When I signed on for this gig, I figured well, if I could get a few dollars for advertising why the hell not? Everyone else and the aunties do it, why shouldn't I? Then just for shits and giggles I log onto my own site, just to see whats up, and every damn ad is for, wait for it now, cheap CREDIT CARDS! Too fucking funny!! After all I've said about how the credit card industry is ruining the middle class and taking the lower class into abject poverty, apparently the Google computers thought I was making nice comments about those wonderful credit card vultures. Capitol One, my personal favorite, who personally gouged me out of seven thousand dollars while I was in jail for drug charges a few years ago, money that was legally untouchable, as it was Social Security funds, they took it anyway. After my release they said I'd have to sue them to get back. Right. Sue a megabank right after release from jail. There went my car, and any hope of establishing a new productive life post drug incarceration. It did fire my anger and activism though, and I guess I have them to thank for that. I never did go back to the life I put behind, and am grateful to the help I received from the resources that were available to a poor white suburban guy. If I were not who I was, I wouldn't have gotten ANY help at all. I was lucky and I know it.
The EPA announced today that the coal ash that slid into the Tennessee River earlier in the week after a retaining wall breached, contains some 900 carcinogenic toxins. This is in contradiction to earlier reports from the Tennessee Valley Authority that the ash contains mostly "inert" materials. I suppose inert as in arsenic, lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals are "inert" in the human body and will not harm you. Their initial response was "you'd had to eat the stuff", but I guess breathing it in doesn't count for much. The opponents of "Clean Coal" should be on the march on this one. This is an opportunity not to be missed. Clean coal is the oxymoron of the millenium, there is no such critter, never has been and the technology is decades from existence. There is a similar toxic dump at every coal burning plant in the country, all at a major river or body of water, as they need water to cool the turbines. Greenies get off your couches and get out there and start showing the world what you're made of!
The New Year is right around the bend. I'd love to say I resolve to end world hunger or some lofty aim. Not going to happen is it? There's a far better chance of my ending my addiction to trance music, but thats not going to happen either. I like it and it doesn't hurt me. I'll resolve to adopt a dog this year, from the animal shelter of course. My Dalmation is gone and a very good memory, but it's time to move on. I think a mutt would suit me best. Definitely a male dog, but I'll leave the name choosing to you guys. Suggestions? Yeas and Nays?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Buhbye Boxing Day
As I learn to tweak and situate everything on this site, it seems the more gadgets that are available the more I want. A clear case of conspicuous consumption. Since all the tweaks are free and fairly easy to apply, it's more a matter of getting things in places where they're visible. I like to have things in the right place, where everyone can see at a glance what the hell is going on. The investment/mortgage/insurance/banking and now GMAC industries don't Have to do that, no one asked them to when they asked for 700Gazillion dollars. It was right there in well, probably pencil, but in black and white anyway, that the Treasury Department did NOT require the Failout(tm) recipients to account for a single buck of the 350Gazillion that they've gotten to date, not including of course the AIG and other separate Failouts(tm). According to the GAO (Government Accounting Office) NO-ONE knows exactly how much money has actually gone to these crooks, and not any single person has a clue as to how the money was actually spent.
It is estimated at nearly a Trillion dollars to date, and the second tranch of the initial 700Billion hasn't even been released yet!! Chris Dodd, my intrepid senator from CT, head of the Banking Committee, is foaming at the mouth over this lack of transparency, yet HE'S the one who drafted the fucking deal in the first place. I liken it to getting a credit card, with say a $1000 dollar limit, and maybe $100 annual fee, and 25% interest rate on the unpaid balance. Anyone, ANYONE, knows that they will be in the hole by $100 right off the bat, just by getting the card, right? Then they go and by a new computer for $850.00. That gives them a $950.00 balance on the card. With me so far? Not rocket science, just simple addition. If they pay just the minimum balance due, that goes to just interest, again simple credit card rule everyone SHOULD know, if you don't you have any business having credit cards. If the balance carries over, the interest charge will be $27.50. That's $975 give or take. Pretty simple no? You pay the $10 or whatever the teaser monthly payment is, and the interest will just keep mounting up and up and up, because they add it up DAILY! It's important to read the credit card contract so that you know these details. They cost a lot of money if you don't pay attention. And say, you get laid off from your job and miss a payment, then you get hit with late fees, and the way it's going, an over-limit fee as well. Those can be as high as $50 EACH!
But if you're in the guvmint, you can just give the money to these yabbos, with absolutely NO repayment plan! Thats tight, have a $25Billion LOAN but you really don't have to pay it back, it says right on the two page application that I filled out yesterday. You needn't say how you're going to spend it either. Ever get a personal loan from your friendly neighborhood banker? Did they ask you what the money was for? More than once? I worked in the consumer loan department of a now "consolidated" New England bank, now a multi-national mega-bank super-duper store, and when I had that application in front of me, as I filled it out for the customer (they weren't allowed to do it by themselves, apparently loan officers have better penmanship) EVERY application asked the purpose of the loan, and in most cases the loan was at least marginally SECURED by whatever was purchased with those funds. Even a $1000 unsecured loan HAD to have something in the box for Purpose Of Loan, or it would be rejected. Most times I admit, I just made shit up. Like a elderly man wanted to buy a snowmobile, IN CALIFORNIA! I had fun with it, and the loans usually went through anyway. But they were piddly little unsecured personal loans. Up to five G's, with a decent credit history and a job or money in the bank, the loan got approved. We didn't worry over it, since we usually had these folks checking and savings accounts too. But what do you do when you loan some company more money than they have in say, property or anything else to secure the transaction?
What you do is, YOU DON"T LEND THEM ANY MONEY! If I went to the bank, and they were actually lending any money (doubtful at this point), and the loan exceeded my ability and resources to repay the loan, it wouldn't happen. They'd be nice and respectful, because I do have my accounts there and they don't want to lose depositors right now for sure, but I'd walk out with nada. Maybe go to The First National Bank of The Rachel Maddow Show. She applied for Failout(tm) funds too. My bank, United Puppies Bank, hasn't been acknowledged as a bank yet. But GMAC, the lending arm of General Motors, converted into a bank just this week. If they could, so could I! I have a lot of debt, and no plan as to how it's gonna get paid off. Just like them.
