Opening Stuff:
Headlines like "The Best Burger in America" drive me crazy. Who says? Tastes are actually pretty personal. One man's best burger may be another man's cardboard.
I keep reading about chefs designing new menus for today's new tastes. None of which appeals to me. In fact I'm quite content with tastes developed 50, 60 years ago. I think they develop new menus for themselves because they get tired of cooking the same old thing. They just try to convince people that they are not with it if they are not with them. It's good for business. Just as Global Warming is good for the green business.
And, then there is the TV commercial for an Ice Show promising, "The Greatest Skaters in history". It goes on to describe their line-up of the top skaters of the past 25 years. Say what? I'm an old ad guy who lives in a world of superlatives. But they have to be at least believable. I live by that old adage. If you can't say anything nice about a person say nothing, but when you can...go crazy!
The Question:
Two prominent Economists Robert Shiller of Yale and Karl Case of Wellesley are saying that home prices could drop again, and by up to 25%!. What three reasons do the say will bring it on?
The Headlines:
--Wisconsin Standoff: Assembly Dems Agree To Limit Number Of Amendments And Allow Vote This Afternoon; Senate Repubs Meet TO Authorize State Police To Find Absent Dems.--16 States Ready To Follow Wisconsin's Lead; RI Should Be IN Forefront, But Never Will As Citizens Continue To Shoot Themselves In the Foot..
--Rebels Close In On Gaddafi Stronghold; Gadzo Says Bin Laden Behind Uprising.
--Libya Says Journalists Illegally In Country Will be Arrested As al-Qaida Collaboratives.
--Some Of NZ Missing Found; Death Toll Rises To 89.
--Judge Says WikiLeaks Assange Can be Extradited.
--Somalia Gov. begins Offensive Against al-Qaida Linked Militants.
Back to More Stuff:
Entitlement has replaced economics, and that is a major problem with the modern world.
As most all of you probably know, it was the Democrat of Democrats, Franklyn Delano, FDR, who warned often in the thirties of the dangers of collective bargaining by public employees. He said things like "It (collective bargaining) has distinct and insurmountable limitations...the very nature and purposes of government make it impossible for officials to bind the employer...the employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives."
The Wagner Act, the Magna Carta of the American Labor Movement, excluded specifically federal, state and local employees. Ironically, a New York mayor named Robert "Wagner" chose to sell out the principle of no collective bargaining to gain a few Union votes in 1958. In other words, it was still a very bad idea, it just became accepted because some cheesy politician decided to buy some votes.
Which is exactly why we have the budget problems we have today -- Politicians giving away the store knowing full well that it would be an economic impossibility over time to satisfy the financial burdens of the promises. Ugh. Double ugh.
Is rehearsal practicing again for a funeral procession?
The Oscar Picks Department:
Since the end of the NFL Season, our ace game pickers have been basically idle pickin' their...ukulele strings. What'd ya think I was going to say? So I thought I'd let them kick around Oscar for the day. So, don't expect a lot from a bunch of lunkheads in Lala-Land. Best Movie - Kings Speech, Critics think Social network is close behind, but to me "behind" is a good way to describe that mess. I put True Grit as number two. Actor and Actress: TD's scored by Firth and Portman. I loved Rush in KS, but Christian Bale will probably break a tackle for a big gain. I like special teams player Haile Steinfeld, but she will be substituted for by Malissa leo and do a victory dance in the end zone.
American Idol could be great this year. First I was blown away by some of the efforts on Beatles's night, a night which in the past has typically been a loser fraught with bad interpretations of those classics. It is going to be tough to get to the right "24" (I like that sound). And even tougher to get to #1 in the end. --Let's hope they don't lose along the way the creative spirit they have all shown to date. --That walk through the hangar is much too long. --Thank God the tedious Ashley story is over. --Now the only remaining mystery is the fate of CJ. --Jennifer Lopez is one of the best ever judges I have seen. On any reality competition show. Period.
BTW, for all of you "Almost Near" aficionados, I can guarantee that there will be no story Monday morning. For all of the rest of you, "Almost Near" is the name of the latest heart wrenching, gut twisting novel in The Tids.
Kyle Rowley, a Narragansett RI'er and super QB for Brown U who did well playing under the gigantic shadow of Brown's Legendary Bob Hall, was named Northwest US Athlete of the Year. He QB'd the Spokane Shock winners of this year's Arena Football League Championship.
Now we know why two lawyers refused to take the case of Updyke, the nut who poisoned Auburn's (Bama's hated rival) beloved trees. The names of his kids are bear Bryant and Crimson Tide. Honest. I think that says something about pre-medicated. PS: HIs new lawyer's name is Threat. Honest.
Sports has become much too big, and seems to be turning reasonable people into blithering idiots. For instance, why would any producer think that it is a good idea to have a Carmello Anthony reality show featuring his girlfirend Lala. Because there are plenty of crazed sheep ready to follow it. Oh yeah...is the promise of inane reality shows going to be the next big enticement for fickle superstars.
Almost Near: Chapter 9. --Samantha drove blindly out of this town from hell. Up the hill past the damned tree. The people of her childhood faded as did the flats enveloped by an incoming tide. She saw nothing as she sped around the traffic circle that would fling her northward through Ipswich and Newberryport.
She didn't notice the clam shack as she sped through Exeter. She only wanted to erase Lobster Cove from her memory. But what would she find when it was gone.
Her eyes bore straight ahead not seeing anything but traffic blurs. Her Jeep became a missile. Screeeeech! One of those blurs became a fingernail on a blackboard as it narrowly missed the surging Jeep. The sudden horror of the intense sound rattled her from her coma like trance. Her eyes popped, focused, and she saw houses flying by. She stomped on her brakes and the Jeep wiggled to an uncomfortable stop. She was shaking.Her hands were bound to the wheel. Her teeth clenched like a vice. She dropped her head. And the tears flowed.
The Somalian Pirates are rushing to defend the "30", count em' -- "30", hijacked ships with hostages under their control. Hey UN, I think we have a problem there.
You have to wonder that if a dachshund, golden lab, beagle and labradoodle were the ones on the sailboat who were killed by the Somalian savages, how berzerk our nation would have gone?
The Answer:
First, the Government expects to reduce Freddie/Fanny activity in the consumer mortgage market. The resultant transfer to private banks will bump up rates. Second, the talk of eliminating the mortgage deduction continues. And, third, this oil price spike could halt the rebound of a weak economy. I hate it when they say mortgage deduction!
The End:
I love the word Berzerk.
Some college basketball coaches are making politicians look honest.
In case you missed it, today is the anniversary of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Like the other impeached president, Bill Clinton, Johnson was acquitted by the Senate.
And, speaking of philanderers, Tiger Woods was eliminated in the first round of this weeks big Match Play tournament that has gathered together in Arizona all of the worlds best players. Maybe he has lost it.
Every Morning I sit before this mess and wonder if I have enough to write about. And then all of this junk keeps pouring out of my mind. Do you think that is a sign of real mental problems?
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