Monkeyfister

It's a DAMNED good thing that Global Warming is just a fucking Librul myth.

via Reuters

HOBART (Reuters) - Rising sea levels and melting polar ice-sheets are at upper limits of projections, leaving some human population centers already unable to cope, top world scientists say as they analyze latest satellite data.

A United Nations report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in February projected sea level gains of 18-59 centimeters (7-23 inches) this century from temperature rises of 1.8-4.0 Celsius (3.2-7.8 Fahrenheit).

"Observations are in the very upper edge of the projections," leading Australian marine scientist John Church told Reuters.

"I feel that we're getting uncomfortably close to threshold," said Church, of Australia's CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research said.

Past this level, parts of the Antarctic and Greenland would approach a virtually irreversible melting that would produce sea level rises of meters, he said.

Yeah.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Global Warming

I'll get my house and land for a song one day... But, I feel SO SORRY for those who are losing theirs.

via The NY Times

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — In a sign of the spreading economic fallout of mortgage foreclosures, several suburbs of Cleveland, one of the nation’s hardest-hit cities, are spending millions of dollars to maintain vacant houses as they try to contain blight and real-estate panic.

In suburbs like this one, officials are installing alarms, fixing broken windows and mowing lawns at the vacant houses in hopes of preventing a snowball effect, in which surrounding property values suffer and worried neighbors move away. The officials are also working with financially troubled homeowners to renegotiate debts or, when eviction is unavoidable, to find apartments.

“It’s a tragedy and it’s just beginning,” Mayor Judith H. Rawson of Shaker Heights, a mostly affluent suburb, said of the evictions and vacancies, a problem fueled by a rapid increase in high-interest, subprime loans.

“All those shaky loans are out there, and the foreclosures are coming,” Ms. Rawson said. “Managing the damage to our communities will take years.”

Cuyahoga County, including Cleveland and 58 suburbs, has one of the country’s highest foreclosure rates, and officials say the worst is yet to come. In 1995, the county had 2,500 foreclosures; last year there were 15,000. Officials blame the weak economy and housing market and a rash of subprime loans for the high numbers, and the unusual prevalence of vacant houses.

I guess I'll just wait a bit longer.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Home Buying, Housing Bubble

It's Mud Season, and planting is underway!

keep on keeping on, you old Shaw Farmers!


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Farming, Organic Gardening

As you all know, I had a horrible seizure two months ago, and am only now healed up from it. Whilst I am busybusybusy cleaning up the mess around me, my own posting has slowed down as a result. With the resultant lull in the hitmeter stats. That said, I think all this worry about hitmeters, and "who's on the "A-List" is Bullshit... First off-- it's Springtime, and people are BUSY in their yards, and with their families.

I wrote this to Maru (and then to Stranger at my Brother Blog, Blah3.com, who are going through similar issues (I'm going to add more here):

Keep doing what you do best, Maru (and Team B3, and Avedon, and ALL OF YOU).

It's all that we can do.

I have a couple of hitmeters at my blog, but, I rarely, if ever, look at them. I just like to see WHERE my readers are.

Many blogs that "just show up, and get a Brazillion hits in a matter of months" are usually "A"-- run by VERY well-connected people-- like Jane Hamsher's FDL (yes, they do good work, but, they HAVE THE CASH to do it.), Jane made a TON of cash as producer of "Natural Born Killers," and other movies, and is pretty-much living off the interest at this point; Christy has made her money as a Lawyer, and has time and money to as well(good on both of them). Same situation with John Amato's "Crooks & Liars." We cannot compare, or compete with that. Apples and Oranges."B"-- They don't have to work for someone else (Josh Marshall, for example). These folks are fortunate enough to NOT have to deal with a 9-to-5er in order to cover the bills. Many of these blogs also beg for money-- WE DON'T.

Other blogs are branches of BIGASSED Organizations, like Think Progress--a spur of CAP-- a massively well-funded Progressive Think Tank. There are TONS of A-List blogs under that umbrella. I can go on and on.

Atrios started his blog at EXACTLY the right time, and let's face it-- he's doing less blogging, and basically just maintaining fresh Comments threads, any more. Eschaton is basically a meeting place for bloggers at this point-- a text-message service via HaloScan.

