Teacher's Unions: Do You Want A Receipt For Your Souls?

Obama's economic stimulus package was voted on by the House yesterday. Every Republican voted against it. Eleven Democrats did too.

Here's why...


Obama is proposing to spend more than the entire Iraq war with one fell swoop of the pen, under the guise of a bailout.

Bailout??? This isn't strictly a bailout. Included in this bill is one big massive vote buyout payment to the teachers unions and the welfare throng, Obama's biggest supporters.

Let's look at the fine print on a $819 billion dollar package. (from the Wall Street Journal)

"In the education realm, the stimulus aims more than $125 billion at bolstering public education, an unusual federal intervention in a sphere usually left to state and local governments. It calls for spending $20 billion on school and college renovations. There's another $79 billion proposed for aid to the states to help them avoid education-related layoffs. In addition, more than $2 billion would go to the Head Start program, $13 billion to supplemental funding for high-poverty areas, and another $13 billion for special-education programs."


125 billion dollars of a STIMULUS PACKAGE to education???

How the hell in God's name does sending 125B to the education system, and a lion's share of that to preserve salaries ($79B), help stimulate the economy? This is a fucking outrage!

15% of the "Stimulus Package" is going to education (125B/819B). Throw in 50 million to the National Endowment to the Arts to add insult to injury (no I am not making that up, check the article yourself).

The stimulus package is basically a welfare package payout to many of those who were elemental to Obama's run for the presidency. Unfortunately, very little of it will actually go to stimulating the economy.

Congratulations, teachers unions...spend your dollars wisely.

Karma dictates that what comes around, goes around. School vouchers, shared home-schooling and privatization are in the future. It'll be the greatest thing for students but then finally, teachers will get paid what they are worth...not what the teachers unions can sponge taxpayers for. If I was a teacher, I'd be apt to try to gain control of the union that represents me, because eventually the union will spell the demise of the current education system in favor of privatization.

The fact that 11 democrats broke ranks gives me some hope for this country. Next time, Obama wants to give his buddies free money, I wish he would just call it what it is...a payout of free money or voter welfare and not hide it under a guise of a stimulus package.

Now, I'm sure all the teachers that are my friends will be pissed off by this post and I really don't give a rat's ass about that. I think that this could possibly be one of the most outwardly corrupt cash grabs I've ever seen in my life. Maybe some of them will finally see the greed, corruption and power of the national entities that spoon feed them their "facts"..., but probably not.

Unions and Thain and Pray For Rain...

This fucker, former CEO of Merrill Lynch, John Thain, was unceremoniously dumped by Bank of America today.

Was it his 1.22M office? Was it the 3-4B in bonuses he okay'd right before Bank of America was to take ownership and "supposedly" before he knew that Merrill Lynch's numbers were going to be bad in the previous quarter? Was it the fact, that in the middle of the banking turmoil and while facing possible bankrupcy, that he insisted on himself getting a 10M bonus for "putting together" the Merrill Lynch/BAC deal? As if he had a choice not to go forward.

Honestly, the corporate culture and the unions are killing this country and we are choosing to bail these fuckers out.

I say nationalize the banks for the time being and allow the auto industry to go through bankruptcies. It's the only way to clean the scum out from their lofty perches...

Stop taking sides in class warfare and realize that both sides are hosing the fuck out of us!!!

Then the banks can be slowly re-privatized in time as buyers come back without the government (us) purchasing their fucktard toxic debt and we can renegotiate what a autoworker is really worth and not what some fatcat union boss demands that he/she is worth.

I'm so sick and tired of taking it up the ass by Corporate America and Unions. Enough already!

Hope Fades, Reality Sets In

Barrack Obama is a smart guy. With a throng of hero-worshipping liberals, the Hollyweird elite and the leftist media whipped into a frenzy, he chose an overall message of personal responsibility to center his inauguration speech around.

That gives me some hope. Hope that President Obama is more centered and has a firmer grip on reality than many of his most avid supporters, who think he's going to waive a magic wand and cure all of our individual and collective woes. These are the same people who will likely be the first to turn on him when he doesn't support their pet projects with equal fervor.

I'm hoping that Obama is successful as a President and helps bring our two parties together, as partisanship is slowly killing this nation. Of course, I'm very skeptical but I have to believe that he didn't honestly think he was going to be able to live up to all of his campaign promises, many of which would face vigorous opposition from conservatives.

He has a Democratic House and Senate to help him push his agenda. The only thing left to wonder is whether he will use them to push the country to the far left or whether he is willing to truly be a consensus builder as he promised.

