Bush Booed, Crowd Subdued

The wife and I had a great time celebrating the first-ever regular season game in the new Washington Nationals Stadium last night. Though we tried to beat the crowds leaving on the Metro, and therefore missed third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's game-winning walk off home run (pictured), we still very much enjoyed the experience.

Chimpy was unfortunately on hand to uphold the inane tradition of prez-nits throwing out the first pitch. For that he was loudly booed (yes, I helped with that), though not nearly as lustily as he deserved to be.

In fact, the crowd overall seemed quite subdued given what should have been a grand celebration. The Nats jumped to an early lead, but for most of the game it seemed like the stadium was only about a quarter full. This was quite a contrast to the first Nats game in RFK back in 2005, when spontaneous cheers erupted the whole night and even got the upper deck physically rocking a few times.

I couldn't help but wonder if the economy wasn't a factor affecting the mood. Yes, most of the people who could afford to attend the game are likely to still be doing well financially, but as that faint whisper in the ear that "all is not well" grows louder, perhaps even those who have remained largely oblivious thus far are finding more difficult to celebrate with unbounded enthusiasm.

Bear Stearns Sues Former Employees to Protect its Client List - WTF?

http://dealbreaker.com/2008/03/bear_stearns_sues_former_broke.php

Believe it or not, the bankrupt bank still has enough cash on hand to pay a team of overpriced ambulance chasers to press a lawsuit against its former employees who are using the firm's client lists.

Two questions immediately come to mind here:

1). What other banks were STUPID enough to hire these failed losers?

2). What clients are STUPID enough to invest their money with the same clowns who lost it with Bear Stearns.

Is ANYBODY on Wall Street fucking AWAKE?

"Something Left to Save" by the Hangdogs

The streetcar preacher says, "just have faith,"

He says, "Jesus comin' back to take us home someday."

But He's runnin' short on time.

And something left to save.

Prince William County Supervisors Vote to INCREASE the Foreclosure Rate

Prince William County, Virginia, is the epicenter of the Washington, D.C. area's housing bubble crisis, with some foreclosed properties currently listed at more than 60% below what they sold for just a couple of years ago. According to the Washington Post, the default rate for mortgages in the county in February was a staggering 5.5% of all homes.

And yet, in an astonishing act of cluelessness the Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted this week to INCREASE the county's property tax rate by 27%. So, if your house is assessed at $250,000, you'll pay an additional $675 a year in taxes.

No one is disputing that the county is in deep financial trouble, but how can the supervisors possibly believe that pushing even more struggling homeowners into foreclosure is going to help? There is only one solution for the county, cut services. Your constituents are clearly maxed out, and if enough of them end up defaulting because of this additional monetary burden, the result could be even LESS tax revenue.

Cocaine Smuggler Hobnobs With Hillary

As long as Hillary is going to play the guilt by association card against Obama, here is a picture of her all smiles with cocaine smuggler Jorge Cabrera. Here is a blurb from a New York Times article in 1997:

"Cabrera attended a Christmas reception at the White House hosted by Hillary Rodham Clinton. At the events, Gore and Mrs. Clinton posed for photographs with Cabrera, who has two felony convictions dating from the 1980s and is now in a prison here on a drug-smuggling conviction."

I'm beginning to think that the toxic shrew from Illinois/Arkansas/New York would accept contributions from Osama Bin Laden if she thought it would get her elected.

More Criminals Hobnobing With Billary

More criminal scum who have supported the Clintons. Here's the story:

"Here we have a photo taken at an official DNC fundraiser with Bill and Hillary posed with Ng Lap Seng, Macau Crime Lord who controls Prostitution in that region. His Fortuna Hotel is actually a high class bordello where young girls (often underage) are available for a price. Ng, through his American contact Charlie Trie, donated close to a million dollars to the Democrats."

Yes, working class America, she empathizes with people like you.

Chimpy Set to Throw Out the First Pitch at the Nationals Home Opener

Yes, it is unfortunately true, Little King Dipshit is taking time out from his "busy" schedule to befoul the Washington Nationals new stadium by making a soft toss off the mound before the National Anthem on Sunday Night. The White House has said that he will be there unless there is a "national emergency." Well, pardon me, but I think what is happening with the economy, not to mention the recent increase in violence in Iraq, pretty well qualifies as a fucking national emergency.

