN ONE DAY!
For the past several years, the term "Black Friday" has been used to describe the Friday after Thanksgiving because that's when stores offer some of their deepest discounts... and rely heavily on the day's sales to move them from the "red" (losses) to the "black" (profits). But we might as well call it "Bleak Friday" this year, with regard to the shoppers. Many families laid off in the last few months could be seeing this Christmas as one "last hurrah" to give the family everything they want... and worry about the credit card bills in the spring.
Andy sent me a link to an article in today's New York Times (I assume he was not reading the Peruvian version). In it, a business columnist published an e-mail he received from an anonymous banking executive. Here's the link if you want to read the full article (because it's fascinating), but here are just a few points...
I received a catalog today from Casual Living and in big bold print on the front page, it said “BUY NOW, PAY NOTHING”. Then in significantly smaller print underneath, it said, (until April). That mantra has been sung throughout the credit markets over the last 10 years. The banks wave a carrot in front of the consumer and reel them in and encourage them to go deeper and deeper into debt. They do this by prescreening customers through credit reporting agencies, mailing offers to apply, and to transfer balances at teaser rates or zero percent financing. They base it on credit score and not on capacity to repay. A good credit score does not equate to the ability to repay debt.
Over my career, I have seen thousands of consumers that have credit card lines in excess of their annual salaries. Some are sinking under their burden. Some have been fiscally responsible and have minimal amounts outstanding. My 21-year-old daughter, who’s in college, gets pre-approved offers all the time. She has no ability to repay debt, yet the offers flow in just the same. We all know how these lines are accumulated. The banks, in their infinite stupidity, keep upping credit lines because the customer pays the minimum payments on time. My daughter’s credit line started at $1,000 and has been increased over the last two years to $4,400. She has no increased earnings to support this. But the banks do it without asking. And without being asked. The banks reel in the consumer, charge interest rates higher than those charged by the mob, increase lines without the consumer asking and without their consent, and lure them into overextending. And we can count on the banks to act surprised when they aren’t paid back. Shame on them.
The bank exec goes on to propose a plan that would help cut back on these problems. But for those people already out of a job or looking at declaring bankruptcy, there's not a whole lot for them to do. The pallet of Xbox 360s is empty. And now THEY'RE the ones getting trampled...only this time, it's by the banks looking to take the money of some other poor schmuck.
-B-
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Turducken Day
(A quick shout-out to longtime reader Jessica Sells, who turns 21 Sunday...congratulations!)
If you read my Christmas preview blog a few days ago, you'll recall that I categorized people into three groups (if you want to know what those groups are...WHY AREN'T YOU READING MORE OF THIS BLOG???). Today, I'm going to do the same for Thanksgiving, and I'm going to use the Turducken to do it.
First, you have the turkeys. These are the people who are usually hosting 100 relatives and friends. They start planning this dinner WEEKS in advance. They've talked to all the guests to find out favorite dishes and special diets. They have all the ingredients and pans bought ahead of time. And they have the turkey sitting out 48 hours ahead of time so it has plenty of time to thaw and cook. And after it's all said and done, and they've done all the cleaning and the preparing and the cooking and the smiling and the greeting and the stirring and the broasting and the sauteeing and the hugging... they look at the mess that's been created in their homes and vow to have Thanksgiving at someone ELSE'S house next year. They become the next group...
Chickens. These are either former turkeys or have absolutely no desire to ever become a turkey. These friendly folks are the ones whose only real jobs on Thanksgiving are to get in the car, don't get lost on the way to someone else's home, and bring a hot dish or pie (preferrably store-bought, because if they're not cooking a turkey, why in God's name would they want to cook anything ELSE?). These people have usually received SEVERAL "Get Out of Thanksgiving Duty Free" cards. But beware, turkeys tend to get VERY angry and jealous at chickens on Thanksgiving.
Finally, we come to the ducks. As in "Duck and Cover." These are the people who usually don't even want to set foot outside their doors on Thanksgiving. They bought a case of beer the day before, woke up Thanksgiving day around 2pm (just in time for Domino's delivery and football) and "feel bad" for the poor bastards who are cooking dinner. And if the ducks are REALLY practicing tradition, they won't even set foot outside their doors on Black Friday. Not even for groceries. Why would they? They still have good beer and pizza!
Whatever your classification, love whoever you're with and enjoy the holiday. And I'll leave you with a little story that's keeping my family close to my heart, even though they're hundreds of miles away...
This week, a man strapped on a jetpack and no parachute and took a 21-second flight over a canyon in southern Colorado known as the Royal Gorge. An impressive feat, to be sure...especially without the parachute. But it hit a little closer to home for me.
When I was little, my parents made it a point to take us SOMEWHERE for summer vacation every year they could. Some years it wasn't possible, but for others, we hit the road. We packed into the minivan (that I would later wreck) and headed out for adventure. On one particular outing, we explored the western United States. We went to the Badlands and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. We went to Las Vegas (keep in mind, I was not old enough yet to appreciate Sin City past "OO, look at all the pretty lights!"). And, yes, we went to the Royal Gorge. It was really cool. There was a little tram that took people (including me) down the side of the canyon and up close and personal with the river below. Then there was the bridge across it. Thick wooden planks supported drivers AND pedestrians, all looking to get a glimpse of exactly how far down it was to the bottom. I remember walking that bridge and thinking how high up I was...and hoping the bridge didn't break. It didn't. And more importantly, it sat in the back of my brain, a wonderful memory of a family vacation that's keeping me warm inside this holiday season. They'll probably never read this (Seriously, is NO ONE reading this blog???), but to my mom and dad, two of the most special people I'll ever know...Thank you.
