The World According To Wolf

On the absurdity of Sears...

2010-07-16T20:50:00.004-04:00

So, our clothes dryer died this week. We had a repairman come out and he advised us that the motor was shot and it would cost $330 to replace it. Since the dryer is 12 years old or so, we opted to buy a new one. The repair guy, who was an independent guy... not affiliated with any retailer... warned us to stick with Kenmore, Whirlpool, or one other brand I can't recall right now. He said to stay away from Samsung, GE, Frigidaire (who knew they made washers/dryers?), and STRONGLY discouraged us from looking at LG. He said that the majority of his repair jobs were for LG appliances. Although I hate Sears thanks to multiple unhappy personal interactions with them, I have to admit that they know how to do the appliance thing, so off we went to Sears.

We walk in and there are literaly 30 different dryers to choose from. The kids, sensing their plight for the next 90 minutes, immediately engage in the classic tactic of "if-we-make-this-as-miserable-as-pssible-for-mom-and-dad-we-won't-have-to-stay-long." However, that was only the beginning of the misery. In a somewhat chronological order, the events of the evening are as follows:

- Annoying sales guy asks if he can help us. We inform him we're just looking. This is the first of no less than 438 separate and increasingly more painful interactions with him.

- We look at 30 different dryers, most between two and forty times

- We determine that Sears has apparently invented a fun new game called "Guess whether this appliance runs on electric or gas." Loads of fun for the whole family.

- We determine that all washers and dryers are 15% off... 20% if you use a Sears card.

- We determine that Sears has invented a second fun new game called "Guess which price tags include the sale price and which ones don't." More fun for the whole family.

- Kids decide these games are actually NOT loads of fun for the whole family and abandon their previous tactic for the more aggressive "STOP TOUCHING ME" tactic.

- We finaly decide on a dryer that's $375 after the sale price. It's at this point that annoying sales guy informs us that dryers under $399 don't qualify for free delivery/takeaway.

- We spend another 20 minutes deciding on another Kenmore dryer that is $509 on sale for $425, thus qualifying for free delivery/takeaway.

- BONUS: Annoying sales guy informs us that this dryer also qualifies for a rebate from Allgheny Power because of its energy saving features. Sweet.

- Annoying sales guy rings us up, and the real fun begins.

ASG: "Would you like to purchase a power cord for the dryer?"

Me: "What?"

ASG: "New dryers don't come with power cords. Would you like to purchase a power cord?

Me: "What??"

ASG: "You have to buy the power cord separately!"

Me: "Of course you do. How much is the power cord?"

ASG: "$34.00"

Me: "Why don't they just attach it at the factory and add the cost to the price of the dryer?"

ASG: "Because you can buy a power cord for $21.00 and install it yourself, but the delivery guys won't install the dryer then."

Me: "Shocker. Just give me the power cord." (I feel the need at this point to explain why this was a concern. See, I could have gotten the new dryer home and connected it myself without incident (although I would have been pissed when I got it home and realized that there was no power cord), but our real concern was getting rid of the old dryer. Nowhere to take it and our dump doesn't take big ticket items like that. At least, I don't think they do. And a week without a dryer and laundry stacking up everywhere really puts the pressure on.

- As if THAT wasn't bad enough, annoying sales guy explains rebate from Allegheny Power, then advises us that it is contingent upon the availability of funds - meaning that the rebate is based on funds received from the government and that once the money runs out, no more rebates. Would have been nice to know BEFORE we paid, but it probably wouldn't have stopped us since we needed a dryer. Still... sleazy sales trick if you ask me.

- And then, the coup de grace... the "free delivery and takeaway" actually costs $75.00, which you have to pay up front. You then submit a form for reimbursment and Sears reimburses you with... wait for it... wait for it... a Visa gift card. So, you have to go spend it anyway. So it's not really free at all! So the $509 dryer on sale for $425 actually cost me $565! Seriously??? This is how you do business??? This is just the latest in the looooong list of reasons why I hate Sears. But, I love Kenmore appliances, so it's a catch-22.

So that's the great dryer fiasco of 2010.

What? I have a blog? Oh yeah!...

2010-07-16T20:03:00.001-04:00

Yeah, so it's been a while. Life's overwhelming. What can I say.

Uncle Ted talks about the Second Amendment...

2010-01-29T00:17:00.005-05:00

The right to bear arms and defend one's self is near and dear to my heart. This clip illustrates exactly why Ted Nugent is one of my heroes! It's a couple of years old, but it's new to me so I thought I'd share it. There is nothing more I could possibly add to it.

Be still my beating heart...

2010-01-26T23:15:00.010-05:00

Every once in a great while you run across a politician who tells it like it is. In this case, Mayor David Pennington of Dalton, GA not only spoke the truth when he stated that the only reason to install red light cameras is to generate revenue, but he actually backed it up with action by removing his city's cameras! (Note: This is a video link and you'll have to sit through a commercial before the actual content plays. It's worth the wait.)

Not only does Pennington state what the rest of society already knew, but he also educates us (well, this citizen at least) when he states that the government gets to keep less than 50% of the take, so it's not even the most effective way to generate revenue. Now, I happen to think that 50 cents on the dollar is pretty lucrative when all you have to do is sit back and collect a check from a vendor who's doing all of the work for you. But that just makes what he's done that much more admirable.

It's refreshing to see a politician who not only frowns on the state's infringement of rights, but actually does something to reverse it. But his greatest coup? Even after voluntarily giving up the revenue from the cameras, he managed to actually reduce property taxes by 20% by... wait for it... reducing government spending! What a concept! I think I have my first political man crush. I'd like to think that Pennington's example will prompt others to follow suit (cough Adrian Fenty and Cathy Lanier cough), but I somehow doubt that will happen.

Thank you on this Veteran's Day...

2009-11-11T20:29:00.003-05:00

To those who serve in the armed forces, and to the families and loved ones who support them, thank you to all of you for the sacrifices that you make on behalf of the rest of us.

Helpful, but then not so much...

2009-11-11T10:18:00.004-05:00

So, I have been meaning to sit down and write about this for several weeks, but events have prevented me from doing so. If you read through this blog, you'll notice that I have a tendency to point out incidents of abuse of power by government, and by the police. Well, in the interest of fairness, I wanted to relate a personal story where the Frederick County (MD) Sheriff's Office provided outstanding service to my family.

This story will not contain names, as it's a personal story and I wish to protect the privacy of all involved.