Chimpy, I know that having the prez-net throw out the first pitch on opening day is a silly Washington tradition and all, but do us a favor and stay the fuck home. As a season ticket holder, I know I'll be one of the ones booing myself hoarse.

Larry "Wide Stance" Craig to Officially Retire

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/24/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3962749.shtml

The notorious homophobic hypocrite and cruiser of mens rooms for anonymous sex is taking his wide stance, and presumably wide rectum, back to Idaho with his...uh, tail between his legs.

And another of Chimpy's conservative Republican enablers has officially bitten the dust.

Lewis Black on How to Implement Corporate Reform

"If you have a company...and it can't explain...in ONE sentence...what it does...it's illegal."

Bringing Up Baby Will Cost You a Cool $200 Grand

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080324/lf_nm_life/usa_children_dc;_ylt=AiJNcLyh2nx.XhZEcE3.MusDW7oF

And, according to this article, that is BEFORE college expenses. Now, I readily acknowledge being a DINK, but I didn't post this story to gloat. Rather, it is to point out a likely reason why so many middle class families were living at the edge of their financial means through no fault of their own even before the recent run up of food and energy costs.

Despite this obvious reality, as recently as last October so-called "financial analysts" were saying that rising gas prices weren't a big concern for the average consumer and therefore wouldn't affect the overall economy.

How can I get a job where I can be so blatantly, stupidly wrong and still be employed?

Grandpa Fred Goes Back to Acting

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080324/ap_en_tv/fred_thompson

Yes, a mere weeks after ending one of the lamest Presidential campaigns in American History, the man Richard Nixon referred to as one of the dumbest bastards he had ever met has gone slinking back to Hollywood in search of more lame acting gigs.

Poor Fred, Reagan made it seem so easy for a washed-up, has-been actor fond of his afternoon naps to be entrusted to the world's most powerful office.

Number of Food Stamp Recipients in Ohio Has Doubled Since 2001

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Food_stamp_use_hits_alltime_high_0324.html

That's right, nearly one in ten Ohioans are now receiving food stamps, twice the number from the year Chimpy took office. And yet the state gave its electoral votes to him...twice.

The mind boggles.

4000

The question is not, as John Kerry asked about Vietnam, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

The question is instead, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for one asshole's ego?"

Exxon: No Increase in Oil Production Thorugh 2012

http://www.businessweek.com/print/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db20080319_269345.htm

More evidence that those who are raising the alarm about Peak Oil might just be on to something. Exxon, world's largest publicly traded company and bane to environmentalists, global warming activists and hippies everywhere, announced that it will not be see any increase in oil production over the next five years, despite record profits from oil shooting over $100 a barrel.

Does this make any fucking economic sense? Only if you draw the obvious conclusion: they won't increase production because they've reached their absolute production limit.

Be afraid, be VERY afraid.

Sweet Sounds: "Color Them Blue" by Half Knots

Here's a band that doesn't get nearly the acclaim they deserve. The Half Knots produce sublime jangly guitar pop with just a hint of melancholy. Color Them Blue is the band's sophomore effort after their outstanding self-titled 2005 debut album.

Should you decide to try an itunes sample, highlight tracks include: "Footsteps," "Balance" and "When Are You Going Home." In truth, however, this album is a rarity these days in being strong all the way through. It creates a mood from the opening notes that never lets up.

Cost to Fix Nation's Highway Bridges: $188 Billion

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080323_The_extreme_cost_of_fixing_bridges_and_highways.html

An interesting article regarding the cost to fix the nation's crumbling Interstate Highway system, highlighted by the recent closure of I-95 in Philadelphia (pictured). States desperately need fixes, but are reluctant to raise taxes as the economy slows down.

This is yet another domestic need going sorely unmet because of the budget drain of Chimpy's War.

rubenation's Top 3 "Scumbags of the Week."

Welcome to the second installment of rubenation's "Scumbags of the Week," my weekly choices of the individuals who did the most during the previous seven days to accelerate the ongoing demise of America. A non-partisan rant, this week features two Republicans and one Democrat. Enjoy and get angry.