-B-
If you read my Christmas preview blog a few days ago, you'll recall that I categorized people into three groups (if you want to know what those groups are...WHY AREN'T YOU READING MORE OF THIS BLOG???). Today, I'm going to do the same for Thanksgiving, and I'm going to use the Turducken to do it.
First, you have the turkeys. These are the people who are usually hosting 100 relatives and friends. They start planning this dinner WEEKS in advance. They've talked to all the guests to find out favorite dishes and special diets. They have all the ingredients and pans bought ahead of time. And they have the turkey sitting out 48 hours ahead of time so it has plenty of time to thaw and cook. And after it's all said and done, and they've done all the cleaning and the preparing and the cooking and the smiling and the greeting and the stirring and the broasting and the sauteeing and the hugging... they look at the mess that's been created in their homes and vow to have Thanksgiving at someone ELSE'S house next year. They become the next group...
Chickens. These are either former turkeys or have absolutely no desire to ever become a turkey. These friendly folks are the ones whose only real jobs on Thanksgiving are to get in the car, don't get lost on the way to someone else's home, and bring a hot dish or pie (preferrably store-bought, because if they're not cooking a turkey, why in God's name would they want to cook anything ELSE?). These people have usually received SEVERAL "Get Out of Thanksgiving Duty Free" cards. But beware, turkeys tend to get VERY angry and jealous at chickens on Thanksgiving.
Finally, we come to the ducks. As in "Duck and Cover." These are the people who usually don't even want to set foot outside their doors on Thanksgiving. They bought a case of beer the day before, woke up Thanksgiving day around 2pm (just in time for Domino's delivery and football) and "feel bad" for the poor bastards who are cooking dinner. And if the ducks are REALLY practicing tradition, they won't even set foot outside their doors on Black Friday. Not even for groceries. Why would they? They still have good beer and pizza!
Whatever your classification, love whoever you're with and enjoy the holiday. And I'll leave you with a little story that's keeping my family close to my heart, even though they're hundreds of miles away...
This week, a man strapped on a jetpack and no parachute and took a 21-second flight over a canyon in southern Colorado known as the Royal Gorge. An impressive feat, to be sure...especially without the parachute. But it hit a little closer to home for me.
When I was little, my parents made it a point to take us SOMEWHERE for summer vacation every year they could. Some years it wasn't possible, but for others, we hit the road. We packed into the minivan (that I would later wreck) and headed out for adventure. On one particular outing, we explored the western United States. We went to the Badlands and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. We went to Las Vegas (keep in mind, I was not old enough yet to appreciate Sin City past "OO, look at all the pretty lights!"). And, yes, we went to the Royal Gorge. It was really cool. There was a little tram that took people (including me) down the side of the canyon and up close and personal with the river below. Then there was the bridge across it. Thick wooden planks supported drivers AND pedestrians, all looking to get a glimpse of exactly how far down it was to the bottom. I remember walking that bridge and thinking how high up I was...and hoping the bridge didn't break. It didn't. And more importantly, it sat in the back of my brain, a wonderful memory of a family vacation that's keeping me warm inside this holiday season. They'll probably never read this (Seriously, is NO ONE reading this blog???), but to my mom and dad, two of the most special people I'll ever know...Thank you.
-B-
Saturday, November 22, 2008
It's Never Quite How We Plan It
I make no excuses except that it's been an emotionally and physically exhausting week here and I'm a little late with the blogging. I blame mai kitteh. (See: I Can Has Cheezburger under "Friends of the Show.")
As we enter the holiday season, I've become convinced there are three types of holiday people...Humbug, Cheer and Meh. I'm pretty sure you can put 2 and 2 together to figure out what means what. I'm pretty sure I fall somewhere between Cheer and Meh.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the holidays. I've been moving from city to city the past 9 years, and that makes seeing my family especially important during the holidays. It's the only way that they can ensure I'm still alive...and the only opportunity to ask me why I still don't have a girlfriend/fiancee/wife/puppy. I think getting my cat a few years ago at least calmed the questions about the puppy.
But I have this sense of melancholy. Not to get all religious on you readers who aren't, but I DO know the true meaning of the season. I grew up in a Lutheran church and love the history of Christmas. It gives me a warm fuzzy. But with all the build-up to the big event, December 26th just feels like a let-down (no offense to my jewish readers, who apparently have 8 nights of partying...mazel tov). We spend weeks planning out what to buy for who, who's going to travel to who's house for dinner, which form of poultry (turkey, chicken, duck or turducken?), did we leave any presents/children at home by accident...things like that. Then Thanksgiving and Christmas come and go and...nothing. We're left with new stuff to play with, new clothes to wear, more family memories...but a certain empty feeling inside. Like having a delicious meal, then finding out later (the hard way) that it gave you food poisoning.
I'm looking forward to the holidays...but I wish it could feel like this all year.
Also, just to show you I'm not all morose and stuff, here's a special holiday treat...Alaska Governor (and can we PLEASE leave her there? alone??? I DON'T want to dread 2012) Sarah Palin giving an interview to a local TV station that includes a reference to pardoning a turkey. Please take careful note of the UNpardoned one behind her...and the creepy molester-looking guy who can't take his eyes off the gov:
Mmmm...who wants the drumstick?