Without going into a long litany of details, my wife and I have a neighbor who has, over the past couple of years, become verbally abusive towards my wife. It escalated to a point last month where we contacted the Frederick County Sheriff's Office for advice on what we could do to protect her. The deputy that we spoke with was extremely helpful, sympathetic, and offered great advice on avenues that we could pursue. This led to our seeking a peace order (Maryland's version of a restraining order). The deputy was patient, answered all of our questions, and encouraged us to not be afraid to defend ourselves if needed... something that I NEVER would have expected from a government agent. So, in short, I want to thank the Frederick County Sheriff's Office for their assistance during a very stressful time for my family.

Then, this happened, and brought me back to reality...

My brother called me over the weekend and relayed the following story. He still lives in the Buffalo, NY area, where I am originally from. He was driving home from bowling on Friday night, and was passing through the town of Amherst, NY, where he was stopped by the town police. The officer asked him if he knew why he was being pulled over, to which my brother replied "No, officer, I don't." The officer informed him that he had a tail light out and then, according to my brother, almost before those words were even out of his mouth the officer asked "Have you been drinking tonight?", as though drinking somehow causes tail lights to malfunction. So my brother advises the officer that he is on his way home from bowling and that he had three beers over the course of about four hours. So, of course, the officer asks him to step out of the car. He submits to a field sobriety test, which he knows he passed, but the officer advises him that he'll need to take a breathalyzer test. Now, everyone knows that if you refuse a breathalyzer, you're automatically guilty. My brother, knowing he's not impaired, agrees. It's at this point that the officer states that he doesn't have his breathalyzer with him and that he'll have to take my brother in to the station to administer it. Now, at this point, I would have lost my cool, but my brother played along. He got in the cruiser, went with the officer, and complied the whole way. They get to the station, he takes the breathalyzer, and he passes. The officer advises him that he's free to go.

Here's where the story gets good. And by good, I mean absurd.

My brother asks "Are you going to take me back to my car?"

Officer: "Your car's been impounded."

Brother: "What?"

Officer: "Your car's been impounded. You need to pay $185 to get it out of impound."

Brother: "Are you kidding? Why was it impounded?"

Officer: "It's standard procedure when someone is taken into custody."

Brother: "Custody? I don't remember being arrested. No one read me my rights. I came here as a favor to you because you didn't have the proper equipment to administer a breathalyzer in the field. And it was all unnecessary anyway."

Officer: "Well, you did fail the field sobriety test."

Brother: "Really? Obviously not, because I passed the breathalyzer. Try again."

Officer: "I'm sorry. I can't waive the fee."

So, my brother tells the officer that he's not paying, and that he'll be happy to contact his lawyer and that the officer can talk to him. At this point, the officer becomes annoyed with my brother because my brother is definitely starting to lose his cool. According to him, the officer is being completely arrogant by this point, refusing to admit any wrongdoing at all, and refusing to do anything to assist my brother. Finally, 30 minutes later, and after a second threat to call his attorney, they finally get a judge out of bed who orders them to waive the fee.

I told him he's lucky he didn't get tazed by the jackbooted ass. What a nice moneymaker for the town though. I wonder how many people just suck it up and pay because they're afraid to stand up for their rights. Kudos to my brother. He reminds me of, well, me.

Speaking of government thugs in Amherst, NY, I ran across this little tidbit as well. I'm sensing a trend.

If you listen closely, you can already hear the jackboots coming in the night...

2009-09-03T12:45:00.004-04:00

It just keeps getting better. And by better I, of course, mean more terrifying.

Yet another in the long list of things the government is taking control of...

2009-08-29T11:11:00.004-04:00

First the banks, then the auto industry, now the White House wants control of the internet during cyber-emergencies. But it's only during emergencies, right? Maybe, for now. But guess who defines what a "cyber-emergency" is in the first place.

The speed with which this is all occurring is astounding.

See Dick masturbate...

2009-08-26T20:51:00.003-04:00

In what may be the most compelling reason yet for the US to sever ties with the UN (as if we needed another one), I present to you this little tidbit. The day this happens is the day we start homeschooling.

Yeah, but WE'LL do it better...

2009-08-26T20:38:00.002-04:00

On why socialized health care is a GREAT idea...

Is it the overcrowding of the system?

Or maybe it's the ineptitude of government doctors.

Or maybe it's the gigantic increase in taxes that will be required to pay for it all.

Any way you slice it, government run health care is a bad idea.

It's a little trick we like to call entrapment...

2009-07-19T23:14:00.003-04:00

Who's the real criminal here? A 19 year old Illinois man had a little too much to drink at a Dave Matthews concert in Madison, WI. He decided to sleep it off in his car in the parking lot rather than drive home. Soon, a police officer wakes him and tells him he needs to leave. Our hero tells the officer that he's too drunk to drive and that he's sleeping it off. 99.9% of rational adult human beings would view this as the responsible thing to do. But what do Wisconsin's finest do? They force him to leave, KNOWING he's drunk, and then promptly arrest him for drunk driving as soon as he's out of the parking lot.

Is this someone's idea of a sick joke? Where in the whole "To protect and serve" line of B.S. does endangering the public welfare by forcing him to drive his vehicle off the proprety fall? Oh... it must fall under the section titled "How to trick someone into breaking the law for fun and profit."

Once again, I'm appalled that I used to tell my kids to find a police officer if they needed help. I now tell them to find a mom with kids. I officially now trust complete strangers more than the law enforcement officers charged with protecting us... or not... depending on their mood.

Your tax dollars hard at work...

2009-07-07T23:32:00.005-04:00

Apparently, this is what Montgomery County Police resources are being used for instead of fighting actual crime. No, instead they're being used, outside of their jurisdiction I might add, to simulate crime fighting for your television viewing pleasure.

I have no problem with off-duty officers doing something like this if they want. What I DO have an issue with is county cars, uniforms, weapons, and any other equipment, being used to film a fictional TV show.

Police spokeswoman Lucille Baur said "the department allowed officers to participate because it was told that filming would occur inside the county's borders."

Oh, well... that's different then. That would have totally justified the use of taxpayer owned property.

Whatcha gonna do when she comes for you...

2009-07-07T21:45:00.008-04:00

DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier thinks you're a coward if you use technology to avoid speed traps in the ~~Peoples Republic of~~ District of Columbia.

In reference to an iPhone app that notifies users when they are approaching a speed camera, Lanier is quoted as saying "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."

Well Cathy, thanks very much for being concerned about my life, but I think your ire has more to do with the next little tidbit...

"Photo radar tickets generated nearly $1 billion in revenues for D.C. during fiscal years 2005 to 2008."

That's One. Billion. Dollars. In three years. Holy jumpin' Jesus! No wonder she's so upset. I'll bet that little iPhone app and others like it have the potential to put quite a dent in the city's revenue stream.