1). John "Hundred Year War" McCain (Presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee and Assisted Living Candidate). Okay, it was one thing five years ago for Chimpy to not to understand the difference between Sunnis and Shias before ordering the invasion of Iraq (though that was bad enough). But five years later for doddering old fool McCain to STILL not understand the difference (or the difference between Persians and Arabs, for that matter), is truly mind boggling. My vision for 2009: a disoriented McCain wakes up in the middle of the night and, thinking he's calling for his nurse, a pushes THE BUTTON.

2). John "Never Saw a Defense Contractor I Wouldn't Accept a Campaign Donation From" Murtha. (Congresscritter, D-PA). Somehow, this corrupt lifetime politician managed to convince people he had principles by speaking out against the Iraq War that he voted for. Well, he managed to reaffirm just how full of shit he is by endorsing for President another politician who voted vote the Iraq War, lending his antiwar "credibility" to Hillary's hideous campaign.

3). Richard P. "Go Fuck Yourself" Cheney (Vice President, Evil Overlord). When asked whether he was concerned that two-thirds of the U.S. population is now against the Iraq war, he essentially gave his standard reply, "tell them to go fuck themselves." And yet there are still idiots out there who think this war was all about promoting "Democracy."

Until next week, peace out.

One House in Virginia Drops 63% in Value While on the Market

Check out this lovely abode located in Rappahannock County, Virginia, which sits on a gorgeous 51 acre lot with a pond. It went on the market on May 4, 2006, and was listed at $2,275,000. It sold on December 27, 2007, for $850,000, after 574 days on the market and a whopping $1.425 million price drop.

That's gotta hurt.

Cost of Producing a Barrel of Oil Has Tripled Since 2003

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080320.IBEUROPE20/TPStory/Business

One aspect of the recent rise in oil prices that has been relatively overlooked is the skyrocketing cost of pumping oil out of the ground. According to this story, the price of producing a barrel of oil began rising in 2003 after being static for many years and is now three times higher.

Though the overall cost of production is still quite low (around $15), the 300% increase in just five years has grave implications carried forward. At this rate of increase, the cost of producing a barrel of oil will reach $130 in just ten years and that is BEFORE refining and shipping.

That is what Peak Oil is all about. It is not that we are (yet) running out of oil, it's that we are running out of CHEAP oil. And that is a very grave threat to our way of life.

Poll: 71 Percent Think Iraq Spending Hurts Economy

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/18/poll.iraq.economy/index.html

When asked for comment Dick Cheney replied, "tell them to go fuck themselves."

Bill Maher on Abu Ghraib

"Abu Grab-Ass Prison was the Muslims' worst nightmare--that we would invade an Arab country and there would be pictures of our hillbilly women pointing at their wieners."

Lynndie England: "It was the Media's Fault"

http://agonist.org/20080318/she_is_one_sick_peep

Is there ANYBODY in America willing to take responsibility for their own actions anymore? I was as sympathetic as anyone to the notion that the soldiers caught up in the Abu Ghraib scandal were not nearly as culpable for their actions as the brass who put them there and got off scott free.

Then I see this, and I just shake my head. Here is a direct quote from England:

"I felt pissed off. If the media hadn't exposed the pictures to that extent, then thousands of lives would have been saved."

Also note that this story was published in a German news magazine. I guess if you're a young American woman, our corproate media doesn't care what you have to say unless your name is Brittney Spears, Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan

Where We Are Now in Iraq

Contrary to the corporate media spin that the "surge" is working, here are two articles on just how bad things are, for the Iraqis and America:

http://www.counterpunch.org/patrick03192008.html

The Terrible Reality of Iraq - Patrick Cockburn

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts03182008.html

The Collapse of American Power - Paul Craig Roberts

You Can Buy Anything on Ebay

Happy 5th Birthday, Iraq War

So, Chimpy's War enters its sixth year with no end in sight. 4000 American soldiers dead. 30,000 American soldiers wounded. Hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians. Two trillion dollars down the drain.

And for what?