My biggest hope though is that he keeps us safe and defends our great nation with vigilance equal to that of President Bush. I'm not convinced that he can, but I hope that he does.

Good luck Mr. President!

My Final Pre-Inaugural Purchase

Since the Dems are coming tomorrow with full control of the House, Senate and Oval Office, I figured I couldn't afford not to make one last firearms purchase before guns "start coming under fire (pun intended)".

While I think Obama has a lot more on his plate to worry about, I'd be shocked if we don't see huge tax increases for guns/ammo in the immediate future.

This Remington 870 Express 12 ga shotgun should pretty much fill my arsenal. I'm looking forward to hunting turkey with it next year.

I may have also "jumped the gun (pun intended)" on my "NRA member by 45" prediction. I've already filled out the paperwork!

Pittsburgh Penguins Give Bebis Final Birthday Present!

Bebis and I attended our annual Pens-Rangers game this afternoon for her birthday. As usual, the Pens sent her home happy with a 3-0 victory. I swear she is a Ranger jinx as she roots for her hometown Pens! That coupled with the Steelers win over the Ravens really made her day!

And while she was away, her sisters made some interesting snow art. That post will follow.

Family Feud 2: Electric Bugaloo

Well, Tay has done it again.

Just to summarize, Tay and I play a game while we watch Family Feud. We both try to guess the number 1 answers for the first four rounds. One point is given for the number 1 answer, ties get 1/2 point and if neither of us gets the number 1, a 1/2 point is given to the highest ranked answer between us.

Many of you enjoyed my last story of a miracle victory, here is the latest incantation.

I go up quickly 1-0 as I nail the first answer. Tay takes a half point in Round 2. In Round 3, we both give the same #1 answer, so the score stands at Bluey 1.5, Tay 1 with one last round coming up.

I start to tease her.

"You know all I have to do now is to wait for you to start saying something and just say the same thing and take the win..."

"That's what you ALWAYS do!"

"Now, who's being a sore loser? I'm just kidding...it's on like Donkey Kong!"

"We'll see..."

So, the last question is "Name a language that many people must learn for business purposes"

Tay yells out "Spanish!"

I was a little slow on the draw and also yell out Spanish...

It's the #1 answer.

I immediately go on the offensive.

"Well, that's a tie...you lose!"

"I did not you big cheater! I said it first!"

"No you didn't!"

"Did too! You lost fair and square...admit it, admit it!"

I sheepishly concur...I'm a beaten man...

Other answers are given on the show, Chinese and English also were up there #2 and #3 leaving one more answer. I'd pretty much accepted defeat until Tay blurts out...

"I'll give you the win if you get the last answer..."

I immediately answer "French".

Tay says, "That answer has already been given"

"No, it hasn't"

Tay goes into full panic mode judging by her eyes...

The #4 answer turns out to be, you guessed it..."French".

"WooHoooooooooo!!! I win!!!! Yes!!!!"

"That doesn't count", counters Tay, "I was only joking".

"What? You were not!"

"I thought that they already gave French, so it doesn't count!"

"No. I admitted that I lost and didn't even beg for a last chance deal. I had accepted the loss until you made the offer and I answered. I won fair and square. You got a little too big for yer britches!"

"Damn!"

So, once again, Bluey snatches victory out of the jaws of defeat!

Will Tay ever learn?

Jersey Boys

We celebrated Bebis' birthday tonight and saw Jersey Boys at the Benedum. All I can say is, wow, what a show!

I never realized that the Four Seasons cranked out so many hits. The girls absolutely loved the high energy of the show and actually knew all the songs (I guess by cultural osmosis). Tay loved it as well.

I would highly recommend this musical. Oh, what a night! (ok, I know, that was pretty bad)

Nobody Goes Full Retard...

I watched Tropic Thunder last night. It was weird but extremely hilarious in spots. It will definitely be one of those cult classics that everyone quotes lines from for years.

The movie is about a bunch of actors making a war movie. Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, talks about his best role (Simple Jack), that all the awards shows snubbed. He explains how he puts his whole effort into the role, actually feeling retarded after leaving the set most nights. But the movie flops anyway. In comes Robert Downey's character, an Austrailian actor, Kirk Lazarus, with many Academy Award wins who has pigmentation surgery to play an African-American platoon sargeant in the film, to offer his sage advice for playing "slow" individuals on film.


Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full retard.



Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?



Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed...



The scene from Tropic Thunder just about had me pissing myself (although you need to see the "Simple Jack" trailer in the movie to have a real appreciation for it). This is what got most people upset over the movie for and of course, I find it absolutely hilarious...go figure!