I've known my share of police officers, and every last one has said that they don't care if people use radar detectors, or flash their headlights, or put up giant signs on their front lawn warning motorists. Their sole intent in setting speed traps is to slow people down (that's a different argument for another time), not issue tickets, and all of the above mentioned things do that.

Cathy Lanier is a different breed. She WANTS to bust you. She WANTS to see you slip up. And she WANTS the revenue generated when you do. She all but says so in this article. Lanier also "promised her officers would pick up their game to counteract the devices, which can also help drivers dodge sobriety checkpoints." What's she going to do... send out a legion of little Roscoe P. Coltranes to jump out of the bushes and plant fake speed limit signs along roads to catch unsuspecting travelers?

As if that's not chilling enough, I'll leave you with this...

When asked whether she'd pursue banning the iPhone app, she said, "with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information." Stop the flow of information... hmmm... sounds like state sponsored censorship doesn't it?

Do these people actually believe the crap they spew?...

2009-07-01T22:32:00.012-04:00

I borrowed the link to this Parade Magazine "Intelligence Report" article from another site that I frequent. They should call it an "Unintelligence Report." It continues to amaze me how A) Stupid, or B) Blatantly willing to lie anti-gunners are in this country. The best quote from the article is this...

"It's what happens when a person gets mad and has easy access to a gun. Someone is shot over a game of dice. Had the gun not been in their hands, no one would have died."

Oh really? So you're saying that murders never happened prior to the advent of the firearm? No one's ever been killed in anger by a knife, an arrow, a hammer, a rock, a baseball bat, or any one of a million other methods? Do us all a favor, Parade Magazine, the next time you decide to publish something stop and actually read it first.

On a related note, maybe we should ban kitchen knives like Great Britain.

Move over Chicago...

2009-07-01T19:52:00.010-04:00

In a move that shocks even me, a former New Yorker who's used to the shady political moves that occur at the city, county, and state levels there, New York State Senate Democrats stooped to new lows yesterday. In a nutshell, they held an invalid session that excluded Republican members, and then fraudulently included a Republican senator as their 32nd vote to break a three week deadlock and unanimously pass 125 bills in 3 hours. (The article doesn't say it, but it's implied that they needed 32 members present to make it a "legal" vote.) I say fraudulently because the senator in question, Republican Frank Padavan, states that he wasn't present for the votes. The Democrats' logic for including him? Wait for it............ He walked through the chamber on his way to the vending machines on the other side.

And these are the people we trust to "govern" us. The sad part (and I've witnessed it time and time again having lived there for 23 years) is that New Yorkers will vote these people back into office in a heartbeat.

Whew...

2009-06-30T23:43:00.001-04:00

There, I've posted a couple new posts and I feel better already. It's good to be back.

Do as I say, not as I do...

2009-06-30T23:39:00.007-04:00

So, it's ok for the government to tell you that you can't smoke, but if your husband does it, it's domestic battery. That makes sense. While this guy's actions seem a little over the top, it hardly seems like domestic battery. I'm surprised the police didn't tase him!

And doggone it, people like me...

2009-06-30T23:34:00.002-04:00

Dear God! I can't imagine a worse fate for the good people of Minnesota.

Paging Mr. Gore...

2009-06-30T23:04:00.004-04:00

Things must be slow over at the EPA. So slow, in fact, that they are drumming up business by allegedly suppressing a report that disputes the "science" behind the smoke and mirrors more commonly known as Global Warming [insert wholesale panic here]. Why, just the mere mention of global warming strikes fear into the hearts of the uninformed and causes gnashing of teeth and spontaneous purchases of Priuseseseses.

The problem is, global warming doesn't exist. But then, those of us who actually pay attention to the world around us already knew that. But if EVERYONE knew that, then the government wouldn't be able to keep spending tax dollars to combat something that doesn't exist. So, they will continue to do their best to keep that knowledge away from the public.

My, how time flies...

2009-06-30T22:57:00.005-04:00

...when you're burned out on politics. I can't believe it's been three months since I posted anything here. The good news is, I'm getting back to the point where I feel fired up again rather than beat down. Plus, the irony of celebrating Independence Day as we watch while our independence is eroded more each day is just too tempting for me to sit on the sidelines any longer. So, without further delay...

And to think...

2009-04-01T19:56:00.004-04:00

...that I actually tell my kids to find a police officer if they need help. The stupidity of this story is astounding.

I hate to say I told you so... but I'm gonna anyway...

2009-03-30T22:51:00.004-04:00

Ok, I've stayed quiet for a long time. Really. Check my posts. I haven't said much of anything about politics since the election. Part of the reason was because I was completely burned out on politics, and part was because I really wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, Barack the Benificent was going to surprise us all and actually do the right things... make the right moves. Well, it's been a couple of months now, and the wheels have already fallen off. I'm going to skip the part where Barack Obama has spent this country into debt that our great-grandchildren will still be paying off. I'll skip the part where he is going to release terrorists and close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. I'll skip the part where we're not allowed to even call them terrorists anymore. I'll skip the part where he's given North Korea and Iran pretty much free rein to do whatever the heck they want now. I'll skip the part where almost every cabinet appointee he's appointed has been rejected or has stepped down due to various and sundry skeletons in their respective closets. Nope... I'll skip straight to the part where he just fired Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors.

Congratulations Mr. President. You shocked even me with the speed in which this country reached full blown socialism. I mean, I knew it was coming and all, but wow! Kudos to you. Color me impressed.

I have so much to say and so little energy to say it, what with all the extra effort I'm putting in at the office to pay for all of this. Whatcha gonna do for your next trick? I can hardly wait...

The best take I've heard yet on the inauguration of Barack the Benificent...

2009-01-22T21:49:00.006-05:00

This is a couple of days late, thanks to ridiculously long hours at work and a sinus infection/respiratory infection that's had me half dead for the last three days.

With apologies to Brutus at Who's Your Nanny, where I first learned of this, and to Lew Rockwell at LRC, where it originted... all I can say is that I simply HAD to repost this quote.

"So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause."

On why I'll fight socialized healthcare until the day I die (probably as the result of socialized healthcare)...

2009-01-04T18:20:00.004-05:00

For those of you who think that "we need the government to control healthcare costs", I present to you this story!

This is what you have to look forward to with government run medical facilities.

New York pop tax (or soda, as ya'll say down here!)...

2009-01-04T18:03:00.005-05:00

New York governor David Patterson has proposed a "fat tax" of 18% on non-diet soft drinks. His reasoning is that this will provide a deterrent for New York's obese citizenry, thus helping them maintain a more healthy lifestyle.

In a brilliant piece of journalism, reporter Steven Milloy points out the following...