Deer Hunting With Jesus

This is another vital read for those who want to know what is REALLY going on in America these days beyond the corporate media spin. Joe Bageant writes eloquently about the plight of working class people in Winchester,VA. This book's implications were stark even before the beginning of the recession. Here is my Amazon.com review:


As a progressive who grew up in exactly the kind of town the author describes, I found "Deer Hunting With Jesus" to be a chilling and dead on accurate account of modern day America. Unless you've had the experience of seeing the house you grew up in only 20 years ago boarded up and sold at a HUD auction, or turned into a crack house as my best friend from high school's house recently was (we were solidly middle class by small town standards), you really can't appreciate what the author is trying to describe.

That said, this is no biased political rant, as the author's staunch defense of gun ownership demonstrates. It is instead a desperate warning to all Americans just how perilously close we are to seeing our way of life destroyed by our own misguided collective actions. The author believes that progressives and the white working class (rednecks as he calls them) ought to be able to find political common ground based upon economic interest. He's also realistic enough to realize that it is unlikely to happen in time to rescue America from the precipice we seemed so determined to fling ourselves over.

Be forewarned, it is depressing as hell and in no way conforms to the Republican OR Democratic narratives of what America needs to do to preserve our way of life. It is the kind of truth-telling book that could only be written by someone who has seen enough of living on both sides of the red-blue divide to truly understand what ails this country.

In all, a perfect antidote to what the author calls the "American Hologram" of our mass media culture.

US Legal System 'Worse than Russia'

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article3570695.ece

Now THIS story ought to scare the hell out of every right thinking American. A survey of European litigators found that many would prefer to try a case in Russia or China (where, I might add for the uninformed, democracy is nominal or non-existent) than in the United States.

According to the article, the U.S. legal system is "filled with traps in which the inexperienced or uninformed may easily become caught."

We're Number 2!

Some who don't ever plan to travel outside the U.S., and haven't yet noticed inflation because they do all of their shopping at Wal-Mart (which buys most of its crappy merchandise from China, a country that keeps the price of its export goods artificially low by pegging its currency to the dollar) might say, "so what if the dollar keeps dropping?"

Well, allow me to retort. In addition to contributing to higher oil prices there's this little nugget, courtesy of World Net Daily:


European Union now has world's biggest economy.

The European Union has overtaken the U.S. as the world's No. 1 economy due to the continued dramatic fall of the dollar, according to a Reuters report.

The U.S. Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, for 2007 is officially estimated at $13,843,800 billion. The 2007 GDP for the 15 EU countries is estimated at 8,847,889 billion euros, the report said.

That means when the euro yesterday topped $1.56, the EU officially became the largest economy in the world.


So, Wal-Mart shoppers, how does it feel to be the citizens of a second-rate country?

Top 10 Hits for the Recession

I don't care what Chimpy says, as far as I'm concerned the recession has already started. So sell your remaining stake in Bear Stearns and (provided you had at least five shares) download from itunes ten of the finest rock songs about being down and out ever recorded:

1). "30 Year Low" - The Mendoza Line. Just released in 2007, this song's seamless lyrics sound like they were ripped right from the pages of the Wall Street Journal.

2). "Can't Make it Here" - James McMurtry. Angry Texas songwriter McMurtry (son of Lonesome Dove author Larry McMurtry) evokes images of a ruined economy and the Iraq War in this epic number.

3). "Allentown" - Billy Joel. Sure, Joel's a cheeseball, but this tale of rust belt America from the Reagan years seemed genuinely heartfelt.

4). "Rain on the Scarecrow" - John Mellencamp. Describes the other people who got screwed under Reagan...the farmers.

5). "Down Here (With the Rest of Us)" - Social Distortion. LA punk rockers serve up a vision of where the Bear Stearns traders will be tomorrow.

6). "Low Budget" - The Kinks. Who would have thought you could find humor in being poor?

7). "Broke" - Todd Snider. Another humorous ditty, this one about an unrepentant armed robber.

8). "If I Were You" - Chris Knight. Chilling first person account of a mugging from the mugger's perspective.

9). "Too Much Time on My Hands" - Styx. The champions of overwrought bombast reign in their excesses and show an actual spark of passion on this unemployment anthem.

