Slope of Hope: We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident
An excellent list of core beliefs I would stand behind 100%:
-Printing up trillions of dollars of fiat money is no way to save a crumbling economy;
-A soaring jobless rate is not a basis for optimism about the prospects for equities;
-The fact that Goldman Sachs was able to snooker the public (again) by pushing the market higher 1 quarter out of 7 does not mean a new bull market has appeared;
Dumping tens of billions of dollars into the completely failed US auto industry at taxpayer expense is not a wise move;
-Throwing trillions of dollars at insolvent banks, which spend most of their attention lining their executives pockets with enormous bonuses, is imprudent;
-Pretending that the Medicare and Social Security System aren't headed for certain collapse is disingenuous;
-Peach cobbler with two scoops of ice cream can make a delicious noontime treat.
A level headed take.
Funny Picture
Evil, always where you least expect it to be:
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
We Can't Balance the Budget, But...
We can send a small robotic rover all the way to Mars, land it on the surface, and drive it around for years sending back pictures. Here Rover Opportunity drives away from it's own landing zone. You can see the descent apparatus in the background:
Film Trailers
A few trailers from films I love that you may or may not have ever seen.
Timothy Hutton and George C Scott (as well as many familiar faces!) give weight and drama to the film TAPS:
Now that Christian Bale is finally getting the acting props he deserves (after Batman and "3:10 to Yuma") see him in an earlier film called "Equilibrium":
I have to admit I loved Vin Diesel as "Riddick" in "Pitch Black" and "The Chronicles of Riddick" (trailer below):
In a new era classic film that exhibits dynamic story with excellent acting, perfect music, almost unreal cinematography, and wonderful pace please take a look at the trailer for "The Assassination of Jesse James" and then please see the film:
Music for the Weekend
A few tunes for the long weekend.
The wife and I have tickets for Depeche Mode on July 31st. If their new album is as strong as the song "Wrong" then it will be a great show:
While everyone is all excited about the talent show version of this song, check out the original tune by Garth Brooks, "If Tomorrow Never Comes":
Thunderous drums, balanced guitars, and always deep lyrics make Iron Maiden's song "Gangland" a winner:
Have a great weekend!
19 comments:
Enjoy your holiday, GYC. I know I will.
Got my truck back from the shop. $273!!! Tomorrow I'm going down to the Mazda dealership and order a new RX-8.
Funny thing happened after my last comment, the one on rain. Shortly after I posted it, a thunderstorm rolled in. It was a torrential downpour, thunder and lightning. I hate rain. LOL!
I won't be doing any work on the 4th of July. I might go to the Tea Party, but I haven't decided yet. I went to the first one and found it inspiring. I even wrote a post as a citizen journalist on PJTV. However, this time they're holding it at the race track. Show up early and see the cars, then there's a fireworks show!
I don't know. It seems to me that they're trying to make it into something other than what it is. That is not the way to organize a movement. The focus should be on liberty, limited government and fiscal discipline, not on throwing a party. But then I wouldn't know what else to expect in America these days.
Red is the new black, bankruptcy the new profit, slavery the new freedom, and debt the new money. I can't get behind that.
Gawains,
you know we are all behind the RX8 buy, I bet you get a steal price! Would love to slalom corners on a time scale vs my G35X!
I get your indignation that tea parties may be made into shows, just like all the rest of advertising.
I feel to make a difference we need a SUSTAINED phone, email, and media blitz but the best news cycle so far for "anti-spending bailouts" has been about 4 days and people that would object to such things do not have that kind of time to spare; they have lives, kids, and jobs. We are on the rails of the crazy train even though we know to get off.
Have a good weekend, your posts are most appreciated!
If you like Christian Bale, watch "The Machinist". Most of his other work pales in comparison. Certainly "Batman" does.
Something to chew on:
Sweden interest rate now set at Negative .25%!!! They charge YOU to hold YOUR money! Unreal. How long till the FED hits this crack pipe?? There should be a run from the banks there now I would imagine, yes?
http://tinyurl.com/mte3qg
Well, after driving and doing all the things I could have done yesterday, if my truck hadn't been in the shop, I stopped by the Mazda dealer and talked to the man, picked up a credit application and made an appointment for tomorrow at 11:00 AM to order a new RX-8.
Yes! On the 4th of July, the Birthday of America, I am going to buy a Japanese sports car. There is some irony in that, but I want what I want and it is what it is.
Anyway, tomorrow we're having chili. For those of you unfamiliar with Texas chili, I present the following. And I will follow up this comment with my Uncle Buddy's chili recipe.
Frank is a northeast liberal reporter who happened to be in town when he was called on assignment.
Frank: "Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cooking contest. I was assured by the other two judges (native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy and they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted."
Here are the scorecards: (Frank is #3)
Chili: Eddie's Maniac Monster
#1 A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.
#2 Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
#3 What the hell is this stuff?! You could use it to remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put out the flames. I hope that's the worst one. These Texans are crazy!
Chili: Austin's Afterburner
#1 Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.
#2 Exciting BBQ flavor; needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
#3 Keep this out of the reach of children. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to taste besides pain. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.
Chili: Ronny's Famous Burn Down the Barn
#1 Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick. Needs more beans.
#2 A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of peppers.
#3 Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite.