Tay and I finished watching the movie and we were goofing around before going to bed.

I pop a couple of my meds and go to swallow them down and Tay Tay says, "You went Full Retard...You never go Full Retard..."

I started to choke and spit the ice tea in my mouth across the room and my pills all over the floor. I started to laugh so hard it actually hurt my throat.

I'm pretty sure we'll be saying that for awhile around here.

I would recommend the movie for twisted individuals like myself. Tom Cruise nearly stole the movie. He was hilarious, especially dancing to Flo Rida's "Low". I almost pissed myself at that scene too!

Florida Buys Trophy Case For Their Award!

I'm proud to say, I watched not one minute of college football this year and will continue to boycott the sport until a few things happen. I see no point in investing 3 seconds of my time in such a nonsensical and arbitrary contest each year.

Until the NCAA wrestles the scheduling of games away from universities and gives everyone a fair and balanced schedule with an equal number of home and away games, really, what is the point of watching?

Most teams have no chance of winning the BCS title no matter how they perform. College football doesn't have to have a playoff system necessarily (although, it would be great), but it does need to provide each team with a comparable SOS (strength of schedule) to allow each team a legitimate chance and not just pay lip service to their perceived "2nd tier" teams.

They'd be better off cleaving off a whole bunch of these Division I teams, rather then giving them false hope of ever winning a title. And for God's sake, let's maximize natural rivals as much as possible and create some cross continental regular season rivalries as well.

Let's face it, Penn State and Pitt should be playing each other, not Appalachian State or Temple.

So, NCAA...take on the role of schedulemaker already and lose the shitty programs already. Have a Division II league where the top 10 programs in a given year replace the bottom 10 Division I programs to at least mix it up or give a chance to up and coming programs.

Until that happens...I could give a shit.

Happy 14th Birthday, Bebis!

Just want to give my daughter, Bebis a quick shout out.

She turns 14 today. Fourteen...god where do the years go? Her and her buddy Izzy are doing some mad celebrating today.

Another Gem From The Onion!

I almost pissed myself watching this video.

A Major Award!

As part of the spoils of the Bluey's Hail Mary championship, I have donated a travelling trophy to the league to be enjoyed by all future WashPA FFL champions.

Thanks to all for one hell of a season. With five teams vying for the final playoff spot on the last regular season weekend, I think we all gained a real appreciation for just how competitive this league is. This trophy is my tribute to all of you guys.

Engraved on the first 4 detail plates are champions from 2005 (Flavorfools), 2006 (Justice League Now), 2007 (Bird) and 2008 (Hail Mary).

Of course, I am going to enjoy showing it off until draft day, when I will bring the trophy and surrender it to the commissioner.

Then, it'll be on like Donkey Kong!

If you think I'm going to surrender this trophy easily, you obviously don't know me very well.

Bluey's First "Timber!!!"

After relenting and getting me a Stihl Farm Boss for Christmas, Tay has been watching me like a hawk because she knew I wanted to take down a big dead tree now that I had a chainsaw.

She'd tell me, "you don't have a clue what you're doing".

I'd tease her and say, "I watched the lumberjacks on ESPN and a bunch of Axemen episodes. I know how to do it".

Of course, the first tree I wanted to take down was about 10 feet from our garage, which raised Tay's anxiety level even higher. So, as the days passed since Christmas she's been sleeping with one eye and one ear open.

Until today.

I paid the 4 junior peteys $5 each to create a diversion in the house.

While Tay was occupied, I bustled outside, fired up the chainsaw and went to work on the tree. She became wise to the ruse but was too late to stop me.

She grabbed the camera because she was sure I was going to drop the dead tree on the garage and wanted to get evidence for posterity and future bribery.

And the results...Sweet Success!!!

Tay was truly amazed! Although a Downey woodpecker seemed to be giving me the evil eye...

Sweet Creeping Jesus!

I can't even remember how long it has been since my Dolphins made the NFL playoffs. It seems like a whole 'nother lifetime ago.

Granted, there is a good chance that the Baltimore Ravens are going to kick their asses this weekend but give it up for the 'Fins anyway! A solid running game and defense...who'd a thunk they'd finally get wise and go back to what made them good all those years ago. I guess you can call it the "Marino Hangover".

As much as I think Dan was the best quarterback ever in the NFL, he played during a time the Dolphins abandoned the running game and when their defense couldn't stop a pack of girl scouts.

I Must Have Been A Good Boy This Year!