The proposal then estimates that the tax will raise $404 million during 2009-2010 and — get this — $539 million during 2010-2011. Since tax revenues from non-diet soft drink sales are budgeted to increase rather than decrease — as one might expect from the alleged purpose of the tax — Paterson actually seems to be counting on the tax not working. Combating obesity is not grounds for the tax; it is, instead, camouflage for it — and not very good camouflage at that.

I guess New Yorkers can at least be grateful that he's too preoccupied with stealing their money to get himself into trouble by, say, frequenting hookers.

Toll lanes, and my problem with them...

2009-01-04T17:18:00.014-05:00

So, I ran across this article earlier this week and am just now finding time to sit down and write about it. The article discusses toll lanes as a means to reduce traffic. Now, at face value, this might seem like a great idea, and you might say "Well, if people are willing to pay to use a lane with less congestion, then more power to them." And I might be inclined to agree, IF those roads were private toll roads. However, I am completely opposed to state owned and operated toll roads or toll lanes. Why? Because of the following quote from the article...

"In the future, congestion pricing is going to be the way we get around in this
country," said Gabriel Bernal-Lopez of Miami, a transportation engineering
student at the University of Florida and the founder of transitmiami.com, a
widely read blog in South Florida. "It's about time that motorists pay their
fair share, and HOT lanes are a step in the right direction."

I'm sorry, did he say it's time for motorists to pay their fair share??? Really?? Cause I thought that's what I was doing when I paid my federal, state, and local taxes. And I thought that's what I was doing when I registered my cars. And I thought that's what I was doing when I bought gasoline (taxed at 41.9 cents per gallon in Maryland, 18.4 cents of which is federal excise tax, and all of which is supposed to go directly to roads and infrastructure). Pay my fair share? Please! Maybe the state and federal governments should take the tax money that they force me to pay and apply it where it should go, instead of diverting it for pet projects that do nothing to improve roads or reduce congestion.

You know what would reduce traffic in my neck of the woods? Run the Red Line Metro out to Frederick, MD. It would get lots of commuters off the road, including myself. Make I-270 8 lanes from I-70 to Gaithersburg, where it becomes 8 lanes currently. Widen US 15 from Frederick, MD to Leesburg, VA. But we can't do these things because politicians won't allow it. Instead, lets take exisiting lanes and charge people to use them. Then we'll take THAT money, and divert it along with the tax money we're already diverting, and we'll have even more to spend on our pet projects.

And I know that this article was written in Florida, but Maryland is already talking about toll lanes on I-270, and Pennsylvania is considering making I-80 a toll road through their state. So, don't think it can't happen here.

So, sorry, but I'm already paying my fair share. Use it the way it was intended.

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-24T14:45:00.001-05:00

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year!

Out of the mouths of babes...

2008-12-19T10:32:00.005-05:00

Alright... command decision... I've decided to lighten things up around here. This blog is depressing.

So I'm playing NCAA football with my 5 year old son two nights ago. The boy is a freakin' idiot savant when it comes to Playstation... an EA Sports Rainman. He can't remember how to get the game started, but he can remember how to run the triple option to perfection! So, we're playing and I've got the ball, and I run a play action which typically works to a tee on him. Instead, however, the boy who I'm convinced randomly hits buttons to select defensive plays blitzes everyone, including two cheerleaders. My pocket collapses in .5 nanoseconds, and I go down with a thud, fumbling the ball. My immediate reaction to this is to ask "What the heck was that??", to which my five year old, without missing a beat, replies "A disaster!"

Punk.

Fast forward to last night's rematch. Second quarter, Rainman has the ball. He snaps the ball, sets up, and throws a deeeeeeeeep pass down the right sideline. He completes the pass and is running the remaining 30 yards to the end zone, the entire time singing in an innocent yet mocking way, "Oh the Lord's been good to me... and so I thank the Lord... for giving me the things I need, the sun, the rain, and the appleseed the lord's been good to.............. WHAT THE HECK?!?" (The last part was exactly when I streaked out of nowhere and tackled him on the two yard line.) I think I was still laughing two hours after he was asleep. Paybacks are a bitch!

Dear Santa... please kill this guy for Christmas!...

2008-12-16T09:30:00.005-05:00

There are times when I start to think that I'm becoming numb to the problems in our society. We are so inundated with stories of awful things that it just becomes normal after a while. And then I read this, and it literally made me want to cry. Maybe it's because I'm a dad, maybe it's because it's Christmas, or maybe I'm not that numb after all, which is a good thing. All I know is, this motherfucker should die... no trial, no prison, just 10 minutes alone in a room with Santa and a baseball bat.

UB Bulls win MAC Conference Championship, earn Bowl bid...

2008-12-06T14:52:00.004-05:00

The UB Bulls beat 12th ranked Ball State 42-24 last night to win the MAC Conference championship. Why does this matter? Because A) I'm from Buffalo and, 2) two years ago this team went 2-10. I don't understand how Turner Gill isn't in the running for Coach of the Year.

Congrats to the UB Bulls on an outstanding season! Good luck in the International Bowl.

Profitable companies urged to not cut jobs for "country's sake"...

2008-12-06T12:52:00.013-05:00

Barry Diller, CEO of IAC, states that profitable companies shouldn't lay off employees just to increase profits.

“The idea of a company that’s earning money, not losing money, that’s not, let’s say ‘industrially endangered,’ to have just cutbacks so they can earn another $12 million or $20 million or $40 million in a year where no one’s counting is really a horrible act when you think about it on every level. First of all, it’s certainly not necessary. It’s doing it at the worst time. It’s throwing people out to a larger, what is inevitably a larger unemployment heap for frankly no good reason.”

A few seconds later, he added:

“It’s not that you don’t want to earn as much money as you can — it is your obligation, of course — but companies have obligations beyond that and they certainly have obligations beyond that at certain times, in the times in which they operate. And they also certainly ought to know that meeting and beating expectations is probably yesterday’s game and it will be increasingly so, which would be by the way very healthy for companies. Running a company that meets and beats expectations, and that runs their company accordingly, are companies that I would question why anyone would invest in.”

I don't even know where to start. I'm no finance wizard, but it seems to me that the sole purpose of going into business is to make profits. Further, the sole reason to invest in a company is to profit from the success of that company.

Diller says "Running a company that meets and beats expectations, and that runs their company accordingly, are companies that I would question why anyone would invest in." Really? Isn't that exactly the kind of company you want to invest in? A company that meets and beats expectations?

Maybe I'm missing the big picture. If anyone can shed some light on Diller's philosophy I'm all ears.

Here it comes...

2008-12-06T10:21:00.006-05:00

It would appear that state and local governments have been emboldened by the election of a marxist/socialist president. I present to you the following...