I don't hold the titles to hundreds of thousands of virtually worthless SUVS, but I still have a few assets here and there. This is a really nice computer that I have, but I bought it from a computer repair shop, who had it in for upgrades and the owner booked for parts unknown. And I got it for next to free. And being a neo-geek, I install hardware and software myself, and it's never been back to the hospital since it's purchase. The monitor and speakers, cables and other stuff came from my old computer, so it's bones are good, but it has some serious arthritis! One may see it in operation and think "Damn, nice set up ya got dude!", but no-one is going to buy the bloody thing!! It's way too old, the processor is two generations or so out of date and there's the whole Window's Vista thing, that I stayed the hell away from, XP-Pro is just fine, as fine as Windows ever is. But the parallel is there if you think about it a second or two. It looks good works fine, but is of no value for resale. Just like the stock in the banks that we got in compensation for the Failout(tm) money. It looks good on the surface, the bank has deposits of $Xitty Billion in the safe, But they owe so much on their credit card that they're essentially worthless. Citi, B Of A, CapitalOne it don't matter much which you pick for the look see. They all owe more than they can pay. Ever. And we can't send the repo-man to jack 'em up, because we signed an agreement not to.
Gotta watch what you sign. That credit card will get you into a hell of a lotta trouble. And its all a conspiracy created by the Democrats to win the election! ROFLMAO!! The wingnuts have finally totally lost control of their tongues. That and the latest screed, that FDR made teh depression worser by his spending! Sigh......
It is estimated at nearly a Trillion dollars to date, and the second tranch of the initial 700Billion hasn't even been released yet!! Chris Dodd, my intrepid senator from CT, head of the Banking Committee, is foaming at the mouth over this lack of transparency, yet HE'S the one who drafted the fucking deal in the first place. I liken it to getting a credit card, with say a $1000 dollar limit, and maybe $100 annual fee, and 25% interest rate on the unpaid balance. Anyone, ANYONE, knows that they will be in the hole by $100 right off the bat, just by getting the card, right? Then they go and by a new computer for $850.00. That gives them a $950.00 balance on the card. With me so far? Not rocket science, just simple addition. If they pay just the minimum balance due, that goes to just interest, again simple credit card rule everyone SHOULD know, if you don't you have any business having credit cards. If the balance carries over, the interest charge will be $27.50. That's $975 give or take. Pretty simple no? You pay the $10 or whatever the teaser monthly payment is, and the interest will just keep mounting up and up and up, because they add it up DAILY! It's important to read the credit card contract so that you know these details. They cost a lot of money if you don't pay attention. And say, you get laid off from your job and miss a payment, then you get hit with late fees, and the way it's going, an over-limit fee as well. Those can be as high as $50 EACH!
But if you're in the guvmint, you can just give the money to these yabbos, with absolutely NO repayment plan! Thats tight, have a $25Billion LOAN but you really don't have to pay it back, it says right on the two page application that I filled out yesterday. You needn't say how you're going to spend it either. Ever get a personal loan from your friendly neighborhood banker? Did they ask you what the money was for? More than once? I worked in the consumer loan department of a now "consolidated" New England bank, now a multi-national mega-bank super-duper store, and when I had that application in front of me, as I filled it out for the customer (they weren't allowed to do it by themselves, apparently loan officers have better penmanship) EVERY application asked the purpose of the loan, and in most cases the loan was at least marginally SECURED by whatever was purchased with those funds. Even a $1000 unsecured loan HAD to have something in the box for Purpose Of Loan, or it would be rejected. Most times I admit, I just made shit up. Like a elderly man wanted to buy a snowmobile, IN CALIFORNIA! I had fun with it, and the loans usually went through anyway. But they were piddly little unsecured personal loans. Up to five G's, with a decent credit history and a job or money in the bank, the loan got approved. We didn't worry over it, since we usually had these folks checking and savings accounts too. But what do you do when you loan some company more money than they have in say, property or anything else to secure the transaction?
What you do is, YOU DON"T LEND THEM ANY MONEY! If I went to the bank, and they were actually lending any money (doubtful at this point), and the loan exceeded my ability and resources to repay the loan, it wouldn't happen. They'd be nice and respectful, because I do have my accounts there and they don't want to lose depositors right now for sure, but I'd walk out with nada. Maybe go to The First National Bank of The Rachel Maddow Show. She applied for Failout(tm) funds too. My bank, United Puppies Bank, hasn't been acknowledged as a bank yet. But GMAC, the lending arm of General Motors, converted into a bank just this week. If they could, so could I! I have a lot of debt, and no plan as to how it's gonna get paid off. Just like them.
I don't hold the titles to hundreds of thousands of virtually worthless SUVS, but I still have a few assets here and there. This is a really nice computer that I have, but I bought it from a computer repair shop, who had it in for upgrades and the owner booked for parts unknown. And I got it for next to free. And being a neo-geek, I install hardware and software myself, and it's never been back to the hospital since it's purchase. The monitor and speakers, cables and other stuff came from my old computer, so it's bones are good, but it has some serious arthritis! One may see it in operation and think "Damn, nice set up ya got dude!", but no-one is going to buy the bloody thing!! It's way too old, the processor is two generations or so out of date and there's the whole Window's Vista thing, that I stayed the hell away from, XP-Pro is just fine, as fine as Windows ever is. But the parallel is there if you think about it a second or two. It looks good works fine, but is of no value for resale. Just like the stock in the banks that we got in compensation for the Failout(tm) money. It looks good on the surface, the bank has deposits of $Xitty Billion in the safe, But they owe so much on their credit card that they're essentially worthless. Citi, B Of A, CapitalOne it don't matter much which you pick for the look see. They all owe more than they can pay. Ever. And we can't send the repo-man to jack 'em up, because we signed an agreement not to.