Kos? No one really goes there anymore-- it's too crowded and chaotic-- again, it's just appearances. I haven't read Kos in YEARS, only when a link takes me to a diary post. Individual diary reads count as hits for "DailyKos." It's all digital marketing smoke and mirrors with the A=List, anymore.

On the other, "B-List" side of things-- Skippy is great because his place is ENORMOUSLY inclusive, same with Corrente, and First Draft, and the whole run of those blogs to which I gave "awards" back in December.

My HOPE was to EMPOWER the B/C/D-Lists (and to just simply have fun, and be nice).

We're in down time right now... But, those bloggers with no 9-5 job, and enough time and enough money to afford a LexusNexus subscription are simply able to focus, and keep abreast of what is happening in real time. There are a LOT of Lawyers now blogging, who have made their dough, and can now Lawyer less, and blog more-- it's as simple as that. I bet, if you DO look at your hitmeter, and do some math, you'll notice either a steady-state, or a very easy trend upward.

The bottom line, as far as I am concerned is this-- STOP LOOKING AT THE DAMNED HITMETER AND CARRY ON SMARTLY!!! Some days we'll post more, some days less. Some days we'll kick ass, some days we will SUXor... The way it was in the beginning, the way it's always been.

We can't compete with Trust Kidz, or the idle rich. We WORK for a living. The Enlisted DO NOT compete with the Officer Corps.

The best thing to do, is to stop looking at those others, and to do our best, as we can. We MUST continue to build OUR B-List Neighborhood, and to support one another-- in THAT endeavour, we cannot fail. Together, we will all grow stronger.

And since when did Blogging become a full-contact competitive sport? To take that view just fucking SUCKSSUCKSSUCKS.

This ain't the Final Four, or the World Series, or the NFL Playoffs. It's more of a Community Theatre Musical. We ALL play a part. So, some of us are in the Chorus-- SO WHAT??? Where on stage, we get our light every now and then (via Technorati), we shine in our moments, and support the bigger production-- this show called DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM.

There. I'm done. That's all I have to say on the subject. I make a better switchboard than I do a microphone.



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Meta

Bill Maher tears it up...



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bill Maher, Bush Administration, Bush Scandal

Man. When Avedon Carol decides to get down on an issue-- stand by!

via The Sideshow

I'm also getting sick of the idea that merely "getting the truth" in an atmosphere in which there are no repercussions is good enough. If the truth is that these people have been wrecking our system of government and committing crimes, the entire public should know about it and should be outraged - and those responsible ought to pay a price for it.

Look, these people are criminals. They are committing high crimes and misdemeanors at the very least. They have with a certainty violated their oaths of office, and they also appear to have committed a few felonies.

Even in the dumbest cop show you've ever seen, the idea isn't that the perp privately admits to the cops that they committed crimes and then the cops say, "Okay, you've told us the truth, so you're free to go."

And that's just the premise.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bush Administration

Ummmm, I am just a guy with a real 7-4:30 job, unlike the idle/legal-types at FDL et al, but I'm calling Tony Snow out right now for straight-up lying to America about the Constitutional Oversight Powers of Congress over DoJ AND the Executive Branch.

I'm perplexed. Where are the Lawyers on Snow's statements?

UPDATE: Josh Marshall Sees What I See



To Top Of Main Page

ANYONE who heard the Senate Judicial Committee vote on issuing of subpoenas in the Attorney Purge Scandal will realize, and attest to the fact that this IS NOT a "Partisan Democratic Ploy." The vote was done, in Committee-- including both Democratic and Republic Party members. The vote was RESOUNDINGLY "FOR."

Rachel Maddow aired the voice vote... The vote (both Dem and Rep) was resoundingly FOR issuing the subpoenas, with the 'Nays' sounding like a pathetic little murmur, as if they both felt forced to say "nay." THAT is the TRUTH of it.

The subpoenas issued forth from the Senate Judicial Committee are a result of MASSIVE BIPARTISAN ASSENT, and these Bushmonkeys CANNOT, and SHOULD not, and SHALL not, and MUST not be allowed to EVER spin this as a "Partisan" issue forevermore.

PERIOD, End Of That Story Line. That talking Point is BURNT, and no longer operational, as they say. The proof is right there-- there WAS NO arguable dissent against the subpoenas.

