Thursday, September 25, 2008

Ever wonder why fund managers can't beat the S&P 500? 'Cause they're sheep, and sheep get slaughtered.

I can't wish you a happy Friday today. Sorry.
The $700 billion deal has hit a roadblock with the House Republican caucus with the support of John McCain.

In all honesty I have no idea whether the plan was necessary or not. I'm not an economist or a Wall Street financier, nor do I have a Palinesque mutant ability to learn things via proximity and osmosis.

My progressive side tells me the deal was crap. Congressional Democrats - who on paper would be the ones that should have been dictating this process rather than the White House - appeared to have been rolled again with only token nods to accountability.

But the one thing I'm certain is that I don't even have to like this plan to be furious that John McCain injected Presidential politics into this process. In doing so he has signaled more clearly than ever that his ambition is more important than the future of this country.

The President gave a "the sky is falling" speech this week. Washington Mutual collapsed last night. The market is going to tank today. I resent that McCain is playing games with my future. He is not more important than the millions of Americans he's screwing over here.

When I vote for Obama next month (vote by mail) I'm going to be doing it for all sorts of reasons including the oblique push towards "hope." I'm not ashamed to say there will be a part of me that will be considering that vote a giant middle finger towards McCain, his party and everything they represent.

Screw them.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Okay, I'll shut up. Some fellas have to keep their tongues flappin' but not me.

Fine. Send Palin in his place.




Prepare to die!

I'm too old to be a slacker but Michael Moore's free internet movie "Slacker Uprising" is amazing.

The young people are going to have to be the ones that save us.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Look at me, Damien! It's all for you.

At first I was a little torn by this story involving a Fifth Grader who was suspended for failing to remove his anti-Obama t-shirt at the school's instructions. I believe very strongly in the First Amendment, even if it's being abused.

But what becomes clear after reading more on this is that the boy's father Dann Dalton is a Grade-A prick.


Dalton was among a group of anti-abortion protesters who marched through an Arapahoe County neighborhood to protest a Planned Parenthood doctor in July 2000, according to a Colorado Springs Gazette story. The protest came in response to a law passed that week by the Arapahoe County Commission that banned “targeted picketing” outside the physician’s home. The picketers, led by Bob Enyart, had been gathering at least once a month in the doctor’s cul-de-sac.

Mr. Dalton argues that this is simply a First Amendment issue with his son Daxx's constitutional rights being violated by the district. The district argues that the rules are in place to keep the focus on *gasp* school by disallowing any sort of speech or behavior that would be disruptive.

Considering Mr. Dalton's own history of lunacy I don't see how the t-shirt can be anything else than an attempt by Dalton to use his son to disrupt the school. His efforts to try and hide behind his son as well as the constitution ring hollow in this instance. He's yelling fire in a crowded theater and then whining when the theater throws him out.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Jack, I have a two-part question... Why?


Yeah, Sarah Quaylin is ready to lead. She can't even take questions.

In the negotiations, Republicans wanted to limit the amount of time available for their neophyte candidate, Palin, to be questioned on a single topic.

Of course they did.

But... but I'm a legend.

Okay, so my buddy calls me Friday night and says he has another ticket to the Boise/ Oregon Ducks game if I want to go. Since my son has already pointed out I'd be stupid not to go I was in.

My buddy has great seats in the corner by the endzone between the band and just above the team and cheerleaders. The weather was flat out perfect for Oregon in September as it was an unseasonal 80s for most of the day. The whiskey I snuck in in a pair of flask binoculars mixed well with the 7up they were selling.

The game itself was one of the strangest Duck games I've been to. We lost the game but it was mainly attributable to coaching decisions in my estimation which is a fairly rare occurrence as Mike Belotti is one of the best coaches in the country.

Our first and second string quarterbacks were out with injuries. Our third string quarterback Jerimiah Masoli isn't very mobile but he has a good arm. He started the game and was taken out with a concussion on a cheap late hit on our first series of possesions.

Our fourth string quarterback Chris Harper had a shoulder injury in preseason so he could play but he can't throw the ball. As a result we ran the ball on every single play in the first half. Every single play. The friendly crowd started to get ugly.

When this continued after the half Belotti finally decided way to late to burn the redshirt of our fifth string quarterback Darron Thomas. Thomas burned up the field with three touchdown passes leaving the Ducks just a bit short of the victory. Did I mention that they didn't run the ball at all after Thomas came in after running in on every play in the first half? Not even a draw play to keep them honest.

It was a great game none the same and I had a ball. Here's some pix I took---