Gotta watch what you sign. That credit card will get you into a hell of a lotta trouble. And its all a conspiracy created by the Democrats to win the election! ROFLMAO!! The wingnuts have finally totally lost control of their tongues. That and the latest screed, that FDR made teh depression worser by his spending! Sigh......
Friday, December 26, 2008
A Christmas Poem by thers
'Tis the Season of Christmas, and 'cross the 'nets
Wing nuts are whining of how they're oppressed
Tripe has been tossed out at Townhall with care,
Pretending it's "uncool" to say you like prayer
Chuck Norris believes that Jesus got jacked,
Or perhaps neutered--but at least somehow off-whacked
"All-powerful atheists have just gone to far"
Cries that illiterate elf, jolly Mary Grabar.
I've long been bored with this class of crap,
And had resolved to ignore it with a X-mas nightcap,
When what to my dyspeptic eyes should appear?
But K-Lo claiming it's worse to Christian that to be a queer!
Obama wants Warren! He's thus not a "divider"!
Bring in the bigots! Become a "uniter"!
More rapid than eagles, K-Lo's canards come--
"Those most hurt by Prop8 are the Mormons.
They of course have the clear right to deny rights to the gay,
Their tight magic underpants make that OK"!
As I drew up my hand, to upraise my mid-finger,
K-Lo let loose with the worst whine of the winger:
"If you're opposed to gay marriage you're labeled "intolerant",
But what's more depraved than a gent loving a gent?
The MSM lies if they say that the reason this skeeves us,
Has fuck-all to do with our devotion to Jesus.
We dislike it for reasons of hygiene and children!
I can't explain why, though most devoutly hope,
You know the real victim here is that poor man, The Pope.
Any gender bending Benny considers a piss-up,
Which is why the Church will Never ordain a gay bishop.
Fuck this, I thought, and went back to my work,
And wrote down this poem about how K-lo's a jerk.
Her line of bullshit can make you depressed
But in the long run we shouldn't be stressed
It's Christmas and you know it's not we,
Who want to impose upon others the meaning of family
We don't defend torture, or excuse bigotry,
We can just chill out, and look at the tree
So let me say, as I drive out of sight
Merry Christmas to All, and to all, A pleasant and good night.
crossposted from firedoglake much thanks thers!!
'Tis the Season of Christmas, and 'cross the 'nets
Wing nuts are whining of how they're oppressed
Tripe has been tossed out at Townhall with care,
Pretending it's "uncool" to say you like prayer
Chuck Norris believes that Jesus got jacked,
Or perhaps neutered--but at least somehow off-whacked
"All-powerful atheists have just gone to far"
Cries that illiterate elf, jolly Mary Grabar.
I've long been bored with this class of crap,
And had resolved to ignore it with a X-mas nightcap,
When what to my dyspeptic eyes should appear?
But K-Lo claiming it's worse to Christian that to be a queer!
Obama wants Warren! He's thus not a "divider"!
Bring in the bigots! Become a "uniter"!
More rapid than eagles, K-Lo's canards come--
"Those most hurt by Prop8 are the Mormons.
They of course have the clear right to deny rights to the gay,
Their tight magic underpants make that OK"!
As I drew up my hand, to upraise my mid-finger,
K-Lo let loose with the worst whine of the winger:
"If you're opposed to gay marriage you're labeled "intolerant",
But what's more depraved than a gent loving a gent?
The MSM lies if they say that the reason this skeeves us,
Has fuck-all to do with our devotion to Jesus.
We dislike it for reasons of hygiene and children!
I can't explain why, though most devoutly hope,
You know the real victim here is that poor man, The Pope.
Any gender bending Benny considers a piss-up,
Which is why the Church will Never ordain a gay bishop.
Fuck this, I thought, and went back to my work,
And wrote down this poem about how K-lo's a jerk.
Her line of bullshit can make you depressed
But in the long run we shouldn't be stressed
It's Christmas and you know it's not we,
Who want to impose upon others the meaning of family
We don't defend torture, or excuse bigotry,
We can just chill out, and look at the tree
So let me say, as I drive out of sight
Merry Christmas to All, and to all, A pleasant and good night.
crossposted from firedoglake much thanks thers!!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
From yesterday's post, and being xmas day and all, I've changed my mind about the name of my bank, and I'm really getting quite serious about this since the second tranch of the 350billion is going to open up any minute/day/week/month now. Since the name of this blog is a bit unwieldy to use, I thought, well why not use something that would attract anyone. How about, "Bank Of Cute Puppies", or First Puppy National Bank. No, the first one sound as if I'm storing puppies for some nefarious purpose, and given Wall Street's penchant for drinking blood that wouldn't be a surprise to anyone now would it? I kinda like option two. But then again, maybe it's too like the O dog. No that won't do either. I've got it! United Puppies Bank! perfect!! Here's the link to see how absolutely simple it is to apply and obviously GET a massive amount of taxpayer bucks and still get to keep your jet AND your boat.