It's time for the Bushbastards to tell the Truth under OATH, or be held in contempt. There is no Legal Argument against Reality... See the post immediately below this one for FULL clarification.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bipartisan Approval, Majority Assent, Subpoenas, US Attorney General, US Attorney Scandal, US Senate

By now, you all know, I'd suspect, that White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Declared THREE TIMES today, that "There are -- in this particular case, the Department of Justice -- the Congress does have legitimate oversight responsibility for the Department of Justice. It created the Department of Justice. It does not have constitutional oversight responsibility over the White House..." For Christ's sake, every sixth grader in the Nation is taught Constitutional Checks and Balances. I've no idea which country's Constitution he's been reading, but, the US Constitution is pretty clear on the subject. There is no room for parsing the very clear verbiage.

Article 1, Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power...

Part 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;...

Part 10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
...
Part 17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Article 2, Section. 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

The thing is Tony, in order to be able to do ANY of these things, first Hearings (eg: tribunals inferior to the supreme Court, and the sole Legislation of the Seat Of Government) must first be held (in order to determine if any wrong-doing has occurred), for them to exercise these Powers granted unto the two Houses of Congress.

See, Tony, that is where you have blundered horribly. You're dead wrong on your claims, buddy, and it'd be wise for you to dump that talking point, before the American Public figures out that you're a bigger, more Fascistic asshole than they already have you pegged to be.

Who told you that drivel about Congress not having oversight Powers? Harriet Meirs? Abu G?

UPDATE: Babylonian Reminds Us that Tony Snow Saw NO PROBLEM with the Repubic Party going after Sandy Berger's (weak and ultimately triable) attempts to retrieve his OWN papers. Have a look at Tony's LANGUAGE reguarding Mr. Berger.

Well, GOLLLLLY! Gee, how Tony can change his tune when the shoe is on his Party's foot... I'll tell you, these are big lies, not mistakes.

FUCK YOU, TONY... And the rest of you fucking Freepers... You Lose. You're DONE. The lies and denial STOP NOW.

It's over for the Repubic Party for a very long time.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Checks and Balances, Powers of Congress, Tony Snow, US Constitution, Wingnuts On Parade

Hi, it's the MadSat again, and I just wanted to say something about the way resources naturally order themselves in terms of usefulness to human beings.

The mined and quarried resources of the Earth form a sort of pyramid or triangle of quality, with the highest quality resources at the top. The highest quality coal is anthracite coal, the highest quality iron ore is Lake Superior hematite. Both are nearly mined out in the continental US, and were close to gone by 1970.

How about the rest of the world? Most of the hematite quality ores are gone worldwide, the rest are being mined at a fairly rapid clip. The bulk of mined iron ores are now taconites, and they are playing out in many places.

Coal is in a similar situation, metallurgical grade anthracites are pretty much gone - there is some left of course, but it gets harder and harder to turn a profit mining such coal as is left in very thin seams or very deep or flawed deposits.

Currently, most steel is made using coke, the processed version of bituminous coal - the next tier of coal quality.

The bulk of steam coal mined in the US has now declined in quality from sub bituminous coal to lignites, which are present in large quantity in the western states. There are some huge seams of lignites and a very great deal of lignite is now being burned for electric power. Western lignite contains little sulfur, which helps with the SO2 restrictions of the Clean Air Act, but it also contains typically 20% water (by weight) and also is about 20% lower in BTU per ton than sub bituminous coal.

Two things should stand out here, first, that the lower quality resources are present in much greater quantity than the higher quality resources, and secondly that more of the lower quality resource must be processed to get the same yield as one unit of the higher quality resource.

Since energy and materials costs have to be considered as a negative on the return from processing the resource, there comes a point where you can actually HAVE resources, and not be able to use them due to the cost being higher than any possible return.

As an example, consider the coal in Hancock County KY. The energy dept listed billions of tons of reserves in Hancock County back in the early 80's, which is both true and laughable. It's laughable because the coal seams in Hancock County are indeed present and plentiful - but they are about two inches thick. I can't imagine the technique required to mine that coal in a profitable manner.

And all this has immediate impacts on the way the US lives and does its business. The cause of most steel mills closing in the US was not some conspiracy to move jobs offshore, it was because hematite ores in the US had essentially run out by 1970. There is little sense in shipping ore across the world and then discarding 40% of the bulk as slag at the mill - it makes much more sense to simply refine the ore to steel at the minehead. And that's why we moved to a "service economy".