10). "No Depression" - Uncle Tupleo. Cover of a Carter Family song from which both UT's debut album and No Depression magazine took their names.

Happiness is a Warm Gun

http://www.wakeupfromyourslumber.com/node/6078

This isn't good. People are stockpiling arms. Here is the money shot:

"My wife and I visited our local Gun shop over the weekend to purchase a hand gun for her. You couldn't believe how many people were in this store buying fireamrs! I shop regularly at this store for cheap ammunition to shoot at the range, so I am familiar with the traffic. This place was jammed. You could hardly get around each other at the counters and down the aisles. The tension was thick. People seemed tense. I was hyped up on coffee and feeling honery so I loudly proclaimed, "Everyone here must be worried about the Economy and riots in the streets!" I thought I was going to get kicked out. But everyone sighed in agreement; some even clapping their hands. I believe people are finally getting worried."

"No Depression" Magazine Folds

The publishers of No Depression magazine, the only music rag to which I currently subscribe, announced that they are packing it in after the next issue in May. ND focused on so-called "alternative country" music, which covered everything from bluegrass to blues to mainstream rock. Not only was it a great source of information about new artists/music, the writing was always superior.

The publisher stated in an editorial that even though subscribership had remained steady, increased production and mailing costs combined with decreased advertising revenue were the reasons for the fold. For those interested in what it was all about, I've added a link to the ND website (free music downloads!) in the margin of this blog.

So long ND. You will be sorely missed.

Want to Learn About Peak Oil? Read This

Of all of the impending catastrophes facing us today, Peak Oil is the most immediate and most potentially destructive. James Howard Kuntzler's "The Long Emergency" opened my eyes to just how serious this issue is. Kuntzler's blog "Clusterfuck Nation" is one I've linked to from this site and contains weekly updates on the themes he outlines in the book.

I've included my Amazon.com review of the book below:

Before reading "The Long Emergency," I had only a vague notion of the implications of Peak Oil. Thanks to Mr. Kuntzler, I now realize exactly how dangerous the situation is. Do I necessarily believe that things are going to play out exactly as he describes? Of course not. Speculative writing is always just that, an educated guess. What I am certain of as a result of reading this book is that some variation of the future it outlines is going to play out.

What was most eye-opening was the discussion of so-called alternative fuels. Most people seem to believe that the free market will take care of itself by developing replacements for oil, coal and natural gas with little disruption to our way of life. Kuntzler painstakingly demonstrates why this is a dangerous fantasy. For that alone, the book is worth reading.

One word for those who say Kuntzler is too much of a pessimist. His vision of the future is actually more positive than that of some Peak Oil theorists who believe that it will be a (human) extinction event. Kuntzler believes the world's population will merely return to pre-industrial levels (about one billion), and that this will eventually mean a return to locally based economies. Admittedly this shows a bit of a hippie mentality on his part, but it in no way detracts from his overall message.

"No Lasagna for You" - Personal Observations of the Recession, Part 1

This past week I unfortunately had three experiences that, while each was of seemingly minor significance, were probably my first direct encounters with the recession of 2008. Don't get me wrong, my wife and I both have secure employment and a high combined salary. We're not anticipating personal financial hardship any time soon. But since I am conviced that the recession of 2008 is going to turn into the depression of 2009, I thought I should begin catagorizing my experiences as things worsen.

As I've stated, I live in Fairfax County, Virginia, which according to the Census Bureau is currently the wealthiest in the country (as measured by Median Income). If it gets bad here, you can bet it is even worse elsewhere. At any rate, here are the first of my personal observations of the recession:

1). "No lasagna for you" - a group of coworkers and I stopped for lunch in a locally owned dive restaurant in Prince George's County, MD. One of our number ordered the lasagna, only to be told that they were out. He grumbled that he had been a patron of the place for nearly 20 years, that he always ordered the lasagna, and that they had never been out before. The rest of us laughed and told him to order the pizza instead, which he did. But I couldn't help but wonder if the recent dramatic increase in the price of pasta wasn't the reason this little greasy spoon was out of lasagna.

