mr. blackandwhite

I don't know what to write about

Well, here I am. It's Sunday night, the designated 'blawggin' night, my Wife's watching her Home Makeover show, but I don't have anything to write about. So this will be a scintillating post as I'm sure you can guess, right off the bat.

I guess I'll just run through a few things..

- Please bug the crap out of your congressperson/man/woman and tell him, her or it to support H.R. 1207, a bill introduced by Congressman Ron Paul to audit the Federal Reserve. All it takes is a second to e-mail these people, when they don't turn off the e-mail server because too many people are e-mailing that is.. but, anyway, I hope you will take action, bug your congressman and help spread the word!!

- The Pats.. It's the lull before the draft. Not much to say, really. In Bill We Trust.

- The B's.. The B's seem to be losing a lot of games lately, but they are pretty much a lock for the playoffs, so I am wondering if maybe they are just cruising on in. Hopefully they get that chip back on their shoulder for the playoffs. I'd like to see them make it past the first round this year.

- Spring is almost here. The snow is almost gone from my yard. I can't wait till it is all melted. This has been, unquestionably, the worst Winter I have ever had to endure. It's been frikkin' 10 degrees since November, then the ice-storm in December, that sucked.. It didn't crack 20 degrees for four months and we've had like six feet of snow. So, I'm pretty much ready for Spring. Really ready.

- The Sox.. I don't really get into Spring Training that much, I just kinda watch from afar, but I do like to hear the sound of Jerry Remy calling a game, even if it is a game that doesn't count. It reminds me of the fact that warm days are ahead. I watched some of the Sox / MFY game the other night. What was with those MFY uni's with the shinny shinny 'New York' and the weird letters.. [insert derogatory remark here]

Aright, they are movin the bus out of the way on my Wife's show. And I am outta here for this post. See ya!

The dirty little bailout secret

Sorry but I just had to post this. I can't let it go and I will continue to put this stuff up here and try to help make people aware of this f-ing SHAM that has been perpetrated on us.

From The New York Times story So When Will Banks Give Loans:

"...the dirty little secret of the banking industry is that it has no intention of using the money to make new loans. But this executive was the first insider who’s been indiscreet enough to say it within earshot of a journalist.

(He didn’t mean to, of course, but I obtained the call-in number and listened to a recording.)

"Twenty-five billion dollars is obviously going to help the folks who are struggling more than Chase," he began. "What we do think it will help us do is perhaps be a little bit more active on the acquisition side or opportunistic side for some banks who are still struggling. And I would not assume that we are done on the acquisition side just because of the Washington Mutual and Bear Stearns mergers. I think there are going to be some great opportunities for us to grow in this environment, and I think we have an opportunity to use that $25 billion in that way and obviously depending on whether recession turns into depression or what happens in the future, you know, we have that as a backstop."

Please click on the link above to read the whole story if you think you can stomach it.

I would encourage you to look into your representatives' voting record. By the way, my rep, who voted for the bailout twice, even though he was instructed not to by the majority of his constituents, (before they turned off the web server that lets you e-mail your rep that is,) is running un-opposed. That really pisses me off. Unfortunately I learned about this too late this time around. I admit it, I was not paying close enough attention before. But they have my attention now and this situation needs to change in 2010.

Have a great day!

All over the place..

It's October? I am completely blown away at how fast the month of September went by. It was probably the busiest month we've ever had since the kids were born. There were weeks when we had something going on every single night; soccer, cub-scouts, brownies... stuff I don't even remember. Things will start to calm down in October. There will be a brief lull for a few weeks near the end of the month for us to catch our breath before things gear up again for the crazy holiday time of year. My Wife is already buying X-Mas presents!

I don't know if anybody cared about the posts I had written about the economic bailout recently. I'm just going to say that this issue is being voted on in the U.S. Senate today and I would urge you to contact your Senators and let them know your thoughts about it. I would also urge you to contact your U.S. Representative as well and tell him or her what you think about the bailout plan, as well as anything else you have on your mind! THEY WORK FOR US.