And now the world is running out of these first tier resources everywhere.

The adjustment to that will be at least as large as the adjustment to the service economy. Hang onto your hats, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

What Avedon Never Tells Us. Here's the secret technique, via VideoJugs

VideoJugs is NOT a pr0n site... It's a very proper, useful, and fun video website.



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Avedon, Bra, Second Base

He was always one of my favorites growing up.




To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Comedy, Humor, Piano, Victor Borge

He will be Tavis Smiley's guest on PBS, tonight. Check your local listings-- The Tavis Smiley Show is usually late in the Prime Time period. It's only a half hour.

He's the guy that is getting my campaign money.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bill Richardson, Tavis Smiley

It's one helluva day to be too busy to blog, but that's my reality today.

'Larry "Bud" Melman' has died-- heard it while I was typing this. Sorry to hear that.

Gore and Sen. Barbara Boxer kicked ass in hearings today-- good on them!

Tomorrow will be a HUGE day in the Beltway, I'll be working like a fool all day-- I'll do what I can to try and keep up with events.


To Top Of Main Page

Good idea... I wish the Democratic Party was out in front on this one, but, I'll take what's dealt.

I heard about this on the radio today, while driving home. Sounds like a good start.

Press Release:

An alliance of prominent national conservatives will hold a news conference on Tuesday, March 20, to announce the formation of the American Freedom Agenda (AFA), a coalition established to restore checks and balances and civil liberties protections under assault by the Executive Branch. The restoration would bind the current and all future occupants of the White House, irrespective of party affiliation.

The group will present a legislative package to restore congressional oversight and habeas corpus, end torture and extraordinary rendition, narrow the President's authority to designate "enemy combatants," prevent unconstitutional wiretaps and mail openings, protect journalists from prosecution under the Espionage Act, and more.

They will present a "Freedom Pledge" to all Presidential candidates of both parties to sign, and call for a bipartisan grassroots campaign to protect the vision of the Founding Fathers -- that no single branch of government should have excessive power.

Live broadcast on C-SPAN 2. Check your local TV listings for details.

More power to 'em.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: American Freedom Agenda, Unitary Executive Powergrab

I saw the Orthopaedist today.

Although I should go under the knife to reattach my right rotator cuff to my shoulder, the doctor doesn't feel it wise to-- I am epileptic, and I'll have another seizure, and re-rip it again. If I do that, it will be all that more difficult to repair the damage. So, it's two months of s/m physical therapy, instead.

One day, the next seizure will probably make surgery no longer an option. I'll wait 'til then.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: My Life As It Is

Might it be that anything you say would incriminate you and others?

via Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House offered on Tuesday to make President George W. Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, available to congressional investigators but rejected Democratic demands he testify under oath regarding the firings of U.S. attorneys.

In a letter to relevant members of Congress, White House counsel Fred Fielding made clear he was not offering Rove and other aides to give sworn testimony as had been requested.

"Such interviews would be private and conducted without the need for an oath, transcript, subsequent testimony or the subsequent issuance of subpoenas," Fielding wrote.

Democratic lawmakers described the offer as unsatisfactory, saying they wanted the witnesses under oath. But they also said they would consider it before formally responding.

Mmmm Hmmm.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bush Administration, Karl Rove, US Attorney Scandal

See also This Post For more John Perkins video, where he speaks to Veterans for Peace.



Here is John Perkins on "Democracy Now!"



NOW is the time to launch every manner of Corporate Disobedience movement one can think of... NOW.

To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Cleptocracy, Corporate Disobedience, Corporatocracy, Economic Hitmen, John Perkins

It is WAY too early to be hearing their screeching songs through my open windows. They usually come out two months from now.

It's a good thing that Global Warming is just a Liberal hoax.

UPDATE: MadSat suggests that we might be on one of those 17- or 18-year Cicada cycles. I just think it's been freakishly warm enough to bring them out early. We've all been talking about the mosquitoes being out so early, so why not the Cicadas? I'll look it up. If there are any Memphis-Area Entomologist/Bug Geeks out there, who know Shelby County's Cicada Cycles, I'd certainly be appreciative. Perhaps this year ISN'T so freakishly warm too early...