2). Shuttle service cutback - the organization I work for is spread out over multiple locations in D.C. and Arlington, VA. To enable employees to easily move around between offices, there has always been (in the 16 years I've been employed there) reliable shuttle service between offices every 15 minutes. On Friday, a cutback in service to approximately every 20 minutes was announced. This despite the fact that there has been no decrease in employment in my organization. No doubt spirialing gas prices were a factor.

3). Just today, I was picking up a suit I purchased a few weeks ago from a national retail outlet for my niece's upcoming bah mitzvah. The salesman who sold me the suit saw me and came up to shake my hand. Making polite conversation, I commented that at least the sunny Spring-like day outside must be good for business. He frowned and replied that no, in fact business has been very bad.

Like I said, individually these stories don't seem like much. But I'm certain that I'll be experiencing more like them and worse going forward.

rubenation's Top 3 "Scumbags of the Week"

Paying homage to Keith Olbermann's "Worst Persons in the World," this will be a weekly feature calling out those individuals who in my judgement caused the most damage to the republic during the past seven days. Admittedly, Chimpy could be on this list EVERY week, but unless he does something beyond the pale (for him) destructive, I will instead focus on his most capable enablers.

Once again, this is not a partisan rant, in fact two of my three nominees this week are Democrats. So here they are, the "Scumbags of the Week":

1). Ben Bernanke (Federal Reserve Chairman): for continuing his ongoing attempt to save the asses of greedy Wall Street speculators by turning on the printing presses and tanking the dollar, thereby driving the price of oil and other commodities even further into the stratosphere and destroying the meager savings of the average American. Can you say, "Weimar America?"

2). Geraldine Ferraro (racist Hillary supporter): for injecting even more racial vitriol into a rapidly deteriorating Democratic primary campaign at a time when the nation desperately needs to move past such garbage and get serious about trying to find a way out of the ever worsening mess we are in. More proof that Hillary and her supporters care more about winning than what is good for either America OR the Democratic Party.

3). Eliot Spitzer (about to be former NY governor and now world famous john): Quite a week when this hypocritical asshole only ends up third on the list. Some progressives are whining that he was set up. Repeat after me: they can't set you up if you don't do the crime.

Until next week, peace out!

What the Dollar is Worth

This week, the dollar dipped below 100 Yen and sank to new depths against the Euro and virtually every other currency. And if you think that's bad, wait until the effects of the next interest rate cut, the bogus stimulus package and the exploding federal deficit start to kick in.

At this point we'd all probably be better off getting paid in Pesos.

The Late, Great Bill Hicks on Democracy

"Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control."

What an Average American Family Eats in Just One Week

I'm not posting this photo to criticize this family for all the junk food they obviously enjoy (heck, I'll be the first to tear into a box of Oreos, if you've got some).

But just ponder for a minute how much oil was burned getting all of these individual foodstuffs to these folks. Throw in the oil used to manufacture the plastic containers and used to make the fertilizer to grow the fruits, vegetables and grains, and you get a little understanding of why food prices have also been exploding lately.

Chilean Strippers Offer Reduced Rates to American Patrons

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aSKU9QT1i3mA&refer=home

Actual quote from this story: "Pole Dancers in Santiago Lure Clients With 2004 Dollar Rate."

If you've read my other posts, you know that I'm pissed off about the collapsing dollar. But THIS is freaking pathetic. I've always thought that one of the current administration's aims was to turn America into a banana republic. But now, citizens of a banana republic are taking PITY on us.

And would you ever have thought you'd see a story like this in a respectable business publication like Bloomberg?

Doug Stanhope on Returning to Normal After 9/11

"Right after 9/11, the government said we should all go back to doing what we were doing before.

"So, I've gone back to thinking that George Bush is a soft-headed tit who is a danger to us all."

Now We Know Who is to Blame for the Housing Bubble: The Media

http://piggington.com/fantasy_in_the_real_estate_business

Check out this quote:


The last portion of the conference, a question-and-answer session, admonished the media for depressing consumer confidence by focusing on only the negative aspects of housing data...

George Chamberlin, a panelist at the event and columnist for the North County Times, said that some news reporters biased their reports because they are jealous of homeowners.

