Very Economical
Permalink | October 10, 2008 by John in Current Affairs, Politics
There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.
Richard Feynman
US educator & physicist (1918 - 1988)
BURN BABY BURN
Permalink | September 29, 2008 by John in Armageddon, Current Affairs, Money, Politics
Dow ends with largest point drop ever (emphasis mine):
NEW YORK — Wall Street’s worst fears came to pass Monday, when the government’s financial bailout plan failed in Congress and stocks plunged precipitously — hurtling the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 780 points in their largest one-day point drop ever. Credit markets, whose turmoil helped feed the stock market’s angst, froze up further amid the growing belief that the country is headed into a spreading credit and economic crisis.
Stunned traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, their faces tense and mouths agape, watched on TV screens as the House voted down the plan in mid-afternoon, and as they saw stock prices tumbling on their monitors. Activity on the floor became frenetic as the ‘‘sell’’ orders blew in.
Not the Time for Greed and Entitlement
Permalink | September 26, 2008 by John in Current Affairs, Family, Money, Politics
My dad sent me the latest e-mail form letter circulating the net calling for the $85 Billion AIG bailout (now $700B) to instead be given to the American citizens. It calls this the “‘We Deserve It’ Dividend.” I call bullshit on that. I get a lot of e-mails like this from my family (don’t even get me started on the religious ones) and I don’t generally reply. Now I know he didn’t write it but it irks me that he (Update: he doesn’t) and probably most other Americans think this is a good idea. So I had to reply this time. I’m sure my reply will be written off as just another of John’s rants…
Whoever wrote this is retarded. It’s just more greed and entitlement. Nobody “deserves” anything.
How about they don’t spend the money at all, money we don’t have because of the war and because the republicans have been spending like drunken sailors (no better or worse than if the democrats by the way) and STOP FINDING WAYS TO DEVALUE THE DOLLAR FURTHER! Devaluing the dollar is essentially a hidden tax. We all pay for it and don’t even realize it.
These companies should be allowed to die for their poor business practices.
Unfortunately the bailout will go ahead, further damaging our country and our currency value in the world. We need to avoid printing more money. This is not the time for greed and entitlement. It’s time for us to tighten our belts and clean up this mess.
Here is the original message (YES, the math is incorrect, but I’m trying to make a larger point):
(more…)
Madness
Permalink | September 24, 2008 by John in Current Affairs, Food, Politics
In one of the Babylon 5 prequel TV movies the Minbari character Delenn has a line that stayed with me, “We are a world gone mad.”
I don’t know why I go to The Drudge Report, but scanning the news stories therein I am often reminded of that quote. Case in point: PETA Urges Ben & Jerry’s To Use Human Milk.
My Flatulence is Attempted Murder
Permalink | by John in Current Affairs, Humor
Man Passes Gas, Charged with Battery on Officer
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) — As if getting a DUI wasn’t enough, a man arrested for driving under the influence got in a lot more trouble at the police station.
Police stopped Jose Cruz on Route 60 in South Charleston Monday night for driving with his headlights off.
Then, he failed sobriety tests and was arrested.
When police were trying to get fingerprints, police say Cruz moved closer to the officer and passed gas on him. The investigating officer remarked in the criminal complaint that the odor was very strong.
Cruz is now charged with battery on a police officer, as well as DUI and obstruction.
Assault with a deadly fart…