Still, the Cicadas are damned noisy, and it really does suck to be swatting mosquitoes in Mid-March.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Cicadas, Global Warming, Memphis, Mosquitoes, Tennessee

He's got my vote, already-- unless Al throws in as a candidate... Even then, I'd have to flip a coin.

via Cannablog, AND Pygalgia

Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson, poised to sign a bill making New Mexico the 12th state to legalize medical marijuana, said Thursday that he realizes his action could become an issue in the presidential race.

“So what if it’s risky? It’s the right thing to do,” said Richardson, one of the candidates in the crowded 2008 field.

Balls of steel.

As I wrote in Cannablog's comments--

I’ve been keeping my eye on Richardson, and boy, does he have it all. He’s lived up to his campaign promises, he’s honest, he has balanced NM’s budget, and FULLY understands the immigration issue, legalized Marijuana, and understands the need for a universal medical system. He's also served as an Ambassador, and has a full knowledge of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy on the World Circuit. He is also fully versed in the Peak Oil/altEnergy issue, and has plans for all the above– well, many of those issues he’s already made reality in NM. Most of all he’s honest, honorable, and worthy of respect.

He’s got my vote, should he choose to run.*

* Saving for Al's candidacy. In that case, the ideal would be a Gore/Richardson ticket.

Richardson is one STRONG Governor, and would make a FANTASTIC President. Quietly spread the word, and to hell with HillObama... They both will be useless in the Oval Office. I'll not send either of them a dime, and will stay home if one of them gets the Nom. They WILL lose should they run.

Think Richardson-- Balls of Steel, Honest, Honorable, Trustworthy, and STRONG. Fuck the rest of those triangulating fools.

Amongst other things, I am VERY MUCH in support of getting Marijuana Smokers OUT of prison, and back into the Work Force.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Bill Richardson

Our good friend, Demeur is blogging some fantastically original stuff over at his place...


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Demeur

Pygalgia submits the following anecdote from Mr. Thompson on Heaven and Hell:

"What is the difference between Heaven and Hell? Well, in Heaven, the English greet you, the French cook, the Italians are the entertainers, and the Germans organize everything. In Hell... The French greet you, the English cook, Italians organize everything, and the Germans entertain. "

The honeymoon ain't over, Pygalgia-- I still loves you wacky hippies! Enjoy your river ride, buddy!

To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Pygalgia, Richard Thompson

Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker has the goods on Rove's weak-assed cover story regarding the firing of US Attorney, Carol Lam.



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Carol Lam, Karl Rove, US Attorney Scandal

Get this... They were trying to stop the Dusty Foggo investigation by firing US Attorney, Carol Lam. Oh boy! Obstruction of Justice! This here's gonna be some super high-level drama!

via McClatchy

By Margaret Talev and Marisa Taylor
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Fired San Diego U.S. attorney Carol Lam notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official as part of a corruption probe the day before a Justice Department official sent an e-mail that said Lam needed to be fired, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday.

Feinstein, D-Calif., said the timing of the e-mail suggested that Lam's dismissal may have been connected to the corruption probe.

---

On May 11, 2006, Kyle Sampson, then Gonzales' chief of staff, sent an e-mail to deputy White House counsel William Kelley, asking Kelley to call to discuss "the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

The e-mail did not spell out what the "real problem" was, and it was unclear whether Kelley and Sampson talked later.

Until now, lawmakers have focused on two of Lam's other inquiries into Republicans as possible ways in which she may have chafed the administration.

Lam oversaw the investigation that led to the corruption conviction of then-Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., who pleaded guilty in late 2005 to accepting $2.4 million in bribes. He was sentenced in March 2006 to eight years and four months in prison.

Do we get to impeach these bastards, yet?


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Alberto Gonzales, George W Bush, Harriet Miers, Karl Rove, US Atottorney Scandal, US Attorney General

Geek-assed me:

via Tom's Astronomy

This is really cool, and the pics are incredible, considering the range.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Io, Jupiter, Tom's Astronomy

Barry's got his weekend LinkFest up...

via The Big Picture

Tons of good reading on a scad of worthwhile topics. Go. Read. enjoy.