Most real estate agents who spoke at the conference seemed to agree, with one agent suggesting that agents and builders pull all advertising from newspapers until positive articles are printed.


Is there ANY profession in America more discredited than real estate agents? Everybody repeat after me, the housing bubble was caused by 1). greedy relators, 2). greedy mortgage companies, 3). greedy buyers, 4). Alan Greenspan.

Christ!

West Virginia Condo Complex

Sorry, cheap shot!

What to Do With Your...uh, Stimulus Package

So this is the gal Mr. Spitzer paid $5500 an hour to be his "companion."

Let's put this in perspective. A family of four is due to receive $1800 in May from Uncle Sucker as part of the bogus stimulus package. So if dad decided to blow the whole wad being Eliot's companion's companion, he could afford to see her for exactly 19 minutes.

That doesn't leave a whole lot of time for foreplay.

Bushfellas!

I haven't read this book, but I think I need to add it to my reading list seeing as how it pays homage to my all time favorite movie.

"How the fuck I am I funny? Tell me! What the fuck is so funny about me?"

Foreclosures in Fairfax up Nearly 2000% (YOY)

Eek!

Foreclosures in Fairfax County

2005: 198
2006: 593
2007: 4,527
-----------------------
January 2007: 74
January 2008: 1,330

Tanking Economy Hurts Sales of Girl Scout Cookies

http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=DD42F050826E714E8C82CB128546DD07?contentId=6019025&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

When I read this I had planned to go on another rant about Chimpy's economy. Then I thought, with the obesity epidemic in America why the heck are the girl scouts still selling COOKIES?

Federal budget deficit swells to $263.3B

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080312/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/federal_budget;_ylt=Ap0WkwaeY_GnPQPXzRjRxZZu24cA

Living in the D.C. area, I take such stories rather personally. The deficit figure is based upon the first five months of this year--before the weak ass "stimulus" package checks get mailed out and tax revenues begin plummeting because of the ever worsening recession.

If the economy get bad enough, the fed could turn in its first trillion-dollar deficit this year.

Heck of a job, Bushie.

Cost of Happy Meal in London: $14

The wife and I had considered a European cruise this year, but with the dollar having fallen to $1.55 against the Euro today, I think we'll put that one on hold.

The title of this post is an actual anecdote from a co-worker of a friend who recently returned from Great Britain.

You deserve a break today, indeed.

Richard Nixon on Barbara Bush

The 37th President, when asked to assess Daddy Bush:

"Oh, he's okay, he can do his job. He's just not very interesting. Now Barbara Bush, she interesting. She knows how to hate."

And if ANYONE was an expert on knowing how to hate, it was Richard Milhous Nixon.

Hillary Loses Spitzer's Superdelegate Vote

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/03/11/spitzer-spoils-clintons-delegate-count/?mod=googlenews_wsj

Well, at least ONE good thing came out of this whole mess.

On the plus side, Hillary is down one big supporter. On the negative side, the Republican President of the N.Y. State Senate becomes Lieutenant Governor.

Now, I'm not really a partisan but I think many people will agree that 1). 20 years of a Bush or Clinton in the White House is more than enough, thank you, and 2). The Republican Party deserves to go the way of the Whig Party for foisting Chimpy upon the nation...twice.

Blood for Oil

Boy, things must be getting tough in college these days!

Housing Prices Take a Dive in Fairfax County, VA

According to the Census Bureau, Fairfax County, VA (the location of my own humble abode), is the wealthiest county in the U.S. (by median household income). But despite our healthy bank account balances, Fairfax County has hardly been immune to the housing slump, with median prices dipping more than 10% since 2006. Check out these figures:

Median Sold Price (2/06): $469,900
Median Sold Price (2/08): $405,000

The number of houses sold also plummeted by more than 30%, from 1009 to 704. 7,491 homes are actively listed right now, giving Fairfax an unsold inventory of more than ten months at the 2/08 sales pace.

And remember, these alarming figures are for the wealthiest locale in the country. I can't imagine what is happening in California and Florida.

Lewis Black on the Run Up to Chimpy's War

"I knew Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction and I was just sitting at home on my fucking couch!"

"No Country for Old Men" Released on DVD Today

Best Picture? You betcha. An absolute tour-de-force by the Cohen brothers.