-B-
As we enter the holiday season, I've become convinced there are three types of holiday people...Humbug, Cheer and Meh. I'm pretty sure you can put 2 and 2 together to figure out what means what. I'm pretty sure I fall somewhere between Cheer and Meh.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the holidays. I've been moving from city to city the past 9 years, and that makes seeing my family especially important during the holidays. It's the only way that they can ensure I'm still alive...and the only opportunity to ask me why I still don't have a girlfriend/fiancee/wife/puppy. I think getting my cat a few years ago at least calmed the questions about the puppy.
But I have this sense of melancholy. Not to get all religious on you readers who aren't, but I DO know the true meaning of the season. I grew up in a Lutheran church and love the history of Christmas. It gives me a warm fuzzy. But with all the build-up to the big event, December 26th just feels like a let-down (no offense to my jewish readers, who apparently have 8 nights of partying...mazel tov). We spend weeks planning out what to buy for who, who's going to travel to who's house for dinner, which form of poultry (turkey, chicken, duck or turducken?), did we leave any presents/children at home by accident...things like that. Then Thanksgiving and Christmas come and go and...nothing. We're left with new stuff to play with, new clothes to wear, more family memories...but a certain empty feeling inside. Like having a delicious meal, then finding out later (the hard way) that it gave you food poisoning.
I'm looking forward to the holidays...but I wish it could feel like this all year.
Also, just to show you I'm not all morose and stuff, here's a special holiday treat...Alaska Governor (and can we PLEASE leave her there? alone??? I DON'T want to dread 2012) Sarah Palin giving an interview to a local TV station that includes a reference to pardoning a turkey. Please take careful note of the UNpardoned one behind her...and the creepy molester-looking guy who can't take his eyes off the gov:
Mmmm...who wants the drumstick?
-B-
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Just Palin Stupid
Welcome, everyone, to Economic Crisis '08...-'09....-'10....-whenever SOMEONE hurries up and FIXES IT!
Seriously, if there's any doubt that there's not enough money to save the economy, check out what AIG said recently...the $700B buyout was not going to be enough for them. NOT ENOUGH??? Bank of America is under investigation...the bank is accused of using the RESCUE MONEY to pay some of its executives $250k bonuses. I'M SORRY, WHAT???? And, speaking of that federal plan to save the banks, apparently the plan has changed. Instead of using the money to buy the troubled assets of the banks (i.e., defaulted loans and problem mortgages), the federal government is going to instead encourage the banks to go back to lending as they have done to this point. Troubled assets..still there. And guess what? Bank lending is part of where all this trouble began.
I was listening to the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast from the writers of howstuffworks.com. Here's the fascinating information I wanted to share...in case you're as in the dark about finances as I am: a lot of the current economic woes can be traced back to the dawn of mortgage-based securities. What's a mortgage-based security? So glad you asked...
I'll start bare-bones...when a person wants to buy a home, they apply for a mortgage loan through a bank. If that person has a good credit rating and gets a mortgage, that mortgage is considered a PRIME mortgage. Now, picture mortgages that are bought and sold like stocks by investors. Let's say John gets a mortgage. Now let's say Bob, Henry, and Skip are greedy sonuvabitches and buy into John's mortgage through the bank. Now, every time John pays his monthly mortgage payment, Bob, Henry, and Skip get a chunk of money. If John were to fall behind on his payments, Bob, Henry, Skip AND the bank would lose money. But John's less likely to fall behind because he has a PRIME mortgage. Well, there was an economic boom...before Bush, Jr., took the White House. So there was a LARGE demand from people looking to buy into mortgages. Investment banks were also taking control of the mortgages from the lender banks. So pressure went onto the lender banks to offer up more mortgages for people to invest in. So the lender banks say "Y'know, let's ease up on the qualifications for mortgages...what do we care? We're now just the middlemen and will no longer lose any money on problem mortgages." So lender banks eased the credit rating requirements and income requirements and began issuing SUBPRIME mortgages. I'm sure you've heard the word "SUBPRIME"...it just means the person taking out the loan isn't as financially capable of paying back the loan as the PRIME borrower. So, Bob, Henry, and Skip start buying into the SUBPRIME mortgages...big risk, but hopefully big rewards for them. Except the borrowers of those loans run into financial trouble. They miss 1, 2...10 payments. Their homes are foreclosed. And because that money's not coming in, Bob, Henry, and Skip lose money too. So foreclosures end up hitting people who own homes AND the people who invested money, hoping those homeowners would be able to pay back those loans. So, bottom line, we're all just a bunch of greedy bastards and are the victims of our own design. And apparently, if you have a 401(k) or IRA or something along those lines, there's a chance you have invested in those mortgages...or even your own. Weird, huh?
That's my little gift for you today. Now you can get pissed at PEOPLE instead of just the SITUATION. And there's nothing more fun than DIRECTED anger.
Also in the news recently, I spoke with my parents Monday night. My dad told me he and my mom were watching Morning Joe on MSNBC that morning when Joe Scarborough dropped the F-bomb on air live (Fortunately, my mother didn't hear it because she was crunching her breakfast). I went back and watched the clip on YouTube and saw that not only did he drop the bomb, he didn't even notice he did it! He meant to say "F- You" and his brain didn't filter out the "uck." Then he apologized to children who might have been watching, but told the adults to deal with it. The execs at MSNBC have already given him his Christmas present...no, not a pink slip (though in local TV, that would be the death knell for one's career). No, this year, Little Joey's getting a SEVEN-SECOND DELAY in his stocking. Santa must REALLY love him. (also, I'm not posting the clip on this site because if someone's gonna drop the f-bomb around here, it's me and not some highly-paid anchor on a cable news channel. So there.)