...because Santa brought me just what I wanted for Christmas! In fact, Santa spoiled me rotten this year.

For years I've been asking for the Stihl M290 Farm Boss chainsaw.

"You'll cut your leg off"

Drat, the unholy "you'll cut your (choose the appendage) off" thwarted me for years!

The conversation usually went something like this.

"Tay, we have a lot of fallen and dead trees on the property that need to be cleaned up"

"Yeah, I know"

"Well, if I had my own chainsaw, I could do it lickety split and we'd have more firewood for the wood burner."

"My Dad will come and take care of it. Besides, your a city boy and know nothing about chainsaws. The last thing I need is you cutting your leg off or killing yourself".

"C'mon Tay, your Dad lets me use his chainsaw all the time".

"Yeah, but that's supervised by my Dad and I know you...if you get your own chainsaw, you're going to want to take down trees and that's just way too dangerous. You'll eventually drop a tree on a car or the house god forbid...no you can forget about it!".

"But Tay, I watched the loggers on ESPN. I know how to do it now and I promise that I'll only take down the dead trees".

"Forget it"

...and thus it went as I harped on her for two years...until one day she asked me about chainsaws and I replied...

"I want the Stihl Farm Boss M290 with a side-access chain tensioner, IntelliCarb™ compensating carburetor, built-in winter-summer shutter for cold-weather operation, toolless filter caps and anti-vibration system designed to reduce fatigue."

Uh-oh, much like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story", I overplayed my hand...

"You'll cut your arm off!"

Until this Christmas, after opening all of the presents with the Peteys, Tay called me down to fill the woodburner. I went downstairs and saw Tay sitting down there on top of the woodpile. Sitting next to her, yeah, you guessed it...the Stihl Farm Boss!!!

Yup, I gots the most wonderful wife in the world that spoils me rotten.

Now, I'm off to see if I can lose 40 lbs the easy way!

Sweet Victory!!!

Blueys Hail Mary (15-1) 143, Flashes (13-3) 123.

15 consecutive wins after an opening day loss propelled the Hail Mary to their first WashPA FFL title. Hail Mary coach AJ Duhe raises the Lombardi trophy.

Regular season Co-MVPs: Clinton Portis/Brian Westbrook (~322pts)

Playoff MVP: Dallas Clark (37 pts in semis, 29 pts in Final)

...And Then There Were Two...

The WashPA FFL championship is set as its' two best teams outlasted their Round 1 playoff rivals. Bluey's Hail Mary ended Blicious' dream of an upset 146-102, while the Flashes easily handled the Gridiron Gladiators 186-131.

Bluey's Hail Mary (14-1) takes on Jimbo's Flashes (12-3) this weekend in a matchup for all the marbles and bragging rights for the year.

B and Francois will play a consolation game for third place.

Bluey's Favorite Java!

Okay, so I just started drinking coffee at the tender age of 41.

I can blame Poppinfresh for that, but that's not what this post is about.

It's about the best coffee ever made.

And before you 20 year coffee veterans start snickering to yourself about what an upstart coffee newbie can possibly know about coffee in less than a year, let me explain.

Well, first of all, let me propose my favorite coffee. It's Intelligensia's Zirikana, Rwanda.

And as my Father-in-Law says when he "borrows" my tools, "I'll tell you why..."

Well two reasons really:

Reason #1: Most coffee drinkers are poseurs. They really don't like coffee, they are just looking for a dessert drink like hot chocolate. They spoil the coffee flavors with milk, half and half, sugar, caramel, coffeemate, chocolate...you name it. A real coffee drinker drinks coffee black with nothing added. That's how I drink mine. I feel that to add anything to a cup of coffee takes away your right to provide commentary on coffee flavor. If you add anything, I'd argue that you really don't love coffee in the first place. I don't spoil my coffee with any additives whatsoever and can detect all the minimal nuances between the different brands/locations.

Which leads me to reason #2...

Reason #2: I have an extra sensory perception when it comes to coffee. Not can I only taste the different nuances and flavors between coffees, I can also taste the toils involved in harvesting the crop. I can taste the sweat and tears coming from the 12 year old boy who is forced to work 16 hours in the hot steaming sun picking the beans. I can taste his thirst as he works all day. I can taste the blood left on the beans from his raw hands stemming from his fingernails pulling away from his fingertips or his dried, cracked and brittle cuticles...

In some coffees, I can taste the death involved in the harvest in third world countries.

