Pooks would have had Puke

I am glad that Pooks had her debate party last debate. This debate (McCain's part) is making me feel like puking. I could not sit still so I made Wm come to dinner. A very nice dinner I had started early this afternoon with some boneless short ribs marked down to about $2. Unfortunately we have TV's in all rooms, so I could still hear John McCain in my ear over my left shoulder. I am on my third glass of wine (box) and that and the fact that every other bit of talk is by Obama is keeping me sane. McCain is such a f**k. He does not listen to anything that Obama says. McCain says health care coverage is $5,800, but I remember Robbin saying that she pays $1,000 per month.
Remember there is only one race, the human race.
Do you notice that Obama has a flag pin and McCain has no flag pin?
Obama nice closing.

Finishing the Trees

After hours of repair on the crane, they are finally taking down the rest of the last tree. You can see Anthony in the top of the tree.

Go Matt

This live chat is so funny as Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone and and Byron York of the National Review butt heads on the causes of the financial crisis.

The Auburn Crane is Here

Very exciting watching the faller climb up the tree, set the chain, measure and cut off a section of the tree, then seeing the section of the tree whirl away in the air. William got up on the roof to watch. The animals took it in stride and didn't seem much bothered. But they did stay on the porch.

I would take mine out

So McCain would let me take up to 50K per year out of my IRA and have it taxed at only 10%. Then he says we don't want money to leave the market. Who is he kidding? If this rule were in effect, I would take my money out, so I would pay less taxes on it. You have to pay the taxes sometime and better to pay less now than more later. He has totally the wrong idea, if he wants people to leave their money alone. But he always said economics was not his strength.
I think that they do not understand that there are a whole bunch of people who are old enough to take all of their money out of their IRA's, if they wanted, but don't because of the taxes they would pay all at once.

Starring George Clooney

Andy Borowitz humorously writes that he fears Paul Krugman will get big-headed after winning the Nobel for Economics.

According to Ms. Hefstein (his new publicist), Mr. Krugman plans to spend the next few months "building his brand" and will be adapting his book, International Economics: Theory and Policy, into a feature film to star George Clooney.

Just Call Me and I'll Pick You Up

McCain's Campaign

Jon's Weekend so far

This was the Friday race in Ohio:

In the elite men's race, Powers and Danish National Champion Joachim Parbo (CCV Leopard Cycles) put the pedal to the metal at the gun and led to the holeshot, with Barry Wicks in tow and Vitamin Cottage’s Jonathan Baker not too far off the pace. When Wicks met Powers, it was game-on and Parbo paid the price.

Powers lead increased to nearly a minute through laps 4-6. At this point, the battle was for third between Wicks and a sweaty-faced Baker. Before the barriers on lap four, Baker was rattled on a bumpy off camber uphill u-turn and Wicks blasted by to claim third. Parbo was still back and now closing on Baker. The Dane made contact and the duo worked together till the last lap, when Parbo punched the pedals of his new carbon Leopard Cycles rig just before the barriers. Baker couldn’t answer.

Jon came in 5th, a good showing.Pic is from Saturday race. Results so far only show the top 3, same as Friday.

Yard Sales are Bad

So I made about $75 the first day and it is colder today. I don't know that I will make anything today. Most of the hard core yard salers come out the first day. We covered everything up overnight, but the clothes rack fell down in the night. When it is light I am going to go out and shake off and fold up the clothes. They will all go to hospice I think. I wasn't selling many of them anyway. Very discouraging. I put the school desk, treadle sewing machine and basketball set up on craigslist. I think I'll put the wetsuit up also. Some of the books I'll take to Ames or Carol's Used Books. The rest is junk or Hospice Gift and Thrift.

Ben on a Rock

Val just sent a pic of Ben up on a rock. Looks like he climbed up.

See Anything You Like?

The sky is clear with few clouds. The breeze is very light, but it is cold today. Wm has helped, but mostly I am sitting out here. Might have sold $100. I haven't counted yet. I think I will put a few of the bigger ticket items on craigslist and see how that goes. Lots of books, clothes and garage junque for sale here. This is just the first of many yardsales as we just have to get rid of our stuff. I want the house to look uncluttered and with mostly new furniture when we move back in.
Thank goodness Hospice Gift and Thrift is just around the corner. They take anything and our rule is once it comes out of the garage, it is not going back in.

The Ant and The Grasshopper

Do you remember the fable of The Ant and The Grasshopper. The ant worked hard and saved for the winter. The grasshopper did not save and when the winter came around he had nothing to eat and starved to death. In these bad times you may think you have a secure job, but how secure is your company, if those who buy your product are cutting back. Everyone should be prepared for bad times with at least 6 months of basic expenses in savings. You cannot afford to not be saving. If you get a bonus, you ought to save it. If you get a raise, you ought to save it. It is never a good time to be a grasshopper, but now most of all. The moral of the story: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
Don't be like the grasshopper and indulge your every whim.

Palin guilty in Troopergate

AP NewsAlert

14 minutes ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Legislative panel finds Palin abused her power in firing of public safety commissioner.

I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.11(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.11(a)

William says she reminds him of Spiro Agnew.
In case you do not remember, he was a corrupt attack-dog Nixon VP who had to resign. Replaced by Ford. Who, when Nixon resigned, became the first unelected president.

Yard Sale Weekend

Preparing for the first of many yard sales. I got a lot of my clothes together and William built a rack. Books galore are in 2 bookshelves and a lot of small boxes. Miscellanea and a few bits of furniture. The treadle sewing machine and an old school desk. Hats, purses, etc. William says he has a lot more stuff to bring out of the garage. I hope so as it is stuffed with stuff and we have to be able to put what we want to keep in it during the remodel.

From the Right

From Andrew Sullivan--a usually Republican-leaning blogger:

There was always going to be a point of revolt and panic for a core group of Americans who believe that Obama simply cannot be president - because he's black or liberal or young or relatively new. This is that point. As the polls suggest a strong victory, the Hannity-Limbaugh-Steyn-O'Reilly base are going into shock and extreme rage. McCain and Palin have decided to stoke this rage, to foment it, to encourage paranoid notions that somehow Obama is a "secret" terrorist or Islamist or foreigner. These are base emotions in both sense of the word.

But they are also very very dangerous. This is a moment of maximal physical danger for the young Democratic nominee. And McCain is playing with fire. If he really wants to put country first, he will attack Obama on his policies - not on these inflammatory, personal, creepy grounds. This is getting close to the atmosphere stoked by the Israeli far right before the assassination of Rabin.

For God's sake, McCain, stop it. For once in this campaign, put your country first.

Liberals Are Afraid

I am afraid of the hatred the Republicans are stirring up. It only takes one loon who decides to act on the hatred.

Low Banking

First it is the partying by AIG and wasting of $61 billion of their $85 billion so they require some $37 billion more.
Now it is the loaning of $8 million by Wachovia to the NRCC as the bank closes branches and denies loans to everyone else and requires federal guarantees to avoid bankruptcy. I hate that Wells Fargo is going to buy this corrupt institution.

Too Too Similar

Read The Return of The Long Depression by Andrew Leonard. Too similar and too spooky.

My Voting Pattern Vindicated

Normally I vote No on all propositions on the ballot, as I consider them mostly a waste of money and just a way for special interests to take flexibility out of the budgeting process. I am vindicated, says the Sac Bee.