And let's talk politics. There have been a LOT of anonymous verbal attacks launched at Sarah Palin since John McCain lost the presidential election. Some McCain campaign "sources" have come out and told the media that Palin was a "diva" and had been known to throw "tantrums." They also said she wouldn't even READ her notes during the morning briefings and even thought AFRICA was a COUNTRY instead of a CONTINENT. So, when she was badmouthing Barack Obama about his "lack of experience," she thought his father was born in a country overseas? Sure, it's probably tucked somewhere in between Letsbombit-istan and Neiman-Marcus. Fortunately, she's BEEN to Neiman-Marcus, so she has SOME international background.
Seriously, though, Palin's been taking it on the chin (and by "it", I mean "Todd"). She's been talking to more media from her home in Alaska than she did during the time between her announcement as VP candidate and the presidential election. And she's telling everyone that she doesn't fault Katie Couric for her questions (like "What newspapers and magazines do you read?", to which she replied "All of them." What she didn't share is that "All of them" is actually the name of an Alaska newspaper that focuses on wildlife-hunting, snowmobile-racing, and shopping). She even said she wished she'd done MORE interviews before the election. Oh, believe me, Governor Palin, so do WE. But after your 2nd or 3rd interview, muddling through...what do you call it...the ENGLISH LANGUAGE...John McCain wisely decided to join you during those interviews. Seriously, he was doing TWO jobs during the campaign: 1) War Hero Trying To Become President and 2) Babysitter To A Woman Who Named Her Newborn Son After What's Likely Going To Be One Class He's Going To Have Trouble With In High School (Trigg..for Trigonometry...oh, come ON, it's a MATH JOKE!).
And I'll make this point again (because I did in my last post too)...it MIGHT have had something to do with the FEARMONGERING done during the McCain-Palin campaign. You know, trying to tie Obama to ACORN, which McCain and Palin has terrorist ties. Wait, what's this?...I've just been handed a story (from Tuesday...I have GOT to hire a couple of interns) that reports one of the groups that has funded millions of dollars to ACORN over the past several years is PULLING it's funding because of concerns that ACORN leaders are pocketing the money. You might have heard of this group. It's a group of U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS! So now the CATHOLICS are TERRORISTS! Holy War! I'm kidding. I know the catholics aren't tied to terrorists. But it's funny to see the roles reversed, huh? Not so much "ha ha", but more "uh oh."
-B-
Seriously, if there's any doubt that there's not enough money to save the economy, check out what AIG said recently...the $700B buyout was not going to be enough for them. NOT ENOUGH??? Bank of America is under investigation...the bank is accused of using the RESCUE MONEY to pay some of its executives $250k bonuses. I'M SORRY, WHAT???? And, speaking of that federal plan to save the banks, apparently the plan has changed. Instead of using the money to buy the troubled assets of the banks (i.e., defaulted loans and problem mortgages), the federal government is going to instead encourage the banks to go back to lending as they have done to this point. Troubled assets..still there. And guess what? Bank lending is part of where all this trouble began.
I was listening to the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast from the writers of howstuffworks.com. Here's the fascinating information I wanted to share...in case you're as in the dark about finances as I am: a lot of the current economic woes can be traced back to the dawn of mortgage-based securities. What's a mortgage-based security? So glad you asked...
I'll start bare-bones...when a person wants to buy a home, they apply for a mortgage loan through a bank. If that person has a good credit rating and gets a mortgage, that mortgage is considered a PRIME mortgage. Now, picture mortgages that are bought and sold like stocks by investors. Let's say John gets a mortgage. Now let's say Bob, Henry, and Skip are greedy sonuvabitches and buy into John's mortgage through the bank. Now, every time John pays his monthly mortgage payment, Bob, Henry, and Skip get a chunk of money. If John were to fall behind on his payments, Bob, Henry, Skip AND the bank would lose money. But John's less likely to fall behind because he has a PRIME mortgage. Well, there was an economic boom...before Bush, Jr., took the White House. So there was a LARGE demand from people looking to buy into mortgages. Investment banks were also taking control of the mortgages from the lender banks. So pressure went onto the lender banks to offer up more mortgages for people to invest in. So the lender banks say "Y'know, let's ease up on the qualifications for mortgages...what do we care? We're now just the middlemen and will no longer lose any money on problem mortgages." So lender banks eased the credit rating requirements and income requirements and began issuing SUBPRIME mortgages. I'm sure you've heard the word "SUBPRIME"...it just means the person taking out the loan isn't as financially capable of paying back the loan as the PRIME borrower. So, Bob, Henry, and Skip start buying into the SUBPRIME mortgages...big risk, but hopefully big rewards for them. Except the borrowers of those loans run into financial trouble. They miss 1, 2...10 payments. Their homes are foreclosed. And because that money's not coming in, Bob, Henry, and Skip lose money too. So foreclosures end up hitting people who own homes AND the people who invested money, hoping those homeowners would be able to pay back those loans. So, bottom line, we're all just a bunch of greedy bastards and are the victims of our own design. And apparently, if you have a 401(k) or IRA or something along those lines, there's a chance you have invested in those mortgages...or even your own. Weird, huh?
That's my little gift for you today. Now you can get pissed at PEOPLE instead of just the SITUATION. And there's nothing more fun than DIRECTED anger.