http://www.ustreasurydept.gov/US-Treasury-Dept-TARP-Bailout-Application-Form-t471.html#entry575
And its all about the boat. I have no clue at all WHY I want a boat. I've never had a boat, don't live near the water, but my neighbor has one, and its pretty cool, so I want one too. And if United Puppies Bank can get bailout funds of say, maybe 15 billion, hell, I'm not greedy, I can but a brand new boat for everyone on my street and still have money left for a block party. And it xmas after all. Did you get your boat for xmas? I sure hope you did. I'm pulling for you. United Puppies Bank is too. Have a Joyous holiday
http://www.ustreasurydept.gov/US-Treasury-Dept-TARP-Bailout-Application-Form-t471.html#entry575
And its all about the boat. I have no clue at all WHY I want a boat. I've never had a boat, don't live near the water, but my neighbor has one, and its pretty cool, so I want one too. And if United Puppies Bank can get bailout funds of say, maybe 15 billion, hell, I'm not greedy, I can but a brand new boat for everyone on my street and still have money left for a block party. And it xmas after all. Did you get your boat for xmas? I sure hope you did. I'm pulling for you. United Puppies Bank is too. Have a Joyous holiday
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Santa Claus Is Coming Tomorrow!! (if I've been a good boy)
X-mas eve is here agin boys and girls.........One more for the big red guy....leave out the milk and cookies and hope theres no coal in the stocking hung with such care by the teevee set with the fake yule log. All I can hope for is the dogs don't pee on the presents this year, and the receivers like what they get. Think they will. Chosen with enough care for sure. Not much moolah to spend this year, but spent it pretty wisely, just like those three guys in the old fable, bringing incense and stuff to the baby they revered. Never DID quite get the point of that, but who am I to judge? I usually give books. They last forever. How about you? Give what you wanted to? What you have liked to have given? So many people didn't even have the money to eat this year that I'm grateful for that much.
No snark today at all. Not giving in to my baser instinct to malign and denigrate all the ones who're on the opposite political spectrum as I, not that it stops them at all, but I have some self respect. Rush Limbaugh can blame the entire fall of western civilization on liberals for all I care, no one is paying him any mind, any more than feeling the deepest bit of pity for the drug addled fool. The more I hear, the less I listen.
Amazing that we actually have some science thinking people coming into the new administration. Thats really hopeful! I read about these people in the NY Times and after eight long faith based years, its hard to think....oh, Riight.....science.....forgot about that sciencey stuff. I read boing-boing.com every day and have for years, just never thought it become actual POLICY!! How Refreshing!! And after reading the Cato Institute website's global warming denial pdf file today, it could not be more timely. To think these loonies were actually setting talking points for the last eight years.....aaarrrgghhh...makes me shudder to think about now.
Now that I'm done with the traditional Italian x-mas eve dinner of seafood things in something, and my tastebuds are thoroughly sated and numbed, my thought can drift on to whats to come in the new year. We have a whole new bunch of yahoos to watch out for, and watch we will. We have a trillion dollar rescue....I mean bailout.....whoops, there I go again, I mean STIMULUS package to watch out for, that the wastrels in congress dont blow it all on moon pies and pixie sticks. We have a new green economic policy, whatever that means. We have regulators on Wall Street who are supposed to really really really regulate something this time, they promise, cross their hearts and hope to DIE! Good luck with that. We have a few bills due to hit congress in the next year on net neutrality, the environment and universal health care. Those aughta be fun! So 2009's looking to be a very interesting year. If you're employed. And have money. And it's not in a bank.
Speaking of banks. I highly recommend the First National Bank Of The Rachel Maddow Show. She did this segment on how easy it was to get a bailout if you were a bank, and damn if it isn't!! Went on the failout site myself, and the application is just two, count 'em two pages long. The first page just asks the general questions, address and phone, contact persons and such, the second page asks why you need the money. No questions on how you can repay it. Nothing about your dire financial straits. Just why do you need it. Well, I need a new boat. I don't have an old boat, but I think its time to get a new one. I think that'll do it. I'm sending my application in today. Second National Bank of therestofthewaste.blogspot.com I think it'll fly! I have great hopes and expectations! I need a NEW BOAT! I'm afraid of the water, but I NEED A NEW BOAT, DAMNIT!! Give me money!
No snark today at all. Not giving in to my baser instinct to malign and denigrate all the ones who're on the opposite political spectrum as I, not that it stops them at all, but I have some self respect. Rush Limbaugh can blame the entire fall of western civilization on liberals for all I care, no one is paying him any mind, any more than feeling the deepest bit of pity for the drug addled fool. The more I hear, the less I listen.
Amazing that we actually have some science thinking people coming into the new administration. Thats really hopeful! I read about these people in the NY Times and after eight long faith based years, its hard to think....oh, Riight.....science.....forgot about that sciencey stuff. I read boing-boing.com every day and have for years, just never thought it become actual POLICY!! How Refreshing!! And after reading the Cato Institute website's global warming denial pdf file today, it could not be more timely. To think these loonies were actually setting talking points for the last eight years.....aaarrrgghhh...makes me shudder to think about now.
Now that I'm done with the traditional Italian x-mas eve dinner of seafood things in something, and my tastebuds are thoroughly sated and numbed, my thought can drift on to whats to come in the new year. We have a whole new bunch of yahoos to watch out for, and watch we will. We have a trillion dollar rescue....I mean bailout.....whoops, there I go again, I mean STIMULUS package to watch out for, that the wastrels in congress dont blow it all on moon pies and pixie sticks. We have a new green economic policy, whatever that means. We have regulators on Wall Street who are supposed to really really really regulate something this time, they promise, cross their hearts and hope to DIE! Good luck with that. We have a few bills due to hit congress in the next year on net neutrality, the environment and universal health care. Those aughta be fun! So 2009's looking to be a very interesting year. If you're employed. And have money. And it's not in a bank.
Speaking of banks. I highly recommend the First National Bank Of The Rachel Maddow Show. She did this segment on how easy it was to get a bailout if you were a bank, and damn if it isn't!! Went on the failout site myself, and the application is just two, count 'em two pages long. The first page just asks the general questions, address and phone, contact persons and such, the second page asks why you need the money. No questions on how you can repay it. Nothing about your dire financial straits. Just why do you need it. Well, I need a new boat. I don't have an old boat, but I think its time to get a new one. I think that'll do it. I'm sending my application in today. Second National Bank of therestofthewaste.blogspot.com I think it'll fly! I have great hopes and expectations! I need a NEW BOAT! I'm afraid of the water, but I NEED A NEW BOAT, DAMNIT!! Give me money!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
guilty Guilty GUILTY!