Alabama Cow Tax

That's right. The state of Alabama wants to tax cows and other livestock becuse of their impact on the environment. This might be the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard. The linked article is chock full of reasons this is a bad idea, but perhaps the biggest is this...

The executive vice president of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, Ken
Hamilton, estimated the fee would cost owners of a modest-sized cattle ranch
$30,000 to $40,000 a year. He said he has talked to a number of livestock
owners about the proposals, and "all have said if the fees were carried out,
it would bankrupt them."

Kiss Alabama's family farms goodbye.

Next...

Georgia Recycling Fine

Gwinnett County Georgia wants to fine residents $500 for failure to recycle.

The ordinance provides for a civil fine of $500 for violations, which
includes those who fail to “source separate residential recovered
materials.”

I consider myself to be a fairly educated person and I have no idea what the hell that means! How are citizens supposed to comply? The article goes on to state that "The big concern, Wiggins said, is mixing garbage in the recycling container. [It}causes contamination, she said, and … it ends up going to a landfill anyway."

Sooooo... if I recycle a salad dresing bottle and it still has residue in it, I get a $500 fine? Is that what this means? But if I throw the bottle out to be safe, I'll bet I get fined for not recycling it. So the county gets its fine either way.

Next...

Rhode Island Mileage Tax

The state of Rhode Island wants to tax drivers based on their mileage. Below is an excerpt from the article.

•A new mileage fee. The $150-million plan would not include it, but the
$300-million plan would impose a half-cent-per-mile fee, raising an estimated
$50 million per year. But officials said yesterday that they expect to eliminate
the transfer of some sales tax revenue to the transportation system, proposed
elsewhere in the report. Raising the mileage fee to 1 cent per mile would make
up the difference.
At a half-cent per mile, driving 10,000 miles per year
would cost $50 per vehicle. One cent would cost $100.
Also referred to as a VMT fee (for vehicle miles traveled), the mileage fee would be based on odometer readings reported by vehicle owners when they renew their registrations. The mileage could be verified during mandatory auto inspections, the study says. Robert A. Shawver, the DOT’s assistant director, said that although one state, Oregon, is pilot-testing a similar fee, Rhode Island’s would be the first of its
kind in the country.

Am I the only on in the country who actually thinks things through? This plan would tax RI drivers for miles regardless of where they were driven. Say you live in RI, but you spend 3 months in Florida each winter. You drive your car to Florida and back, plus all of your local mileage while there. Well, that's several thousand miles that were not driven on RI roads, but which the state of Rhode Island will gladly be taxing you for as though their roads and infrastructure had been impacted by those miles. Great plan.

Summary

There was a time not too long ago when I would have bet money that none of these proposals would have seen the light of day. Sadly, those days are gone. Expect to see more laws like this as federal and state governments come up with new and improved ways to steal your hard earned money.

Edna Jester update...

2008-12-05T15:36:00.008-05:00

To follow up on my previous post regarding Edna Jester, the feisty octegenarian who took her neighbor kid's football after it repeatedly landed on HER lawn...

The charges against her have been dropped.

Just to reiterate my original stand, it's a travesty that she was charged in the first place. Further, in another article regarding this incident, the father of the boy who owned the ball is quoted as saying "We know she doesn’t like neighbors going into her yard, and we do the best we can to avoid it.” Well, avoid it better, jackass! Her lawn is private property. He also admits that this isn't the first time his kid's toys have landed in Ms. Jester's yard. Teach your child respect for other peoples property and this won't happen again. And when THEY grow up, they'll be better neighbors and members of society for it. And for the record, yes, I'm also a parent, and I teach my kids to respect private property. It's not difficult to do when you realize that the rules of society apply to everyone... not everyone but you.

The Goth wife...

2008-12-04T22:48:00.005-05:00

Me: (Four hours after getting home from work) Did you color your hair?

The Missus: Yes... this afternoon.

Me: It's black.

The Missus: I know. It's darker than I wanted.

Me: It's black.

The Missus: What do you think?

Me: I don't not like it.

Me: How did I not notice this?

The Missus: Well, I'm in the light now.

Pause

The Missus: Did my hair used to be this color?

Me: You've forgotten your original hair color?

Long Pause

The Missus: Yes

Whew... that was close...

2008-12-04T21:50:00.004-05:00

"Drive safe." How many times have you been the recipient of this admonishment? Leaving a friendly get-together? "Drive safe." A visit with your parents? "Drive safe." On your way home from work, cell phone rings, "Where are you? Dinner's almost ready. OK. Drive Safe." Holy Christ! Thank God you reminded me! I completely forgot! You don't know how close I was to driving like a maniac.

Finally...

2008-12-03T19:31:00.003-05:00

... a politician willing to tell citizens the truth... that the police are under no obligation to protect them and that they are better off defending themselves. Kudos to this guy for taking an unpopular stand and speaking the truth!

I'm back, baby...

2008-12-03T09:45:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the haitus, but I was out of town for 10 days. Taking the advice of a fellow blogger whom I admire, I won't/don't announce such absences ahead of time for obvious reasons.

Playing catch-up at work will curtail my free time, but I promise to get some new content up this week.

My God, the irony...

2008-11-11T22:32:00.002-05:00

Best story ever. Look at the name of the train!

We have met Big Brother, and he is Google...

2008-11-11T22:11:00.004-05:00

This isn't TOO terrifying. Google is going to report to the government whenever someone searches on the word "flu", so that the government can monitor flu outbreaks in real time. Won't it be great fun when the military rolls up and quarantines your town in real time?

My favorite part is this:

GOOGLE, continuing to work closely with government, claims it would keep
individual user data confidential: "GOOGLE FLU TRENDS can never be used to
identify individual users because we rely on anonymized, aggregated counts of
how often certain search queries occur each week."

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

What's it going to take for people to wake up? Your right to privacy is being trampled on a daily basis and no one cares. What has happened to Americans???

Is there anyone we aren't bailing out?...

2008-11-11T21:53:00.005-05:00

Nancy Pelosi has proposed yet another bailout, this time for the American auto industry. Does she have a printing press in her basement where she's printing all this money? Oh, wait, that's right... it's called the US Mint! We've socialized the banks, why not the automakers? The one group we'll never have to worry about bailing out are tax accountants. They'll be the busiest people in the country for the next four years. Enjoy the ride America. It's only gonna get worse.

How much you want to bet the airlines are next?

Veteran's Day...