Also in the news recently, I spoke with my parents Monday night. My dad told me he and my mom were watching Morning Joe on MSNBC that morning when Joe Scarborough dropped the F-bomb on air live (Fortunately, my mother didn't hear it because she was crunching her breakfast). I went back and watched the clip on YouTube and saw that not only did he drop the bomb, he didn't even notice he did it! He meant to say "F- You" and his brain didn't filter out the "uck." Then he apologized to children who might have been watching, but told the adults to deal with it. The execs at MSNBC have already given him his Christmas present...no, not a pink slip (though in local TV, that would be the death knell for one's career). No, this year, Little Joey's getting a SEVEN-SECOND DELAY in his stocking. Santa must REALLY love him. (also, I'm not posting the clip on this site because if someone's gonna drop the f-bomb around here, it's me and not some highly-paid anchor on a cable news channel. So there.)
And let's talk politics. There have been a LOT of anonymous verbal attacks launched at Sarah Palin since John McCain lost the presidential election. Some McCain campaign "sources" have come out and told the media that Palin was a "diva" and had been known to throw "tantrums." They also said she wouldn't even READ her notes during the morning briefings and even thought AFRICA was a COUNTRY instead of a CONTINENT. So, when she was badmouthing Barack Obama about his "lack of experience," she thought his father was born in a country overseas? Sure, it's probably tucked somewhere in between Letsbombit-istan and Neiman-Marcus. Fortunately, she's BEEN to Neiman-Marcus, so she has SOME international background.
Seriously, though, Palin's been taking it on the chin (and by "it", I mean "Todd"). She's been talking to more media from her home in Alaska than she did during the time between her announcement as VP candidate and the presidential election. And she's telling everyone that she doesn't fault Katie Couric for her questions (like "What newspapers and magazines do you read?", to which she replied "All of them." What she didn't share is that "All of them" is actually the name of an Alaska newspaper that focuses on wildlife-hunting, snowmobile-racing, and shopping). She even said she wished she'd done MORE interviews before the election. Oh, believe me, Governor Palin, so do WE. But after your 2nd or 3rd interview, muddling through...what do you call it...the ENGLISH LANGUAGE...John McCain wisely decided to join you during those interviews. Seriously, he was doing TWO jobs during the campaign: 1) War Hero Trying To Become President and 2) Babysitter To A Woman Who Named Her Newborn Son After What's Likely Going To Be One Class He's Going To Have Trouble With In High School (Trigg..for Trigonometry...oh, come ON, it's a MATH JOKE!).
And I'll make this point again (because I did in my last post too)...it MIGHT have had something to do with the FEARMONGERING done during the McCain-Palin campaign. You know, trying to tie Obama to ACORN, which McCain and Palin has terrorist ties. Wait, what's this?...I've just been handed a story (from Tuesday...I have GOT to hire a couple of interns) that reports one of the groups that has funded millions of dollars to ACORN over the past several years is PULLING it's funding because of concerns that ACORN leaders are pocketing the money. You might have heard of this group. It's a group of U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS! So now the CATHOLICS are TERRORISTS! Holy War! I'm kidding. I know the catholics aren't tied to terrorists. But it's funny to see the roles reversed, huh? Not so much "ha ha", but more "uh oh."
-B-
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The fundamentals are changing
By now you are probably sick of hearing about the economy. Everyday brings a new bundle of headlines about a new economic crisis somewhere in the western world including the united states.
Even the political analysts during their post-game election coverage point to the exact day John McCain began slipping in the polls, September 15, 2008. On that day investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed and McCain told a crowd in Florida these fateful words "The fundamentals of our economy are strong." Obama pounced and the rest is history.
Oh Grampy, The fundamentals are not strong, they are changing. McCain isn't the only person not to recognize this, it seems most people over 40 are struggling with how the world is changing.
Everything in our economy is becoming de-centralized.
The music industry has been fighting it for a long time starting with Napster and continues to struggle with other file sharing software invented since.
American manufacturing is undergoing the same upheaval thanks to the Wal-Marts and Targets of this world. Once good paying jobs all across the U.S. have been shipped overseas for higher profits and lower cost goods.
Now, factory workers overseas are struggling because U.S. based stores aren't putting in the orders they once were. Many of these people show up for work only to find a padlock on the gate and no explanation from management what happened to their jobs.
The once strong American automobile industry is in turmoil. The big three are hemorrhaging money and asking for government assistance. Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake from the board room to the dealership. Stock in General Motors, a bellwether of American industry, has lost 90% of its value in the last year. G.M. along with Ford and Chrysler are in Washington, hat in hand, looking for a bailout.
We can't forget about the big bank bailout and its ever changing priorities.
What about homeowners who are currently underwater thanks to the rising tide of debt and falling home values. There are literally whole cities in California and Nevada where just about every homeowner owes more on their homes than they are worth.
The change is here, and its not all about Obama. Although, he will have a big say in where we go from here. Where it ends nobody knows.
-A-
Even the political analysts during their post-game election coverage point to the exact day John McCain began slipping in the polls, September 15, 2008. On that day investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed and McCain told a crowd in Florida these fateful words "The fundamentals of our economy are strong." Obama pounced and the rest is history.
Oh Grampy, The fundamentals are not strong, they are changing. McCain isn't the only person not to recognize this, it seems most people over 40 are struggling with how the world is changing.
Everything in our economy is becoming de-centralized.
The music industry has been fighting it for a long time starting with Napster and continues to struggle with other file sharing software invented since.
American manufacturing is undergoing the same upheaval thanks to the Wal-Marts and Targets of this world. Once good paying jobs all across the U.S. have been shipped overseas for higher profits and lower cost goods.
Now, factory workers overseas are struggling because U.S. based stores aren't putting in the orders they once were. Many of these people show up for work only to find a padlock on the gate and no explanation from management what happened to their jobs.