Mission 11W: The '08 version. It's kicking off tonight in Anaheim. I expect this will be a good series. The Angels pretty much owned the Red Sox during the regular season and the Sox will come into the series with some key players dealing with some nagging injuries. In the end, as always, it will come down to pitching and with Jon Lester, a.k.a. Red Sox Ace 1A, taking the mound tonight, I think the Sox are in a good position to come out of the gate strong. A Game 1 win for the Sox would be huge and would mean there would be at least 2 home games at Fenway. Mission: 11W. GO SOX.

The Patriots week off is over and there's thirteen games left to play. The Pats will start October off with two back-to-back West Coast games, starting in San Francisco this weekend. San Fran lost to the Saints last week but have shown that they are a team that can move the ball down the field. I think this upcoming game may show us a lot about the '08 Patriots as we start the 2nd quarter of the season. Lets hope that the week off did the team some good. Time to get down to business. GO PATS

Oh it's really a 'Rescue Plan' not a bailout? Whew! I feel so much better now.

Guys and ladies, I know it's Friday and I know you when you come here you are probably not expecting to read about this kind of stuff, especially on a Friday, so I'll keep this short.. Just keep in mind that I wouldn't be posting about this topic if I didn't feel it's extreme importance.

Here are a couple links for you to read, watch or ignore, if you want to. Then take it from there.

An answer to the President from Ron Paul

U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur: "They want Mama to bail us out."

Forbes: Bad News For The Bailout

The very fact that the 'bailout' was re-branded as a 'Rescue Plan' should clue you in to the tactics being used.. against you.

You may also be interested to know that 700 billion amount they've come up with?

"It's not based on any particular data point," a Treasury spokeswoman told Forbes.com Tuesday. "We just wanted to choose a really large number."

Here are some links to let you easily look up and contact your representatives in the U.S. Congress. Contact them and tell them your thoughts. Thanks.

Find your U.S. Representative

Find your U.S. Senator

Other useful sites: Gov Track, Congress.org

THEY WORK FOR US

Ron Paul: Time is running out

Hey all, I know I don't usually delve into this kind of stuff here, so maybe that will tell you how important I think this is. Take a few minutes out of your day to read the link I posted below and then take it from there. Thanks.

Letter from Ron: Time is running out

Additional usefulness:
Write to congress, write your senators and keep track of them.

Ka-Ching!

Dear Bank of America,

Fantastic news! As a taxpaying U.S. citizen, I recently had a major windfall occur and I became a part owner of not only an investment firm, a bank AND a mortgage company, but now I'm a part owner of an insurance company as well! Isn't that awesome??

Ok, enough about me, here's where it all comes together: I couldn't help but notice that you're in a buying mood lately, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in my newly acquired shares of these fine financial institutions as well. I'll trade ya what I've got in Fannie, Freddie and AIG straight up for the remaining balance of my mortgage. Heck, I'll throw in what I've got in Bear Stearns too.

What do you say?? It's a win win win for everybody all around! Let's make a deal baby!!

Just between you and me, I gotta tell ya, I think the poop's well on it's way towards the fan and I'd really like to get rid of this thing before something really bad happens, ya know? hahaha ;-)

Ok, thanks BOA!

Chat ya soon!

London

I just wanted to post something about the attacks in London today and say that my heart goes out to the people there and everyone that has been affected by this truly horrible act. I am feeling sad, angry and concerned all at the same time.

I'm sure this has been said by many people already but the 'people' that perpetrated this act today are not men. They are nothing but a bunch of cowards.

What kind of people attack and murder innocent civilians who are just trying to get to work? Only the very lowest of the low.

Fucking bastards.

I hope they are captured, tried and convicted to a life behind bars where they are given nothing to eat but ham sandwiches every day for the rest of their lives. I hope they rot in whatever their version of hell is.

Maybe this will send a wake up call to people who are confused about what an 'atrocity' is. Fyi, it's not using bad language around some 'holy' book, or taking a picture of somebody in their underwear.

An 'atrocity' is what was done to the innocent people in London today. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Take that: "Lost Liberty Hotel" proposed on Justice Souter's land

Found this via An American Soldier.   

Link: "Lost Liberty Hotel" proposed on Justice Souter's land.