2008-11-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

To those who are veterans of wars, or who have served or are currently serving in our armed forces, I want to say thank you, from my family to yours, for everything that you've done and continue to do for this country. I hope that this Veteran's Day finds you safe and close to home. And if it doesn't, then I pray that God keeps you safe and brings you home soon!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

2008-11-10T20:26:00.002-05:00

Jesus... what a great news day today. It seems like every time I turn around there's another story begging to be blogged about. It would be funny if it wasn't so damned sad. Read on and enjoy.

Barack the Beneficent... Darling of World Dictators...

2008-11-10T20:16:00.005-05:00

Hugo Chavez wants to talk with Barack Obama and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written him a congratulatory letter.

And I thought that his supporters were just blowing smoke when they said that he would improve international relations just by being elected. I guess I stand corrected. We have socialist dictators lining up to shake his hand. I'm sure that Fidel Castro and Kim Jong Il would be next if they knew what planet they were on right now.

The fact that these guys are happy that Obama was elected merely reassures me of the validity of my dismay.

And so it begins...

2008-11-10T20:09:00.005-05:00

As if it wasn't bad enough that the government has spent a ridiculous amount of money bailing out banks, mortgage lenders, and other assorted and sundry businesses, they're now refusing to identify the recipients of more than $2 trillion of that money. So, you see, it's your money, but you have no right to know where it's going. Nice, huh? Imagine what's going to happen once a REAL bona fide marxist takes office in January.

Excuse me Councilman, did you just piss on my head?...

2008-11-10T20:06:00.002-05:00

This guy oughta run for congress. He'd fit right in.

Obama ready to rule on day one...

2008-11-10T19:10:00.003-05:00

That's right, you heard me. The co-chair of Barack Obama's transition team said on Meet The Press that the President-Elect will be "prepared to take power and rule on day one!" Got that?? He's prepared to TAKE POWER and RULE. I guess that he didn't get the memo announcing that Americans rejected the concept of monarchy almost 250 years ago.

I've stayed quiet on the election. I'd hoped that maybe Barack Obama would have moved a little more towards the center. I'd hoped that he'd meant what he said in his victory speech about bringing the country together. I guess that's all out the window.

All bow to His Majesty, Barack the Beneficent, King of America!

There's that darned global warming again...

2008-11-07T19:04:00.004-05:00

Just when you thought it was safe to buy an ark, what with the ice caps melting and all, global warming goes on yet another vacation... this time in the Midwest!

That's right... a blizzard has shut down parts of the Midwestern US. But hey... let's all buy a Prius and ban carbon emissions just to be safe.

Vote or keep your mouth shut for the next 4 years...

2008-11-03T12:13:00.002-05:00

With the exception of a couple of friends who are shunning voting this year as a legitimate political statement in and of itself (I disagree with their logic, but I understand where they're coming from), I have zero tolerance or patience for those who don't vote. It takes MAYBE an hour of your time, usually much less. Go do it. It's inconvenient? So what. I'm changing my standing appointment every Tuesday night so that I can go vote. Your voice doesn't matter? Well it matters even less if you don't vote. Your guy can't win, or he has enough votes to win without you? Well, you never know either way, so go vote.

I don't care who you vote for, but stand up and make your voice heard. Exercise your right as an American. There are people in other countries who would give anything to be able to vote in a free election to select their leaders.

So go vote tomorrow. Otherwise, I don't want to hear your complaints when things don't go your way over the next four years.

This is EXACTLY why I'll never be an organ donor...

2008-11-03T08:13:00.005-05:00

As noble as it might be to donate one's organs to science/medicine/transplant recipients, this is exactly why I'll never register as an organ donor. Regardless of who's right and who's wrong in this case, I don't EVER want there to be an incentive for doctors not to do everything in their power to try to save me. And being a registered organ donor potentially puts that shadow of a thought in one's mind... "If this guy dies, I can save 5 others." Thanks, but no thanks. People wake up from comas. They don't wake up from being dead!

That's my baby girl...

2008-10-30T22:07:00.007-04:00

So, I get home late from work tonight and sit down to grab a bite to eat while the kids get baths and get ready for bed. I'm sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of chili and waching the news when my daughter, who'll be seven on Saturday, comes bebopping down the stairs fresh from the tub and looking comfy in her PJs, and skips over and plops down on the couch next to her daddy. So, we're talking about her day at school with the television on in the background when a political ad comes on for John McCain.

Now, bear in mind, my daughter is 7 years old. She stops mid-conversation, and listens to the ad on the television. She then states, matter of factly, "We had to write about Barack Obama in school today." Immediately, every hair on the back of my neck stands straight up, but she continues with "... and John McCain." So, although I'm annoyed that they're discussing politics in 1st grade, I'm relieved that they're at least keeping it balanced (if you can consider a two party system as balanced). So I ask "What did you write about them?" And she replies, "I don't remember. But Miss Smith (not her real name) told us we could keep the papers or throw them away." She then got a grin on her face and said "I kept the John McCain paper and threw out the Barack Obama paper!"

Seven years old, and already she knows how to handle socialism!

True Story!

Guess what's coming next?...

2008-10-30T21:51:00.004-04:00

Australia is implementing mandatory internet censorship. A filter originally designed to block child porn and illegal adult content now has the potential to be set to block sites that discuss topics that the government deems too "controversial" for its citizens... topics such as euthanasia and anorexia.

I'd bet my next paycheck that a certain democrat presidential candidate is watching with fiendish delight and drooling in anticipation of the day he can start censoring the information to which Americans have access. Actually, I think I'll hang onto that next paycheck. It may be one of the last I get to keep before His Majesty, Barack the Beneficent, starts taking my wealth and redistributing it on my behalf. What a swell guy.

Shhh... don't tell her... I hate to ruin her ride...

2008-10-26T12:48:00.008-04:00

Sarah Palin states that if Obama is elected, the Democrats will create a nanny state in this country.

Uh... Sarah, I hate to piss in your Cheerios, but he doesn't have to create a nanny state. We're already there. We live in a country where there are cameras on every corner, where government snoops monitor our calls, emails, and internet browsing history without probable cause and without warrants, and worse, they now record and store everything on massive servers just in case we might happen to commit a crime in the future. We live in a country where individuals are added to watch lists for the most innocuous of reasons. I'm a gun owner who belongs to the NRA and frequents several political blogs. I speak out frequently on Second Amendment rights. How much would you like to bet that I'm on somone's list somewhere? (Careful, it's a sucker's bet!) We live in a country where our police are armed almost as well as our standing army, but with much less regulation. They enforce vague laws and indiscriminantly tase citizens, including minors, for truly terrifying infractions, such as "not following a lawful order." They kick in doors even when they aren't authorized to, and shoot your dogs even if they're running the other way, all because you received a package full of drugs that THEY (the police) placed on your doorstep in the first place.