The once strong American automobile industry is in turmoil. The big three are hemorrhaging money and asking for government assistance. Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake from the board room to the dealership. Stock in General Motors, a bellwether of American industry, has lost 90% of its value in the last year. G.M. along with Ford and Chrysler are in Washington, hat in hand, looking for a bailout.
We can't forget about the big bank bailout and its ever changing priorities.
What about homeowners who are currently underwater thanks to the rising tide of debt and falling home values. There are literally whole cities in California and Nevada where just about every homeowner owes more on their homes than they are worth.
The change is here, and its not all about Obama. Although, he will have a big say in where we go from here. Where it ends nobody knows.
-A-
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Five Easy Recipes to Cook Your Loved One
First, we'll start with a nice chicken noodle...
WAIT A SEC! WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT! Silly me. My lack of sleep coupled with the extra work at the office this morning must have caused me to go senile (no, no "McCain is Old" jokes today...he's been through enough).
Yeah, just around 11pm last night, I looked up and virtually every major network (except CMT. it figures.) declared Illinois Senator (and NON-TERRORIST) Barack Obama the next President of the United States. I hoped his late grandmother who died earlier this week was watching from Heaven as he spoke to the crowd of supporters about the promising future of happiness, joy and a puh-pay on every doorstep. (it's a puppy...and a shout-out to my friend Kat. Go read her blog after you're done here. She's the polipino thing on the right hand side of the page)
And with every acceptance speech, there must be a concession speech. Arizona Senator John McCain spoke to his supporters and encouraged them to embrace the new president. He also blamed himself for his failed campaign. Y'know, Senator McCain, there's always a sword to fall on, but you shouldn't be the ONLY one to do it. In fact, let that ditzy Alaskan chick your team picked as your running mate fall on it first. Seriously, they did the equivalent of patting you on the back, saying you did a good job...then leaving a big "Kick Me" sign on your back. Oh, wait, I'm sorry...maybe you ENJOYED correcting the people who believed Sarah Palin when she suggested (STRONGLY) that Obama was a terrorist and was cavorting with terrorists. But that was only one stumbling block in the McCain campaign. Perhaps telling people at a live presidential debate that you knew "where Osama bin Laden is hiding" and knew "how to get him" finally made people think, "Wait a sec...if he's known all this time, then what the hell are our troops still DOING in the Middle East??? McCain's been in wars...does he think the soldiers are dying for FUN???"
Ah yes, this day is actually quite bittersweet. How many of us have enjoyed turning on the TV and watching those now-classic sketch-comedy classics during the political season? I'm talking, of course, about the campaign rallies and commercials. It was like McCain and Palin couldn't stop themselves from saying some BSC (again, that's Bat Shit Crazy, for you newcomers) thing about Obama. "He's a terrorist." "His campaign started in the living room of William Ayers." "He's a time-traveler, hell-bent on destroying the past so he can live the life of luxury in the distant future." And my personal favorite: "He's competent." Don't forget about Rev. Wright. You know, Obama's preacher who was quoted as saying "Not 'God Bless America'! God Damn America!"
Actually, that's a brilliant idea...
Coming soon to an outdoor ballfield near you...The Not Yet Ready For Public Relations Players! Watch Rev. Wright wear hilariously awkward clothing that no one this side of Africa would be caught dead in! Listen to his two-man stand up routine with the Reverend Jesse Jackson called "God Damn America..Now Cut Off Their Nuts!" Then, Senator Joe Biden takes the stage to share funny anecdotes and tell people how he read a story that "in the future", we'll all be ruled by angry robots and "the president will bow down to the will of terrorists and sacrifice the nation to save himself." Wait until THAT gets quoted out of context in a McCain campaign ad! Instant hilarity! And check out THIS headliner...Alaska Governor Sarah Palin! Hear Palin...speak as if she has half a brain! Catch her wickedly outrageous act before she jets off to the frozen tundra to the excitement of snowmobile racing, moose-hunting and baby-birthing! And show up later...or not at all...for a special appearance by Joe "The Plumber Guy" Wurzelbacher! He's coming to Git-R-Outofpayinganykindoftaxesbecausehe'sasonuvabitchwhowillholdontohismoneyforever! If there's shit to be found, you KNOW this guy's somewhere nearby!
Hey, maybe they need a marketing guy...
PS: Congratulations, President-elect Obama.
-B-
WAIT A SEC! WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT! Silly me. My lack of sleep coupled with the extra work at the office this morning must have caused me to go senile (no, no "McCain is Old" jokes today...he's been through enough).
Yeah, just around 11pm last night, I looked up and virtually every major network (except CMT. it figures.) declared Illinois Senator (and NON-TERRORIST) Barack Obama the next President of the United States. I hoped his late grandmother who died earlier this week was watching from Heaven as he spoke to the crowd of supporters about the promising future of happiness, joy and a puh-pay on every doorstep. (it's a puppy...and a shout-out to my friend Kat. Go read her blog after you're done here. She's the polipino thing on the right hand side of the page)
And with every acceptance speech, there must be a concession speech. Arizona Senator John McCain spoke to his supporters and encouraged them to embrace the new president. He also blamed himself for his failed campaign. Y'know, Senator McCain, there's always a sword to fall on, but you shouldn't be the ONLY one to do it. In fact, let that ditzy Alaskan chick your team picked as your running mate fall on it first. Seriously, they did the equivalent of patting you on the back, saying you did a good job...then leaving a big "Kick Me" sign on your back. Oh, wait, I'm sorry...maybe you ENJOYED correcting the people who believed Sarah Palin when she suggested (STRONGLY) that Obama was a terrorist and was cavorting with terrorists. But that was only one stumbling block in the McCain campaign. Perhaps telling people at a live presidential debate that you knew "where Osama bin Laden is hiding" and knew "how to get him" finally made people think, "Wait a sec...if he's known all this time, then what the hell are our troops still DOING in the Middle East??? McCain's been in wars...does he think the soldiers are dying for FUN???"