To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Barry Ritholtz

In keeping with my mantra of AllWays Free:

Get Your Fix Here

Daily Show and Colbert Report RSS Feeds for iFilm

When Viacom pulled its clips from YouTube, they began posting them at Viacom-owned iFilm. While iFilm has complete sets of clips from every episode (DS and CR), they do not offer RSS feeds. So, using Dapper and Feedburner, I pulled together these two feeds:

Get 'em while they're hot.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: AllWays Free, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show

Watch this:



More Here

This is very serious, folks. George is itching to fuck the entire world before he leaves office-- especially if he thinks a Democrat will follow him into the Oval Office.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: George W Bush, Iran

I've got Medical Appointments all morning, work in the afternoon, and home chores to catch up on in the evening. I'll try and get some new stuff up, but, I'm really trying to front-load a slew of reading for you, tonight.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Housekeeping

He captures what I am seeing as I simply try to buy a humble house with a bit of rural land:

via Clusterfuck Nation

What kind of a rock does this fucking idiot Alan Greenspan live under?

The median price for a house in my region of the US (northeast) was $380,000 in the third quarter of 2006. Median annual income, meanwhile, was about $46,000. If, by some miracle (in a land of negative savings) someone with an income of $46,000 had managed to save enough to make a 20 percent down payment ($76,000) on the aforesaid median-priced house and got a 30-year mortgage for the remainder ($314,000) at 7 percent interest, his monthly payment would be $2089. Add to that $250 a month in local property and school taxes and insurance and that brings it up to $2339. That adds up to $28,068 a year in house payments. Let's say the poor bastard pays $8,000 a year in combined income tax and FICA witholding. That leaves him with a grand total of $9,932 for everything else. Then there's the yearly cost of owning a car, including installment payments, insurance, gasoline, and maintenance: around $6,000 a year. Oh yeah, if he's a prudent fellow, he's got health insurance, let's say a practically useless high-deductible policy costing $3,000 a year. That leaves approximately $57 a week for groceries, laundry, the collection plate at church, and everything else. (Too bad he can't afford cable TV and the Internet.)

So, if housing prices went up 10 percent, how fucked would Mr. Median Income be?

To answer your initial question, Mr. Kunstler-- the same one that his clueless, partisan, bitch wife, Andrea Mitchell lives under. They share the space with a couple of poisonous salamanders, and a bevy of cockroaches. To answer the last--> VERY.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: First-Time Home Ownership, Real Estate Industry, Sub-Prime Lending

It's pseudo German, with apologizes to the German language, but it certainly works, here in America. I hope that a good and proper German-speaking reader might correct my obviously incorrect phraseology. Is there a German phrase for "fluffer," as in the pr0n context.

We've been hearing an awful lot of the phrase, "at the pleasure of the President." So, as I was clicking through my Blogroll, reading various postings, I came across a post at Corrente Wire (see below).

In response to Scarshapedstar's question, "Is there a German phrase for "pleasing the Fuhrer?" I suggested:

"Fuhrergefluffen?"
Submitted by Monkeyfister on Sat, 2007-03-17 23:54.

As in, “Jeff Gannon ist [immer] jetzt ein Fuhrergefluffer.”

Just guessin’. ;)

—mf

We do NOT like Fuhrergefluffers. Use freely, but please credit me.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Fuhrergefluffen, Fuhrergefluffer

This is really important, and I want to get it out to all of you who have pets, and feed them wet foods... Please pass it on to your pet-owning friends and family-- this is very important.

via WESH-TV

The recall of millions of cans of tainted pet food following the deaths of nearly a dozen animals is forcing retailers, vets and pet owners to take action.

Officials said at least nine cats and one dog died and many more are said to be suffering from kidney failure, WESH 2 News reported.

Cuddles the cat is recovering inside his home after a near-death experience, his owner Amy O'Shaughnessy said.

"He sort of wasn't eating as much. I took him to the vet to be sure, the blood work came back and his kidneys had failed," O'Shaughnessy said.

She has been feeding Cuddles cat food that has no been recalled.

"Here I was poisoning him," she said.

The company, Menu Foods, is recalling both brand name and generic "cuts and gravy style" wet dog and cat food. The company said dry food is not being recalled.

More than 80 brands are affected.

The list of all effected Pet Foods is HERE. Please go to the link, and check to see if you have any of these brands of pet food. There is more information at this link for you.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Food Security, Pet Food Recall

Dig This! I found the link to this amazing online library at Energy Bulletin, it's pretty amazing.