Apparently a private developer is seeking to build a hotel where Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter's house currently sits. Citing the recent Supreme Court ruling on "Kelo vs. City of New London", this developer is telling the town of Weare, New Hampshire that his proposed hotel will generate more tax revenue and other economic benfits for the town.

This will be interesting... Frankly, I think it's great. Can you imagine if this were to actually go through?

Since I generally like to hang out here in this place called reality, I don't expect it will go through, but maybe it will generate some more attention to this terrible SC ruling and it's affect on all of us. If it happens to cause some hassles for one of the guys tools that voted for it, well, that's life.

More on the New London Supreme Court decision...

I know I don't usually write about social issues and my opinions about them here, but I am so outraged by this event, in which "The Supreme Court ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development."

All I can really express on this subject right now is anger and absolute disgust.

I am learning about this too late, after the fact. I wish I had known this was happening before this horrible act occurred. I would have tried to add my support in some meager way to help these people.

I don't feel like I am going over board when I say that this is truly scary folks. YOU could be next, or me, or anybody that has property. After all, what do I do with my house? All I do is live here and cut the lawn and grow kids and flowers. What if some fast food chain decides that my front lawn happens to be the prime location for their expansion into my neck of the woods. Who's going to provide a better tax benefit to the town, me or some corporation?

Think I'm going overboard? Think that it could not happen you or me? WRONG. It just happened to some people in New London.

And look whos next... this is from the Washington Post.

"District leaders said a Supreme Court ruling yesterday that gives municipalities broad powers to seize private property will provide the city leverage in its goal to acquire land for two controversial projects, including a new baseball stadium."

"Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random," O'Connor wrote. "The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms."
~ U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

From The Day, New London's local paper...

"The decision concludes an exhausting legal battle that began in December 2000, when the Fort Trumbull residents filed suit to prevent the city from seizing their property to make way for offices, upscale housing and a hotel that would support the nearby Pfizer headquarters and help to reverse decades of economic decline."

I will be looking for ways to stand up to this and do something, starting with a boycott of all Phizer products, (not that I am a Viagra user). I also plan to write to Mark Martin, who happens to be my favorite NASCAR driver, and who's sponsor also happens to be Phizer, and ask him if he feels that his conscience can allow him to represent a company that supports the removal of people from their homes for the purposes of replacing them with 'upscale housing and a hotel'. I'll be writing to Jack Roush, Mark Martin's car owner, as well.

It may not be much, after all, I'm only one person, but it's something dammit.

Don't tread on me mutherfucker

SC rules in favor of land developer over private citizens... Holy !@%$!!

Read this: 5-4, For The Takings

This is one of the most frightening things I have ever heard. When I initially heard about this story my jaw litterally hit the floor.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a New London CT land developer to evict people from their homes and demolish their property for the purpose of economic development.

"Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to be taken and transferred to another private owner... Are economic development takings constitutional? I would hold that they are not."
~ U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

This ruling by the SC basically means that if a developer targets your property and convinces the local government that they can make better use of your land than you do, provide more tax benefits, etc, your property can now be seized by the government to make way for a shopping mall.

I don't have the words to express my feelings eloquently on this subject. All I can say is, "Holy FUCK!!"

From the article...

"I don't think anyone can regard this decision as putting this issue to bed," said Timothy Hollister, a lawyer who specializes in eminent domain cases for the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin. "These issues will continue to be in play for years to come."

That is scant comfort to lead plaintiff Susette Kelo, a nurse who has been fighting tooth and nail to keep her home overlooking the Thames River since officials tacked a condemnation notice to her door in November 2000. Or to Matt and Sue Dery, who have long agonized that every holiday and anniversary in the house they restored with their own hands could be their last. Or to Matt's mother, Wilhelmina Dery, 87, who was born in the house where she still lives.

UN-AMERICAN!

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Darryl Worley - Have You Forgotten Lyrics


I hear people saying we don't need this war
I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground?
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start preaching
Let me ask you this my friend


CHORUS 1
Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?


They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it every day
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight
After 9/11 man I'd have to say that's right


CHORUS 1
Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?


I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet they remember
Just what they're fighting for


CHORUS 2
Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry about Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?


Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten?"

- NEVER FORGET