Now before anyone jumps down my throat, I think that the police have a very difficult job and they should have the tools to do it. I'm not going to get into the debate about whether or not an entity that has no obligation to protect and serve should even exist in the first place. What I will say is this... if we are going to have government funded police, then there needs to be more regulation. If that story that I linked above doesn't scare you, nothing will.

Governor Palin, I like your spunk, and I like your no-nonsense attitude. But your alarm about the whole nanny state thing? Save it. Will it get worse under Barack Obama? To quote you, Governor, "You betcha!" But don't pretend like we're not already living under a nanny state. You want to impress me? Tell me what a McCain/Palin administration is going to do to reverse what's already in place, starting with the Patriot Act!

Good fences make good neighbors...

2008-10-20T22:50:00.005-04:00

An Ohio woman was arrested after keeping a football that landed in her yard.

Now, I'm all for being a good neighbor and tossing the ball back, but it sounds like this had been going on for some time and that the woman had finally had enough. And, frankly, it's her property, so even if she'd kept the ball the very first time it landed in her yard, she would have been well within her rights.

Don't get me wrong... Edna Jester could very well be the prototypical "mean old neighbor." But even if that's the case, isn't that her right as long as she is on her own property? It's not like she went over in the other lawn and "stole" the ball from the kids.

If you don't want your kids to lose their football, teach them to keep it off of other peoples property. Seems to me that this is an excellent opportunity to teach your kids a lesson about life and how infringing on other peoples rights, even if it's an accident, has consequences. And then, instead of calling the cops, go spend $15 on another football, ya cheapskate! I'll bet your kids keep it out of her yard this time.

I am baffled that the police could even cite her for this. I sincerely hope that we hear the outcome of this case.

Democrats uber alles...

2008-10-20T20:48:00.014-04:00

Remember the Fairness Doctrine? Remember when you couldn't talk politics on TV or radio without giving the other side equal airtime? Well guess what the Democrats want to bring back!

Think I'm overreacting? Think this isn't bald faced censorship of the Right? Think again. There's a reason that there aren't many Left Wing talk shows on the radio. It's because NO ONE LISTENS TO THEM! And, so, free market doesn't support them. With no listeners, radio stations can't sell advertising. Without advertising, radio stations don't make profits. Without profits, radio stations go out of business. So to sum up, listeners = revenue = staying in business. By mandating (and that's what the "Fairness Doctrine does, it mandates... kind of ironic, isn't it?) that for every hour of Right Wing programming, a station has to provide an equal hour of Left Wing programming, the Democrats know that they will knock Right Wing programming off the air. Because no one listens to Left-based programming (Do a Google search on "Air America Ratings" and tell me what you find), radio stations can't affort to give the Left equal time because they can't sell advertising for shows with no listeners. So, in a nutshell, this becomes "legal" censorship of the Right.

Know what they'll go after once they take away the First Amendment rights of conservatives to criticize them? They'll go after our constitutional right to stand up to them by going after the Second Amendment! And from there, your rights will fall like dominos. If you don't think so, look no further than Nazi Germany as an example. First they socialized (we're well on the road to that already), then they took away freedom of speech by burning books and locking up anyone who spoke out against the government (the Fairness Doctrine is a solid first step in that direction), and then they bolstered the existing German gun laws to take ALL guns away from the people.

Make no mistake! Barack Obama can flipflop all he wants, but his voting record PROVES that he is 100% anti-gun. If you don't believe me, believe the Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, Richard Pearson, who dealt with Barack Obama directly on gun control issues on numerous occasions. He has written an open letter to the sportsmen of his state outlining exactly where Obama stands on gun control. I sincerely hope you take the time to read it. Barack Obama does not believe that you have the right to own guns, and he does not believe that you have the right to defend yourself. Look at his voting record. It's public record.

Almost all of the pieces are in place for an erosion of rights the likes of which this country has never seen. The final piece is the election of Barack Obama. Once that occurs, the above scenario is not only probable, it's most likely unstoppable.

Wake up, kids. This should terrify ALL Americans, regardless of political affiliation.

**Edited 10/21/08 to add reference to the ISRA letter.**

Our Enemy, The State...

2008-10-16T23:41:00.007-04:00

A friend, Brutus, who is a regular contributor over at Who's Your Nanny, turned me on to a work entitled "Our Enemy, The State" by Albert Nock. I'm ashamed to say that, although it's only 52 pages long, I've yet to get past the 5th page. What can I say, time's been short. I've restarted it three times now. However, in restarting my reading of this piece tonight, I was struck by how appropriate the quotes at the beginning of this work are, given the date they were written and given the current events in our nation. These words were recorded over 80 years ago, and yet, they are as true today as they were then. Truly, these men were visionaries.

"This is the gravest danger that today threatens civilization: State intervention, the absorption of all spontaneous social effort by the State; that is to say, of spontaneous historical action, which in the long-run sustains, nourishes and impels human destinies."

Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1922

And this tidbit...

"It [the State] has taken on a vast mass of new duties and responsibilities; it has spread out its powers until they penetrate to every act of the citizen, however secret; it has begun to throw around its operations the high dignity and impeccability of a State religion; its agents become a separate and superior caste, with authority to bind and loose, and their thumbs in every pot. But it still remains, as it was in the beginning, the common enemy of all well-disposed, industrious and decent men."

Henry L. Mencken, 1926

I can think of a hundred things that come to mind when I read that second quote, but the one that LEAPS to the forefront is the Patriot Act.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

2008-10-16T23:15:00.009-04:00

Wait. You're telling me that a member of the media turned in a fraudulent story? I'm stunned!

The article states that someone at a Sarah Palin rally in Scranton, PA yelled "Kill Him" in reference to Barack Obama. Shocker that the Secret Service couldn't find a single witness to corroborate the reporter's story. When are folks going to wake up and put the liberal media on notice that we're tired of them slanting the news to sway public opinion? The answer? Never. Because we're a bunch of bloated sheep who are too busy being willingly led to slaughter.

Nicely said...

2008-10-15T18:45:00.003-04:00

One of the best takes I've heard yet on the ~~theft of taxpayer dollars,~~ ~~giant step towards socialism~~ , mortgage/banking bailout was the following comment from Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, during a segment on Bill Bennett's Morning in America this morning. I'm paraphrasing, but Norquist basically said "You wouldn't take a bucket of water from a pond, walk around to the other side of that pond, dump the water back in, and actually believe that you had added new water, would you?"

I'd highly recommend going to the website of Americans for Tax Reform and trying out the 401k calculator on the left side of the page. It will show you what wil happen to your 401k based on four different tax plans, including Barack Obama's and John McCain's. Quite a wake up call!