When I drink their coffee, the deaths and intense labor involved are celebrated, not ignored as it is by 99.8% other coffee drinkers in the world. I salute their efforts to provide me with such a wonderful product that I gladly pay $2.30 a cup for.

It kills me when I see others ruining thier coffee with what I consider "candy and/or whipped cream", as if somehow this cleanses the coffee's true origins and the hardship and pain involved in it's production.

When I see folks open their coffee lids at the "fixins" bar, I feel like that Indian who gets the McDonalds food thrown at my feet by thoughtless litterers.

A tear comes to my eye as I lament the forgotten fallen...as I raise my cup of java and pay my respect to my Rwandan/Nicaraguan/Guatemalan/etceteralan bretheren...

I Stole Your Money, Bitches!

Bernie Madoff, made off with potentially up to $50B in a ponzi scheme because of a few simple reasons.

#1: He had a well known name on Wall Street. People threw their money at him only because he managed so much of it. Don't do any research people, just trust the genius. It's like the run of the lemmings over a cliff. No-one was going to get fired for suggesting that they invest with Madoff because it was perceived to be a "safe choice". Well, with the utter non-transparency of the hedge fund, I don't understand how anyone could have performed the due diligence to make an educated decision on whether to hire him as a manager.

#2: He is Jewish. Right or wrong, it seems like Jews in all walks of life tend to mainly trust, promote or support other Jews to a fault. I guess they figure that a fellow Jew won't let them down. Lots of Jewish folks today are lamenting the loss of their life savings because of this foolish notion. Just because a person shares your background doesn't make them trustworthy. Hopefully, a big lesson will be learned here.

#3: He somehow convinced individuals, trusts and companies to place the majority to all of their funds all in one place (with him). How anyone can consider that a diversification policy is beyond me. Especially after the whole world watched the Enron fiasco. Anyone that put their whole life savings or entire trusts in Madoff's hands got just what they deserve.

Overall, it is very hard for me as a portfolio manager and equities analyst to feel too bad for a lot of folks out there who should have known better. How exactly does one place their life savings in an account in which they can't even see what they hold?

Unbelievable.

Expect his two sons to join him in jail soon. It is almost impossible for me to believe that with their positions they had no idea what was going on. In my position, I know everything my company holds in every account and I don't have a title like Chief Financial Officer.

Those two Madoff boys should be in jail as well, I cannot be convinced that they are innocent. They'd have to be borderline retarded for me to believe they had no knowledge of what Dad was doing. Dad is taking the fall to protect them. Expect them to be incarcerated shortly.

More Brainwashing Attempts By Unions!

This morning while watching the morning news, I saw a thirty second commercial spot villifying Walmart.

On the eve of the auto bailout news, the spot blamed Walmart for American losses of jobs, importation of questionable products from China and a host of other business evils and greed that are ruining US business.

Then I thought to myself...who the hell paid for that ad to basically dress down Walmart?

The answer...the unions...

The fucking evil unions that are ruining this country. The unions that chased steel out of Pittsburgh, the same union that will bankrupt Detroit's auto industry and the same unions that will bilk their members out of money to pay for the corruption of our own government.

Christ...Walmart is one of the few places low to middle income folks can go to, to buy good products at nicely discounted prices. People who have a brain in their head realize that Walmart has a good business plan. Buy in volume at highly discounted prices, sell in volume at low margins and everybody makes out...the company and the consumer.

Unions are offended that Walmart's workers aren't unionized. Therefore, they don't have any power over Walmart. Believe me, that eats into their craw. Let me let you in on a secret. I used to be a member of the Foodworkers Union when I was a young unskilled laborer. Most non management jobs at Walmart aren't supposed to be careers. Walmart doesn't believe in paying unskilled knuckle-draggers (believe me, we were all there at one time!) $20/hr and full medical benefits. Therefore, they can pass savings on to consumers and it is a win-win situation.

Unions don't seem to get that the time for unskilled laborers getting "as much as the unions can hold companies hostage for" is over.

So, what are they doing now? They are wasting their members hard earned cash on a propaganda campaign aimed to try to re-establish their fallacy that they are the only thing standing between "evil corporations who want you to be in poverty" and your personal wealth and happiness. They are using up every possible favor in the Democratic party to get an auto bailout and at best all it seems that they will get is a three month bandaid, which is a colossal waste of money.

Let's face it...this once noble institution of unions is on life support. Their corruption and greed is to blame for their own demise. They used their members dues and political power to wield votes to influence politicians for too many years and the time has come to pay the piper.

That Walmart ad is a sign of desperation. The end is coming.

Thank Jesus!