Oh the protestations of innocence out there from every corner, Blogo didn't offer pay for play seats in the Illinois senate...Hell no...innocent as a lambie. He'll go down swinging and fighting and clawing his way into the sewer to prove it. And no one in the justice dept knew anything about "torture" enhanced interrogation sure!. Never mind that the Dick Cheney going on tv saying he did. Oh fuck gives me a headache thing...............Norm Coleman didn't take that $75G's for his super home make-over, and damnit, he'll use campaign contributions to prove it. (Thats a tiny bit illegal, but well, what the hell...) Al Franken has him by 128 votes at last count, not including votes for "the lizard people and frankenstin" Minnesota voters are so very entertaining. What other state would elect a professional wrestler to govern? Maybe, California?
Speaking of Cali, Jerry Brown, the AG there, said today that Prop 8 was unconstitutional and he could not certify it. Good for him! He didn't originally say that, but I'm really glad that he's changed his position. Hes getting lots of good press from every liberal out on the blogosphere. Too bad the US Gobernmit couldn't do the same. They announced that they would not support a UN non-binding resolution for Gay Rights, supported by 60 countries across the world, sponsored by France and the Netherlands. So the US joins the Islamic fundamentalists in the quest for hate. All because the US doesn't want potential litigation on issues relating to discrimination in the workplace, housing, military etc. The Bushies can't let anything go. Except one thing. One bit of good news.
Desolation Canyon in Utah has gotten a reprieve. Well a stay of execution anyway. Robert Redford reported in the HuffPo today that this little patch of wilderness area has been held up from the auction block until January 19, 2009. It was supposed to have gone last month. But his tireless lobbying and tht of the National Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups have held it at bay for now. Great work Mr Redford. Almost makes the day worth continuing now.
Speaking of Cali, Jerry Brown, the AG there, said today that Prop 8 was unconstitutional and he could not certify it. Good for him! He didn't originally say that, but I'm really glad that he's changed his position. Hes getting lots of good press from every liberal out on the blogosphere. Too bad the US Gobernmit couldn't do the same. They announced that they would not support a UN non-binding resolution for Gay Rights, supported by 60 countries across the world, sponsored by France and the Netherlands. So the US joins the Islamic fundamentalists in the quest for hate. All because the US doesn't want potential litigation on issues relating to discrimination in the workplace, housing, military etc. The Bushies can't let anything go. Except one thing. One bit of good news.
Desolation Canyon in Utah has gotten a reprieve. Well a stay of execution anyway. Robert Redford reported in the HuffPo today that this little patch of wilderness area has been held up from the auction block until January 19, 2009. It was supposed to have gone last month. But his tireless lobbying and tht of the National Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups have held it at bay for now. Great work Mr Redford. Almost makes the day worth continuing now.
Friday, December 19, 2008
warren cont'd
In the last twenty four hours there has been more coverage on this subject, the MSM and on the blogs, than any one particular subject since O's election was certified. He's definately taken more heat over this than any one issue. The criticism is coming from all sectors, gay and straight, left and right. But he's not backing down from HIS decision, and make no mistake, he made it, for what ever reason in his pointy head I can't fathom, but it's his. Joe Salomonese, the head of the Human Rights Campaign and a long time friend of mine, blasted him in a press release yesterday, and asked for him to rescind his invitation. O said NO. His show. Mostly everyone is saying the same thing, how outraged they are, would they have invited a racist or a white supremacist? Blah blah. But there is a terrific post over at MyDD, (MyDigitalDemocracy) that truly spells out what the comparisions between men and women and religious doctrine REALLY mean. Its worth the train fare. I'd cut and paste it here but my technical savvy with that so far has been limited to squeezing THESE words into the box!
Geoff Kors, of Equality California said today that he's going to decline his invite to the inaug. Surely his perogative. But it's not getting much press, and if it doesn't get media play, it won't count much as a boycott (gaycott?). I've always been of two minds of these actions. Sure the boycott against Coors hurt them badly, but their beer is TERRIBLE. Maybe that had more to do with the piss poor sales. A major push was going around for a boycott against the entire state of Utah, which I thought was ludicrous. Just because the Mormon church donated so much money to support Prop 8 in CA is no reason to take the little bit of tourism money left away from decent gay lovin people in that great state. I've been to Utah, and liked it very much. People hate all over the country, even here in blue Connecticut, where we have LEGAL gay marriage. HRC's pdf listing of individual businesses and their ratings of gay friendliness are FAR more effective if one wants to put one's bucks in the right place. Just MHO.
thebushies today announced that they will throw 17.4 billion of our dollars at the auto industry, given that they adhere to really really strict guidelines and massive oversight, give up their private jets and shit like that. they're going to throw 'em 14 billion now, cuz thats all thats left of the TARP money now that Wall Street and Bernie Madoff (pronounced MAY-doff, not to be confused with our lovely Rachel) have stolen all the rest of the first tranch of 350 bil. But in there in really really REALLY small print is a provision that the workers will get paid LESS than foriegn car workers in the US. So this really was about union busting all along, as anyone with any sense already knew. The UAW isn't screaming too loud, yet. Maybe cuz the Chrysler plants all got shut down. And they are majorly screwed blue and tattooed every way they look. Ford apparently still has a bit of cash left, but not much. They'll be askin for dough by the time the second tranch of the Failout opens up. Don't doubt that for a NY minute myself.
Gotta love New Yorkers. Are they the absolute stupidest rich people ever created? Handed this Madoff guy 50 BILLION bucks, not million BILLION. On a handshake. In country clubs and in locker rooms at the gym. The more I read about it the more I want to say "NAh NA nAH NAH NAH NAH NAH!!!!!!" How can people do something like that? These are some of the biggest landlords and property owners in the city. Now they're gonna be on food stamps. Literally. A lot of them have beem totally cleaned out. Not a fucking nickle left. I suppose that its a karmic justice of sorts, they who've exploited and overcharged for Manhattan apartments, (and having been a tenant, I know know how much it can suck to have a really bad landlord) are now going to get evicted from their own places. Yeah, sometimes the wheel of karma plays, and spins in your direction. Better make sure that you've done something worthwhile in this lifetime. Or the last.