We're from the government and we're here to help, Part II...

2008-10-14T23:31:00.011-04:00

George W. Bush assures us that the government's role in the federal bank bail out will be "limited and temporary". Um... yeah... socialism is neither of those things. Once you go down that road, there's no turning back. We are one small step from fully nationalizing the banks, and that, kids, is full-blown socialism.

For a much better take on this situation, please check out this post from my man, Trevor Bothwell, over at "Who's Your Nanny?". We don't always agree on everything, but we both agree that government ~~tampering,~~ ~~meddling,~~ assistance is the cause of the current banking/mortgage/economic "crisis", and most certainly NOT the cure.

What happened to the Republican party that I grew up with? The party of Reagan, that stood for small federal government and abhorred entitlements and government handouts? I feel like I've stepped into an alternate universe.

Good to the last drop...

2008-10-14T22:50:00.003-04:00

First red wine is good for you, now maybe not so much.

We're from the government and we're here to help...

2008-10-14T22:09:00.009-04:00

A 17 year old girl in the UK called the police after she had been abducted in the hopes that they could trace the call. Instead, because they couldn't hear what was being said, the automated system which is the British equivalent of the US 911 system terminated the call. The girl was subsequently raped and murdered.

This is yet another in the litany of reasons why people cannot expect or rely upon state sponsored protection. To take it a step further, US courts have ruled on numerous occasions that the government, including the police, are under no obligation to protect individual citizens and cannot be sued for failure to do so.

Until all people everywhere are allowed to stand up and defend themselves with all means available (read as: concealed carry), people will continue to be victimized by lowlifes who are armed, knowing that in all probability their victims are not. I'm not saying that everyone will choose to exercise their right to self defense, but we should at least be free to make that choice for ourselves!

Hometown football gets national attention...

2008-10-14T12:43:00.006-04:00

According to The Buffalo News website, the Lancaster/Depew football game is being featured in a national spotlight on sports rivalries. Why do I care? Because I'm a Lancaster alum.

For those who aren't from Western New York, the Lancaster/Depew rivalry goes back 80+ years, and culminates each fall with weeklong festivities including pep rallies, bonfires, and a motorcade/parade. In other words, it's a pretty big deal for these two communities.

High school football is serious business in Western New York. Being a Lancaster alum, I was pretty excited to see that this game was one of only two New York State rivalries to be featured. Unfortunately, I noticed that while the nickname of the Depew team, the Wildcats, was mentioned in the article, Lancaster's was not. Now, I'm going to give the News the benefit of the doubt. I wasn't there when this article was being written, and I don't know what the journalist or the editor(s) were thinking. Perhaps it's completely innocent, but I find it interesting that the name "Wildcats" was mentioned while Lancaster's "non-PC" name... wait for it... "Redskins" was not.

Update: PS - GO 'SKINS!!!

What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?...

2008-10-14T12:32:00.003-04:00

If you're an average schmoe like me who doesn't follow finance other than to see how poorly your retirement fund is doing, you might find this interesting. It's an explanation (thanks to The Buffalo News website) of what the Dow Jones Industrial Average is, what it means, and how it's calculated.

You vill turn down your music, und you vill like it...

2008-10-13T20:31:00.005-04:00

Apparently, Europeans aren't to be trusted to decide how loud their iPods should be, so the EU is deciding for them... 100 dB.

For comparison, cellos, flutes, french horns, oboes, clarinets, and other instruments can all reach levels exceeding 100 db. So, I suppose the EU, whose member nations produced some of the greatest composers in history, will soon be banning orchestras.

Who said capitalism is dead?...

2008-10-13T20:12:00.004-04:00

Did anyone happen to notice that, while the idiots in Washington point fingers and blame each other on who caused the economic "crisis", the market has been doing EXACTLY what it's supposed to do? Market corrections, profit-taking, and bargain hunting are all part of the process. I feel sorry (not really) for those who dumped their stocks after taking a bath. Anyone who follows such things, even casually like myself, knew that the market would turn itself around. And while I'm sure there's more rough road ahead, the long term goal should be to leave the market alone. There's an old saying that water finds its own level. So does the market when there aren't outside forces (read as: government) tampering with things.

To those who had the foresight to hang tight, or even sink some new money into the market late last week, congrats on your profits! God bless good old fashioned capitalism!

Viva la Revolucion!...

2008-10-12T14:12:00.003-04:00

Dyed-in-the-wool marxist Fidel Castro is backing Barack Obama. What more do you need to know?

Who. Gives. A. Shit. ...

2008-10-11T23:38:00.001-04:00

Am I supposed to care that Jose Canseco can't produce his own testosterone? Why the hell is this even a crime?

Somebody call Al Gore...

2008-10-11T23:28:00.001-04:00

Global warming strikes again!

How sad...

2008-10-11T15:30:00.010-04:00

An 8 year old girl was found hanged to death by a belt from her bunk bed. As a human being, I find the death of children especially sad. But as a parent, I'm outraged at the following tidbit...

"Officers checked the girl's computer, cell phone and text messages but didn't find a suicide note or any indication she was considering taking her life."

What, on God's green Earth, is an 8 year old doing with her own computer and cell phone?? We are forcing our kids to grow up way too fast, and then we're surprised when they can't handle the pressure?

Really Jimmy?...

2008-10-11T10:35:00.004-04:00

Seriously? Jimmy Carter is criticising another president's policies?? "Pot, this is kettle calling..."

Sabres win their opener...

2008-10-10T22:30:00.005-04:00

The Buffalo Sabres beat Montreal in a shootout at home to win their season opener. It was nice to see them come out fighting, with hard hits by Daniel Paille and hometown boy Pat Kaleta setting the tone early on. Even Andrew Peters showed signs of life tonight. While the power play looked frighteningly similar to last year's squad, they did show flashes of brilliance at times during the man advantage. Ales Kotalik and Drew Stafford scored to lock up the shootout win, and Ryan Miller played one of the better games I've seen him play.

I'll save the sports writing most nights for the guys who do it better than I do. But I'm in a hockey kind of mood tonight.

So you've decided to blog...

2008-10-10T20:50:00.001-04:00

Alright, I realize that no one cares what I have to say, but I have lots to say anyway, so I've decided to start a blog. Why? Because I like to write. It's therapeutic.

What will I post here, you ask? Anything that strikes me as interesting, annoying, or otherwise blogworthy. You'll see politics, you'll see sports, you'll see general interest items that catch my eye, and I can pretty much guarantee that this blog will not be family friendly, so keep your kids off it.

So, hopefully, I'll get some friends to read this at least. And even if I don't, who give's a rat's ass? So off we go....