Chili: Dave's Black Magic
#1 Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
#2 Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for mild foods; not much of a chili.
#3 I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? That 300-lb. woman is starting to look HOT, just like this nuclear waste I'm eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac?
Chili: Lisa's Legal Lip Remover
#1 Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.
#2 Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
#3 My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead, and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics. I wonder if I'm burning my lips off. It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw those rednecks.
Chili: Pam's Very Vegetarian Variety
#1 Thin, yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers.
#2 The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic. Superb.
#3 My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulphuric flames. I pooped myself when I farted and I'm worried it will eat through the chair! I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone.
Chili: Carla's Screaming Sensation
#1 A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
#2 Ho-hum. Tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should take note that I am worried about Judge #3. He appears to be in a bit of distress, as he is cursing uncontrollably.
#3 You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. I've decided to stop breathing; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.
Chili: Karen's Toenail Curling
#1 The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.
#2 This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild, nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3 farted, passed out, fell over, and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Poor fella, wonder how he'd have reacted to really hot chili?
#3 Oh God...
Now, here is my Uncle Buddy's Texas chili recipe:
3 lbs sirloin steak cut into 1 inch pieces
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp comino (cumin)
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp ground red pepper
1 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cans 8 oz tomato sauce
3 dried jalepeno chili pods
Saute meat until grayish color. Add water and tomato sauce to cover meat. Add other ingredients.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Skim fat off.
Add 1 Tbsp flour to thicken. Cook 15 more minutes.
Gawains,
congrats on the purchase step. I hope you get a good deal. Only question is: Red or Black?
Thanks so much for the chili recipe, I have the usaul stuff for tomorrow (burgers, dogs, potato salad) and that chili might just be the change up I was looking for! Much appreciated.
Take care.
Silver. It has to be silver so I can put magnetic Blue Stars on the doors for when I go to Cowboys games.
Happy 4th of July everyone!
GawainsGhost,
Hope it goes well with the RX-8, from what I gather this car is a blast in the twisties.
Thanks, guys. I appreciate your support.
Yeah, my dad had an RX-7 back in the day. He let me take my date to the prom in it. That car was fun to drive, with good acceleration and handling.
But then he sold it and bought a fully loaded last of the Stingrays Corvette. Now that was a car, really nice. He never let me drive it though, probably because he never really forgave me for my little beach adventure the one time he let me drive his 69 Stingray.
Anyhow, here is an interesting and important article by Eurointelligence that bears serious consideration as it pertains to the global economy.
http://www.eurointelligence.com/article.581+M505a5f45a4f.0.html
Europe's car industry is collapsing? Yeah, well, America's car industry has already collapsed. I guess we'll all be driving Japanese soon.
By the way, GYC, if you don't want to make chili from scratch, and so few of us do, the best chili mix is Carroll Shelby's. He invented the Cobra, you know, and this is the recipe he used to make chili on NASCAR race tracks.
The link to order can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/Carroll-Shelbys-Original-Texas-4-Ounce/dp/B000H23Z1C
This is the best chili mix there is. If you don't have time to make Uncle Buddy's recipe, that is.
But I should note that in Texas chili is never mixed with beans. The beans go in a bowl on the side. Chili is best eaten with shredded cheese and chopped onions. And if you want to make a chili pie, with Frito's Scoops.
I did it! Just got back from the Mazda dealership. I signed my name on the dotted line and gave them $1000 to order a silver Grand Touring RX-8, with leather seats, moonroof, nine-speaker Bose stereo, the works.
They said they had one coming in with the navigation system, which I really didn't want to order, but since it was only an extra $800 I said I'll take it, because it would get here a lot sooner than one without.
So now I'm just waiting on delivery.
Yes!!! Congratulations GawainsGhost!
I've read that the steering feedback on the RX-8 is heaven, after you take delivery let us know what you think of the car in general.
Reporting from Washington -- Yet another scam designed to separate homeowners from their money is making its way across the country from the West, where desperate sellers are willing to accept just about any kind of compensation to get out from under.
This scheme involves the use of fraudulent Treasury-related promissory notes and bonds as down payments by charlatans who claim to be short on cash. In most cases the scam artists try to buy homes using these worthless documents, but in one case they actually tried to purchase an office building.
One clue that "private promissory notes" and "private offset bonds" are not on the up and up is that they carry the name of former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson on their face. Private bonds and notes are neither backed nor guaranteed by the federal government, so no Treasury secretary's name would ever appear on them.
http://tinyurl.com/nf2ncj
LOL
Kevin
The unemployment timebomb is quietly ticking
One dog has yet to bark in this long winding crisis. Beyond riots in Athens and a Baltic bust-up, we have not seen evidence of bitter political protest as the slump eats away at the legitimacy of governing elites in North America, Europe, and Japan. It may just be a matter of time.
http://tinyurl.com/lkr9nq
Tic-Tic-Tic
Kevin
Gawains,
very exciting car news! Can't wait to get your review of the RX-8
Kevin,
Good to hear from you again, I trust you had a nice holiday.
Gysc,
Everyday is a holiday for me so they all just kind of blend together. My most valuable asset and I went over to one of my daughters place for a BBQ with other family members and friends then watched the fire works.
I can't get to excited about these holidays anymore but it's always nice to see the grandkids.
They were having a blast.
Kevin
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