We got snow. A foot maybe comin down on us here in southern New England. Not that I really mind an awful lot. I dont like cold and rain, but snow is just inconvenient. It gets in the way. But its moveable. And my next door neighbor and I have an arrangement. I let him use my empty garage to store one of his cars, and he digs me out with his riding snowthrower, and since theres only four houses on my street, he usually does at least most the street as well. Beats waiting for the plows to come. Hes a real sweet guy, and works in the landscaping biz, so I had a tree planted in his and his wife's name by my foundation in Washington D.C. It seemed appropriate.
Check back for a wrap up post on Sunday. Conclusions and attitude.
Geoff Kors, of Equality California said today that he's going to decline his invite to the inaug. Surely his perogative. But it's not getting much press, and if it doesn't get media play, it won't count much as a boycott (gaycott?). I've always been of two minds of these actions. Sure the boycott against Coors hurt them badly, but their beer is TERRIBLE. Maybe that had more to do with the piss poor sales. A major push was going around for a boycott against the entire state of Utah, which I thought was ludicrous. Just because the Mormon church donated so much money to support Prop 8 in CA is no reason to take the little bit of tourism money left away from decent gay lovin people in that great state. I've been to Utah, and liked it very much. People hate all over the country, even here in blue Connecticut, where we have LEGAL gay marriage. HRC's pdf listing of individual businesses and their ratings of gay friendliness are FAR more effective if one wants to put one's bucks in the right place. Just MHO.
thebushies today announced that they will throw 17.4 billion of our dollars at the auto industry, given that they adhere to really really strict guidelines and massive oversight, give up their private jets and shit like that. they're going to throw 'em 14 billion now, cuz thats all thats left of the TARP money now that Wall Street and Bernie Madoff (pronounced MAY-doff, not to be confused with our lovely Rachel) have stolen all the rest of the first tranch of 350 bil. But in there in really really REALLY small print is a provision that the workers will get paid LESS than foriegn car workers in the US. So this really was about union busting all along, as anyone with any sense already knew. The UAW isn't screaming too loud, yet. Maybe cuz the Chrysler plants all got shut down. And they are majorly screwed blue and tattooed every way they look. Ford apparently still has a bit of cash left, but not much. They'll be askin for dough by the time the second tranch of the Failout opens up. Don't doubt that for a NY minute myself.
Gotta love New Yorkers. Are they the absolute stupidest rich people ever created? Handed this Madoff guy 50 BILLION bucks, not million BILLION. On a handshake. In country clubs and in locker rooms at the gym. The more I read about it the more I want to say "NAh NA nAH NAH NAH NAH NAH!!!!!!" How can people do something like that? These are some of the biggest landlords and property owners in the city. Now they're gonna be on food stamps. Literally. A lot of them have beem totally cleaned out. Not a fucking nickle left. I suppose that its a karmic justice of sorts, they who've exploited and overcharged for Manhattan apartments, (and having been a tenant, I know know how much it can suck to have a really bad landlord) are now going to get evicted from their own places. Yeah, sometimes the wheel of karma plays, and spins in your direction. Better make sure that you've done something worthwhile in this lifetime. Or the last.
We got snow. A foot maybe comin down on us here in southern New England. Not that I really mind an awful lot. I dont like cold and rain, but snow is just inconvenient. It gets in the way. But its moveable. And my next door neighbor and I have an arrangement. I let him use my empty garage to store one of his cars, and he digs me out with his riding snowthrower, and since theres only four houses on my street, he usually does at least most the street as well. Beats waiting for the plows to come. Hes a real sweet guy, and works in the landscaping biz, so I had a tree planted in his and his wife's name by my foundation in Washington D.C. It seemed appropriate.
Check back for a wrap up post on Sunday. Conclusions and attitude.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
the shoe thrower and other nonsense
Whoa, must really suck to be george w these days. Just can't get any respect at all. Those damn iraqis, ya'd think after only killin coupla hunnred thounsand of em civilyuns, and givin 'em democraccy an all, they'd be a little...grateful! Nahh..Just throwing shoes at the Dubya. He's got pretty good reflexes tho fer an old coked out alkie! The guy who flung the shoes, aimed pretty good, but dubya ducked and they hustled the journalist off and beat the crap out of him in another room. What I read today he couldn't even appear in court he was so messed up. "Disrespect To a Head Of State" was the charge that I heard thrown about in the NYTimes. Hell, disrepecting someone could get you DEAD in most neighborhoods around NY. This guy got a broken arm and bruises. But hell, his country did get overthrown...oops ..I mean Liberated by Dubya . Maybe he had something valid to say and was just royally pissed off. You know, like I am at the Obama Inaug. Team.
This Inauguration is going to be an historic and monumental occasion and one that has many on the Left, my ownself included monumentally PISSED OFF. They have the right's darling boy and mouthpiece Rick Warren "Saddleback Church" "Purpose Drive Life" "Blah Blah Blah" giving the invocation. Considering the amount of money time and effort the left, the LBGT and pro-choice movements have given to Obama to get him into office, this is the hugest slap in the face, before the sunofabitch even gets into office mind you, that could be imagined. Posts on DailyKos, FireDogLake, PamsDailyBlend, MyDD,Salon.com, and many ,manyothers have just excoriated this choice. This was a top down choice, do not be fooled about that. The Inaugural Committee may have passed along invitations, but they were merely the social secretaries here.
Rick Warren has expressly said that he regards gay marriage as equal to incest or polygamy. He has committed himself to changing Obama's views on abortion and women's rights. Gay rights are the central theme to his brand of white-washed hate. Please read the posts on pamshouseblend.com for further updates and links on this issue. You can e-mail to parag.mehta@ptt.gov and http://change.gov/page/content to send an e-mail and yeah, lets over load the god damn servers with shit and let em KNOW WHO FUCKING SUPPORTED HIM!@!
Sorry, I don't usually get that heated but this is personal.