Ah yes, this day is actually quite bittersweet. How many of us have enjoyed turning on the TV and watching those now-classic sketch-comedy classics during the political season? I'm talking, of course, about the campaign rallies and commercials. It was like McCain and Palin couldn't stop themselves from saying some BSC (again, that's Bat Shit Crazy, for you newcomers) thing about Obama. "He's a terrorist." "His campaign started in the living room of William Ayers." "He's a time-traveler, hell-bent on destroying the past so he can live the life of luxury in the distant future." And my personal favorite: "He's competent." Don't forget about Rev. Wright. You know, Obama's preacher who was quoted as saying "Not 'God Bless America'! God Damn America!"
Actually, that's a brilliant idea...
Coming soon to an outdoor ballfield near you...The Not Yet Ready For Public Relations Players! Watch Rev. Wright wear hilariously awkward clothing that no one this side of Africa would be caught dead in! Listen to his two-man stand up routine with the Reverend Jesse Jackson called "God Damn America..Now Cut Off Their Nuts!" Then, Senator Joe Biden takes the stage to share funny anecdotes and tell people how he read a story that "in the future", we'll all be ruled by angry robots and "the president will bow down to the will of terrorists and sacrifice the nation to save himself." Wait until THAT gets quoted out of context in a McCain campaign ad! Instant hilarity! And check out THIS headliner...Alaska Governor Sarah Palin! Hear Palin...speak as if she has half a brain! Catch her wickedly outrageous act before she jets off to the frozen tundra to the excitement of snowmobile racing, moose-hunting and baby-birthing! And show up later...or not at all...for a special appearance by Joe "The Plumber Guy" Wurzelbacher! He's coming to Git-R-Outofpayinganykindoftaxesbecausehe'sasonuvabitchwhowillholdontohismoneyforever! If there's shit to be found, you KNOW this guy's somewhere nearby!
Hey, maybe they need a marketing guy...
PS: Congratulations, President-elect Obama.
-B-
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Only Things Certain Are Death & Texas
In a little more than 48 hours, we'll (hopefully) know who will be the next President of the United States. That's barring any miscounts in any southern states (I'm looking at you, Florida) and any confusion in our electoral process (I'm looking at you, popular vote vs. electoral vote). In North Carolina alone, more than 2.5 million people have already voted in early voting. By comparison, about 3 million people voted in the state in the 2004 election. And we haven't even HIT Election Day yet! It's such a big election and it's the topic of many conversations at home, on the street and in the workplace. Seriously...listen in public for any conversations that drift toward the left, then count how long it takes for someone to ask the people to shut up or to insert their own View-hosting, hair-bleaching, McCain-loving, anti-Obama-Kool-Aid opinions. It's funny to see how upset the conservatives are...and know that they would be MORE than happy to brag about the Republican party if McCain were leading in more polls.
I digress. In the waning hours before this landmark election, we're hearing a lot of talk about Joe the Plumber, "Godless Americans," and Marxism. If you are able to filter through all that bullshit, you'll also hear some talk about the ECONOMY. Wow, what a novel idea...talking about something that AFFECTS AMERICANS. So, the contrite response from the McCain campaign is that Obama wants to tax people and, in some cases, raise taxes. The Republicans are all upset about this, all up in arms and wagging their fingers at Obama...but don't they realize he's trying to clean up THEIR mess???
Let's go all the way back to the Clinton administration. Sure, it's a tarnished, even "stained", administration. And some might argue it won't be the ONLY Clinton administration we'll ever see. But I want to go back to February 2000. The last year Bill Clinton would present a budget proposal to Congress. The price tag on that budget? A whopping $1.84 TRILLION! That seems like a lot, but America was experiencing a budget surplus at that time. In fact, the budget proposal was laid out as a blueprint that would ELIMINATE the national debt by 2013. Debt...gone. Adios, bon voyage. Not only that, but the plan ALSO called for increasing spending on the military, education and health care. In fact, the administration projected a budget surplus of $2.9 trillion over the next ten years (this was 8 years ago). Clinton also proposed in the plan $351 billion in tax cuts aimed at low-income and moderate-income families. You know how he planned to do it? With $96 billion in new taxes (including the $.25 per pack tax on cigarettes) and closing corporate loopholes. Wait, he planned to help people by raising taxes? Wow, if only we had a presidential candidate now with enough economic savvy to suggest he could do THAT...
Now, don't think for a second he was skimping on the military spending. Clinton proposed $291 billion in spending for the 2001 fiscal year. That's up from previous years. At the time, CNN quoted then-presidential candidate John McCain (seriously, will this guy EVER die???) as saying he supported increased military spending, "Not since Pearl Harbor has our investment in national defense been so low as a percentage of our gross national product." Well, times have changed, haven't they?
A report also by CNN (by the way, if you're going to attack my source as "liberal elite" or some other bullshit argument, I'm pulling facts from the stories, not any editorial associated with them. Just numbers and quotes.) from June 2008 shows the War in Iraq is expected to reach $2.7 trillion by the time it's all over...whenever THAT is. It makes me think of George W. as Jane Jetson. You know, when the show starts, George Jetson is dropping the family off and drops off Jane at the mall. He pulls some amount of cartoon money out of his wallet...and Jane grabs the wallet and flies off. Chances are good Jane spent it all...and her husband was left with little more than grocery money.