As the EB editors say about The Core Historical Literature of Agriculture:

The Core Historical Literature of Agriculture (CHLA) is a core electronic collection of agricultural texts published between the early nineteenth century and the middle to late twentieth century.

Full-text materials cover agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, animal science, crops and their protection, food science,forestry, human nutrition, rural sociology, and soil science. Scholars have selected the titles in this collection for their historical importance.

Their evaluations and 4,500 core titles are detailed in the seven volume series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor.

Current online holdings: Pages: 850,264 Books: 1,849 (1,910 Volumes) Journals: 6 (288 Volumes)
(March 2007)

It's valuable to have the texts available on pre-petroleum agriculture. -BA

Free is ALWAYS the best price. I will forever walk and support the path of AllWays Free.

I put the link under "Gardening And Permaculture" for you.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Agriculture, Gardening, Sustainable Agriculture

Via Avedon, I was made aware of John Perkins' release of the first chapter of his new book:

A Game As Old As Empire.

It contains new confessions and revelations from the world of economic hitmen. Confessions from other men and women just like him. It is now available for purchase.

Please go to the link for the excerpt, and do have a read of Avedon's fine blogging style.










To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Economic Hitmen, John Perkins

NTodd is right on the money on this one. Pam, of "Atlas Juggs," outdoes herself in her recco for Preznit of the United States in this short bit.



More proof that alcohol and politics are a really bad mix. DO wait for the last three seconds.

Oh, and yes, Pam-- Your hair FABulous in the dark. Thank you for reminding us, over, and over, and over. So, how'd this come about? You got half-way through that magnum of wine, and decided to do some serious political commentary? That is always the key to success. It worked like a charm, dahlink. Nothing says "serious" like slurring your "P's." Keep it, it works for you. MORE LIKE THIS, PLEASE!!!

snicker, guffaw

UPDATE: Those two wacky kidz, NTodd and Watertiger, are the talent behind this SPOOF. I admit, ya'll fooled me-- everything was absolutely perfect. Well-done!



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Batshit Crazy

It's a good thing that George is listening to the rest of the world... oh, yeah... that's right... sigh

via Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - This has been the world's warmest winter since record-keeping began more than a century ago, the U.S. government agency that tracks weather reported on Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the combined global land and ocean surface temperature from December through February was at its highest since records began in 1880.

A record-warm January was responsible for pushing up the combined winter temperature, according to the agency's Web site, http://www.noaa.gov.

"Contributing factors were the long-term trend toward warmer temperatures as well as a moderate El Nino in the Pacific," Jay Lawrimore of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center said in a telephone interview from Asheville, North Carolina.

The next-warmest winter on record was in 2004, and the third warmest winter was in 1998, Lawrimore said.

The ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1995.

Enough with this erroneous concept of "American Exceptionalism." That idea is no longer operational. This isn't Student Council politics-- there's no time for horsing around, this is Global Reality, and it must be addressed.


To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Global Warming

The only G8 country to do so.

via Reuters

POTSDAM, Germany (Reuters) - A consensus on the need to protect the world's environment is emerging among rich and developing nations, but the United States remains at odds with other countries on key points, Germany said on Saturday.

Environment ministers of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations, and officials from leading developing countries, were meeting to prepare for a June G8 summit where they plan to discuss specific targets for protecting the environment.

"On two issues, the United States were the only ones who spoke against consensus," German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters at the end of the two-day meeting, which he chaired on behalf of Germany's G8 presidency.

Gabriel said the U.S. remained opposed to a global carbon emissions trading scheme like the one used in the European Union and rejected the idea that industrialized nations should help achieve a "balance of interests" between developing countries' need for economic growth and environmental protection.

"We find this regrettable," Gabriel said, adding "I would have been disappointed if I'd expected something different."

Thanks, George.



To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Global Warming

It's a bit on the breathless side, but they do a good job explaining the origins and structure of the Federal Reserve System.




To Top Of Main Page

Labels: Federal Reserve System, US Economy

To Attaturk, and everyone at Rising Hegemon

You all have made me laugh, and made me think more than I ever though that I wanted to. Congratulations on celebrating three years of excellent blogging.



To Top Of Main Page