Chrysler shut down today, looks like no money coming from the fed is gonna be a very black X-mas indeed for the Cerberus folk. That sucks, I used to work for Chrysler years ago, and they were cool people, all of them. The Repugs suck for trying to do this union busting shit on the backs of the workers, and the Dems suck for letting them get away with it. And they all suck for letting it happen NOW. Theres no excuse for any of them. Throw 'em all in a fucking freezing river and save the ones that float. Maybe.
Do I seem mean today? Someone asked me why I have such an attitude. Shit I guess cuz the weathers turning really cold and I want to be in Aruba, and I can afford to take the bus to the MALL! I despise New England and always have. My ten years in So Cal were truly the happiest and shortest of my life. Now I can't afford to go back, and I'm bitter. I'm sure others feel the same about their places of residence. I didn't choose to live here, I'm here to care for my elderly family. No one else is left to do it. Familial obligation. Guilt. All those things and an inheritance that will keep me going for many years to come, if it's not all gone by the time I get to using it. I admit to a little greed yeah, but it's mostly love for my family. They cared for me and now it's my turn. I don't begrudge it. It's unconditional. The money can go to the Flat Earth Society in the end analysis. So long as I get the house. I can rent it out and travel. All the frigging time.
Thats what keeps me going.
I'll be back before the hols with more incisive analysis and shit, so come back. Peace be with you.
This Inauguration is going to be an historic and monumental occasion and one that has many on the Left, my ownself included monumentally PISSED OFF. They have the right's darling boy and mouthpiece Rick Warren "Saddleback Church" "Purpose Drive Life" "Blah Blah Blah" giving the invocation. Considering the amount of money time and effort the left, the LBGT and pro-choice movements have given to Obama to get him into office, this is the hugest slap in the face, before the sunofabitch even gets into office mind you, that could be imagined. Posts on DailyKos, FireDogLake, PamsDailyBlend, MyDD,Salon.com, and many ,manyothers have just excoriated this choice. This was a top down choice, do not be fooled about that. The Inaugural Committee may have passed along invitations, but they were merely the social secretaries here.
Rick Warren has expressly said that he regards gay marriage as equal to incest or polygamy. He has committed himself to changing Obama's views on abortion and women's rights. Gay rights are the central theme to his brand of white-washed hate. Please read the posts on pamshouseblend.com for further updates and links on this issue. You can e-mail to parag.mehta@ptt.gov and http://change.gov/page/content to send an e-mail and yeah, lets over load the god damn servers with shit and let em KNOW WHO FUCKING SUPPORTED HIM!@!
Sorry, I don't usually get that heated but this is personal.
Chrysler shut down today, looks like no money coming from the fed is gonna be a very black X-mas indeed for the Cerberus folk. That sucks, I used to work for Chrysler years ago, and they were cool people, all of them. The Repugs suck for trying to do this union busting shit on the backs of the workers, and the Dems suck for letting them get away with it. And they all suck for letting it happen NOW. Theres no excuse for any of them. Throw 'em all in a fucking freezing river and save the ones that float. Maybe.
Do I seem mean today? Someone asked me why I have such an attitude. Shit I guess cuz the weathers turning really cold and I want to be in Aruba, and I can afford to take the bus to the MALL! I despise New England and always have. My ten years in So Cal were truly the happiest and shortest of my life. Now I can't afford to go back, and I'm bitter. I'm sure others feel the same about their places of residence. I didn't choose to live here, I'm here to care for my elderly family. No one else is left to do it. Familial obligation. Guilt. All those things and an inheritance that will keep me going for many years to come, if it's not all gone by the time I get to using it. I admit to a little greed yeah, but it's mostly love for my family. They cared for me and now it's my turn. I don't begrudge it. It's unconditional. The money can go to the Flat Earth Society in the end analysis. So long as I get the house. I can rent it out and travel. All the frigging time.
Thats what keeps me going.
I'll be back before the hols with more incisive analysis and shit, so come back. Peace be with you.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Slippery Kick Off
Welcome Folks! This is my fourth personal weblog, and I'm hoping that you'll enjoy the slightly irreverent humour, the downright venomous attacks o the "established media" (and that includes quite a few widely read and influential net based magazines and blogs. No-one will be immune from criticism or applause, which you'll most definately see thrown about equally.
A bit about me, and why this column is here in time. I have not just a medical degree and a degree in journalism, but a doctorate in Psychology and thirty years experience working with the poor in a big city hospital emergency room. I've been openly gay since just two years post-Stonewall, and have fought for every right as hard as a man can in my position. Some folks who've given me help along the way include, Larry Kramer, AIDS Activist and Playwright, the Rev Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church in L.A., Drs. Anthony Faucci and Robert Gallo, The policy wonk for AIDS and the scientist respectively. (Yup, clearly, the former I detest, the latter I adore.) Thats just a few of the living friends.
The late Kurt Vonnegut Jr, a good friend and one of the 20th centuries finest writers. My late step dad, John Nelson Converse from the American Federation of Teachers, who introduced me to everyone who was everyone in Washington DC during the Clinton Inaugural days.
And the 130 personal friends and ex-lovers lost to that dreaded and horrible affliction called HIV-AIDS, most everyone represented on the National Memorial Aids Quilt, which just finished making a national tour following December One's AIDS Remembrance Day. They are all still missed and loved, and not forgotten.
As I mentioned, I was an E/R doc in Los Angeles, in the days before AIDS struck, I was an intern at USC Medical Center when the first reports were rumoured in the LA Times about a weird and horrible affliction which was referred to as GRID, for Gay Related Immune Defiency Disease. Boy those days WERE weird! Funeral homes weren't accepting gay cadavers, out of illogical fear. Ambulances would roll past gay bars in emergency situations. E/R docs wouldn't treat gays for so much as a cold, for illogical fear that it was something much worse. And this was MUCH earlier than the media and even the CDC would have you believe. The year was 1978. Five years before Dr Robert Gallo and his team first isolated the HIV virus in conjunction with the French Government. Seven Years before President Ronald Reagan was finally forced by the mounting death toll to go on national television and speak about the disease for the first time.