So, the war itself is set to cost $2.7 trillion (according to Congressional testimony...if you can believe THOSE people). The national deficit has found its way up to more than $10.5 trillion (according to the National Debt Clock, which might be a little skewed...but it doesn't just pull those numbers out of nowhere). Not sure where the other $7.8 tril has gone, but still...
So, let's take a moment for an economics lesson. Does anyone in class today know where money DOESN'T come from? That's right, little Ahmed, it DOESN'T come from trees. Does anyone know who IS responsible for paying for things like military, education and health care? That's right, little Joe, WE do through taxes...now put your plunger down. So, if the national deficit has gone up because of this war (which...WHY are we still in the middle of it? Did Nazis invade Baghdad and I didn't hear about it? We're talking suicide bombers with IEDs who were there BEFORE we invaded...oh, sorry, LIBERATED...Iraq. So what's the problem?), and people pay taxes to pay for things like the military, can anyone tell me WHY the Republican party is so appalled that Barack Obama would suggest raising taxes? Anyone?
It's a fact of life. We're going to pay taxes. Some years more, some years less. Based largely on our income. That's why homeless people don't pay many taxes and people making, say, $250,000 a year are asked to pay more. Sure, they're paying for health care and education that others might be using more than they do. But they're also paying for the military. And I have yet to hear ANY right-wingers bitching about paying higher taxes because all their "hard-earned" money is going to a bunch of undeserving "soldiers" who are "defending freedom" in Iraq.
Any questions?
-B-
I digress. In the waning hours before this landmark election, we're hearing a lot of talk about Joe the Plumber, "Godless Americans," and Marxism. If you are able to filter through all that bullshit, you'll also hear some talk about the ECONOMY. Wow, what a novel idea...talking about something that AFFECTS AMERICANS. So, the contrite response from the McCain campaign is that Obama wants to tax people and, in some cases, raise taxes. The Republicans are all upset about this, all up in arms and wagging their fingers at Obama...but don't they realize he's trying to clean up THEIR mess???
Let's go all the way back to the Clinton administration. Sure, it's a tarnished, even "stained", administration. And some might argue it won't be the ONLY Clinton administration we'll ever see. But I want to go back to February 2000. The last year Bill Clinton would present a budget proposal to Congress. The price tag on that budget? A whopping $1.84 TRILLION! That seems like a lot, but America was experiencing a budget surplus at that time. In fact, the budget proposal was laid out as a blueprint that would ELIMINATE the national debt by 2013. Debt...gone. Adios, bon voyage. Not only that, but the plan ALSO called for increasing spending on the military, education and health care. In fact, the administration projected a budget surplus of $2.9 trillion over the next ten years (this was 8 years ago). Clinton also proposed in the plan $351 billion in tax cuts aimed at low-income and moderate-income families. You know how he planned to do it? With $96 billion in new taxes (including the $.25 per pack tax on cigarettes) and closing corporate loopholes. Wait, he planned to help people by raising taxes? Wow, if only we had a presidential candidate now with enough economic savvy to suggest he could do THAT...
Now, don't think for a second he was skimping on the military spending. Clinton proposed $291 billion in spending for the 2001 fiscal year. That's up from previous years. At the time, CNN quoted then-presidential candidate John McCain (seriously, will this guy EVER die???) as saying he supported increased military spending, "Not since Pearl Harbor has our investment in national defense been so low as a percentage of our gross national product." Well, times have changed, haven't they?
A report also by CNN (by the way, if you're going to attack my source as "liberal elite" or some other bullshit argument, I'm pulling facts from the stories, not any editorial associated with them. Just numbers and quotes.) from June 2008 shows the War in Iraq is expected to reach $2.7 trillion by the time it's all over...whenever THAT is. It makes me think of George W. as Jane Jetson. You know, when the show starts, George Jetson is dropping the family off and drops off Jane at the mall. He pulls some amount of cartoon money out of his wallet...and Jane grabs the wallet and flies off. Chances are good Jane spent it all...and her husband was left with little more than grocery money.
So, the war itself is set to cost $2.7 trillion (according to Congressional testimony...if you can believe THOSE people). The national deficit has found its way up to more than $10.5 trillion (according to the National Debt Clock, which might be a little skewed...but it doesn't just pull those numbers out of nowhere). Not sure where the other $7.8 tril has gone, but still...
So, let's take a moment for an economics lesson. Does anyone in class today know where money DOESN'T come from? That's right, little Ahmed, it DOESN'T come from trees. Does anyone know who IS responsible for paying for things like military, education and health care? That's right, little Joe, WE do through taxes...now put your plunger down. So, if the national deficit has gone up because of this war (which...WHY are we still in the middle of it? Did Nazis invade Baghdad and I didn't hear about it? We're talking suicide bombers with IEDs who were there BEFORE we invaded...oh, sorry, LIBERATED...Iraq. So what's the problem?), and people pay taxes to pay for things like the military, can anyone tell me WHY the Republican party is so appalled that Barack Obama would suggest raising taxes? Anyone?
It's a fact of life. We're going to pay taxes. Some years more, some years less. Based largely on our income. That's why homeless people don't pay many taxes and people making, say, $250,000 a year are asked to pay more. Sure, they're paying for health care and education that others might be using more than they do. But they're also paying for the military. And I have yet to hear ANY right-wingers bitching about paying higher taxes because all their "hard-earned" money is going to a bunch of undeserving "soldiers" who are "defending freedom" in Iraq.
Any questions?
-B-
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