And the movie's tagline, "You Can't Stop What's Coming," is the perfect metaphor for where we are today in America.

U.S. Cedes the Space Race to...Russia?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030604070.html

Because the space shuttles have almost passed their useful lives, the U.S. is about to have no ability to send astronauts to the international space station and will have to rely on Russia for space transport.

Folks, this is what Chimpy and his conservative Republican minions have brought us down to: a second rate nation (at best).

D.C. Eatery Latest American Establishment to Accept Euros

http://dcist.com/2008/03/10/were_turning_eu.php

Check it out, the Euro craze has officially spread from New York to the nation's capital and will soon be coming to your town.

No truth to the rumor that Chimpy dropped by today on his lunch break to celebrate a job well done.

"Cheney's Boy" - by James McMurtry

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=19272627

If you haven't heard the new Bush bashing single from angry Texas songwriter James McMurtry, you can hear it and download it for free at the link above.

The lyrics really hit Chimpy where he lives: right in his silver-spoon, insecure, cowardly guts.

Bill Maher on Chimpy's War

"Only George Bush could launch a war for oil and not get any."

What if the MSM simply can't cover humanity's self-destruction?

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/3/6/0372/45509

This story is about Global Warming, but it could apply to peak oil as well. Either way, it has the scariest climate change scenario I've seen yet. Here is the money shot:

We are talking average global temperatures some 10° to 14° C higher -- yes 18° to 25° F higher (and perhaps 50% higher than that on northern land masses like the continental U.S.) -- in any case, far higher than the last time the planet had no ice whatsoever and sea levels were more than 250 feet higher. The ocean would be rendered virtually lifeless. Deserts would engulf vast tracts of the planet. This is not "global warming" or "climate change," it is Hell and High Water.

End of the World Novels: A Top 10

This is a post I first placed on the Life After the Oil Crash website. As I said then, I loves me some end of the world fiction. This list is a personal Top 10 of the best EOTW novels I've run across (with two sentence reviews!). Some are new, some are classics. All are awesome.

1). The Stand - Stephen King (1978, 1990). Superflu decimates America and sets off a classic good vs. evil battle. The 1990 version added more than 500 previously deleted pages to this epic and is worth every word.

2). On the Beach - Nevil Shute (1957). Survivors of World War III await certain death Down Under. The best of the classic nuclear war aftermath novels.

3). The Road - Cormac McCarthy (2006). A man and his son struggle to survive while wandering through an utterly depleted landscape. An EOTW novel even Oprah can love!

4). World War Z - Max Brooks (2006). Zombies fucking rule in Brooks's faux oral history. This one manages the rare feat of being truly funny and truly scary while also including a little social commentary.

5). I Am Legend - Richard Matheson (1954). The original Last Man on Earth battles vampires while holed up in his barricaded home. I damn Will Smith to hell for cinematically trashing this visionary novel.

6). The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham (1951). Killer plants may not seem so scary, but YOU try battling them after everyone you know has been blinded by a mysterious comet. The opening sequence of this sci-fi classic was chillingly reproduced at the beginning of the movie 28 Days Later.

7). Summer of the Apocalypse - James Van Pelt (2006). '06 was a great year for ETOW fiction as this is the third on the list. As I mentioned in my review, this story of the aftermath of a supervirus might be the most moving such story ever told.

8). Earth Abides - George R. Stewart (1949). Starts out as a Last Man Alive story before turning more philosophical and ruminating on the nature of future generations of survivors. Holds up very well even after 60 years.

9). Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (1977). Just your standard comet-hits-earth-and-survivors-battle-it-out action novel, but very well written. My favorite moment is when the surfer dude catches a ride on the tsunami only to get swatted by a skyscraper.

10). The Last Ship - William Brinkley (1988). A nuclear destroyer hunts for a safe harbor in a radioactive world after launching its missiles. This might perhaps be the most realistic story of the lot.

If anyone else has recommendations or thoughts on the books above, I'd love to hear them. Happy reading!

The Late, Great Bill Hicks on Evolution

"Have you ever noticed that those people who believe in creationism look REALLY unevolved?"