I will go into this subject at length om a later post, but wanted to jump it here to give you all an idea of where I'm headed with this log.
These documented researched stories and personally witnessed events will hopefully make you think, make you care, and make you laugh. Some will certainly make you mad as fuck. They do to me. Still. So, TheRestOfTheWaste will give you the inside story on some very well known issues, since I was there. I participated, it's documented fucking FACT. Call me on anything you like, I'll provide the references to back it up. On anything. I'm retired now, and I do not have AIDS, by some fucking MIRACLE. I by all rights should, since I was exposed several HUNDRED times, in at least four of the most virulent blood to blood transfer situations, unprotected sex with known carriers, IV drug use and surgery with unscreened blood.
I test negative to this day, nearly thirty years later. I've told Dr Faucci at the CDC that he should be studying ME, and others like me, over two decades ago, and he scoffed at the notion. And guess what? The French, as usual, the Pasteur Research Foundation, LAV and others, are now doing just that! Checking the genome structure of persons like myself, to find the key "protection gene". And word is that they may have found it already. How it be applied to a vaccine, well that's a HUGE question still. But it offers the single biggest contribution to the science of AIDS research since anti-viral medications. So I know what the fuck I'm talking about.
This log will is feature topical stuff as well. I have a healthy interest in popular culture and we'll get into that. Please, send submissions as often as you like. Anything is acceptable, except anything that promotes discrimination on any group based upon sex, creed, religion, orientation or national origin. Feel free to skewer someone's politics! Thats always fair game.
Feel free to post photos and YouTubes. I haven't selected any yet but I will, and my taste runs towards the bizarre. I'll just say that John Waters is a long long time friend, we used to cart his films around Hollywood when I was a student and show the early ones anywhere, even the side of a building in a parking lot one time, A Home Made Drive In. for Pink Flamingos!! And the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Starwood Theatre, where they'd allow us to bring in coolers of beer and wine! Imagine. Damn that WAS fun.
So tune in, turn on, and buckle your seat belts. TheRestOfTheWaste will fill you up.
A bit about me, and why this column is here in time. I have not just a medical degree and a degree in journalism, but a doctorate in Psychology and thirty years experience working with the poor in a big city hospital emergency room. I've been openly gay since just two years post-Stonewall, and have fought for every right as hard as a man can in my position. Some folks who've given me help along the way include, Larry Kramer, AIDS Activist and Playwright, the Rev Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church in L.A., Drs. Anthony Faucci and Robert Gallo, The policy wonk for AIDS and the scientist respectively. (Yup, clearly, the former I detest, the latter I adore.) Thats just a few of the living friends.
The late Kurt Vonnegut Jr, a good friend and one of the 20th centuries finest writers. My late step dad, John Nelson Converse from the American Federation of Teachers, who introduced me to everyone who was everyone in Washington DC during the Clinton Inaugural days.
And the 130 personal friends and ex-lovers lost to that dreaded and horrible affliction called HIV-AIDS, most everyone represented on the National Memorial Aids Quilt, which just finished making a national tour following December One's AIDS Remembrance Day. They are all still missed and loved, and not forgotten.
As I mentioned, I was an E/R doc in Los Angeles, in the days before AIDS struck, I was an intern at USC Medical Center when the first reports were rumoured in the LA Times about a weird and horrible affliction which was referred to as GRID, for Gay Related Immune Defiency Disease. Boy those days WERE weird! Funeral homes weren't accepting gay cadavers, out of illogical fear. Ambulances would roll past gay bars in emergency situations. E/R docs wouldn't treat gays for so much as a cold, for illogical fear that it was something much worse. And this was MUCH earlier than the media and even the CDC would have you believe. The year was 1978. Five years before Dr Robert Gallo and his team first isolated the HIV virus in conjunction with the French Government. Seven Years before President Ronald Reagan was finally forced by the mounting death toll to go on national television and speak about the disease for the first time.
I will go into this subject at length om a later post, but wanted to jump it here to give you all an idea of where I'm headed with this log.
These documented researched stories and personally witnessed events will hopefully make you think, make you care, and make you laugh. Some will certainly make you mad as fuck. They do to me. Still. So, TheRestOfTheWaste will give you the inside story on some very well known issues, since I was there. I participated, it's documented fucking FACT. Call me on anything you like, I'll provide the references to back it up. On anything. I'm retired now, and I do not have AIDS, by some fucking MIRACLE. I by all rights should, since I was exposed several HUNDRED times, in at least four of the most virulent blood to blood transfer situations, unprotected sex with known carriers, IV drug use and surgery with unscreened blood.
I test negative to this day, nearly thirty years later. I've told Dr Faucci at the CDC that he should be studying ME, and others like me, over two decades ago, and he scoffed at the notion. And guess what? The French, as usual, the Pasteur Research Foundation, LAV and others, are now doing just that! Checking the genome structure of persons like myself, to find the key "protection gene". And word is that they may have found it already. How it be applied to a vaccine, well that's a HUGE question still. But it offers the single biggest contribution to the science of AIDS research since anti-viral medications. So I know what the fuck I'm talking about.
This log will is feature topical stuff as well. I have a healthy interest in popular culture and we'll get into that. Please, send submissions as often as you like. Anything is acceptable, except anything that promotes discrimination on any group based upon sex, creed, religion, orientation or national origin. Feel free to skewer someone's politics! Thats always fair game.
Feel free to post photos and YouTubes. I haven't selected any yet but I will, and my taste runs towards the bizarre. I'll just say that John Waters is a long long time friend, we used to cart his films around Hollywood when I was a student and show the early ones anywhere, even the side of a building in a parking lot one time, A Home Made Drive In. for Pink Flamingos!! And the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Starwood Theatre, where they'd allow us to bring in coolers of beer and wine! Imagine. Damn that WAS fun.
So tune in, turn on, and buckle your seat belts. TheRestOfTheWaste will fill you up.
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