13 Jan 09
RE: Administrative Priorities
Mr. President-elect:
Treasury Bond integrity. There is no greater concern nor any greater opportunity.
A nation that enjoys the respect and endorsement of the international debt markets can do anything. Anything. Not hyperbole but recognizing the reality of our circumstances.
Unfortunately, you inherit policies that appear almost designed to erode confidence and/or devalue the US Dollar. Reestablishing US creditworthiness won't be easy, painless or quick. Without it any other efforts will be for naught.
58 comments:
Like asking KC to get a job.
Not worth the effort
and first
Exactly or worse. I expect "Leader O" to claim he's received some eleventy million pieces of advice in shaping his Gosplan Amerika. This will be Pravda's own truth. my comment will be counted just not considered.
You can already see the "I had no fuggin' idea" in his most recent comments.
Maybe it is only me, but I find it frustrating that Madoff is allowed to live at home after stealing $50,000,000,000.00 and destorying several foreign financial institutions, but Nick Leeson was tossed in the clink right off the back.
No outrage here or from from overseas to put Madoff away. If Madoff had been based in France, do you think Wall Street would be so quiet about him continueing such a lifestyle?
Guess that is a perk who being management when you steal widows blind, instead of an employee.
No outrage here or from from overseas to put Madoff away.
Try this rant.
Anyway, 99 & 44/100ths percent of the time I'd agree as to custody. This time I've got larger concerns. Madoff is essentially paying millions per day to stay out of jail. Fair trade in this case. Second, I don't want to be responsible for his security. No matter what his impending demise I don't want him in custody when it happens.
Madoff has enough portable wealth in his apartment to bribe his guards, arrange for a car and private jet to whisk him off to any country w/o an extradition treaty.
With enough left over to live out his days very comfortably.
I hear Rio is nice this time of year.
Madoff is keeping his sons out of jail. Ain't gonna work. Our government has no honor. They'll find something else to prosecute after his deal.
I like this hat better
W: what hat ..... oh, now I see it!
Yeah, that's a nice pair of... um... hat, yeah. Nice hat.
A pink hat? I don't get it. That's a size too small t-shirt.
Thanks for writing to share your thoughts on where the country should go.
There will be many more ways to get involved in the weeks and months to come -- and with a lot of hard work ahead of us, we'll be counting on you to help.
Thanks,
The Obama-Biden Transition Project
Rob, just did the pick-up at the new school for the first time. Definitely some talent on display. Also, no cars anywhere near 9.5 years old.
Is it not obvious that Keating Five veteran McCain would have been a better choice?
Madoff pisses me off and I'm concerned the American tax payer will be stuck paying the bill in the end (like everything else).
BTW, I have a collection of vintage Soviet hats, pins, etc. in one of my many boxes of old junk I've somehow collected - Oh, Luba can be found wearing Soviet gear somewhere on Zillow Book too.
Yesterday, theres holes in my head had an interesting Communist-related post.
For the Californicated pet owners here, please note Arnold's BS tax plan.
C'mon Dawg. You are very valuable over there. Please reconsider. I look for your posts. Really.
Outsider | 01.13.09 - 10:41 pm | #
Outsider,
Thanks for the kind words but there's a situation on CR beyond my control. As long as rent_to_own keeps stalking and spewing faster than I can can clean up his lies I'm not inclined to take the abuse.
i disagree as to my value but that's a different issue.
Well I know it's gotta be killing you because you lived over there. ;)
A lot of people have expressed their condolences, if you haven't already seen. Won't bug you anymore, but can't you just filter that one person out? Block em, ignore em, scroll em, whatever. You're really gonna miss us, after all.
I'll go look.
Still I had filtered him out but when a bunch of people started responding to him i saw their bits and went back to look. It was blatant hurtful stuff. Deliberate cruelty. Besides, he's been showing up on other sites. stalking me. I won't pollute Cr nor feed his sickness. no big deal. Sure I found CR a great community but if you've been reading recently you know fully a third of the comments there could be reduced to "we are all screwed." Another group coukld be described as "look at my awesome 3 sigma trade reported only after the fact." That's a real yawner.
My take is Rob Dawg was forced out by his own sense of fairness,...too many people only had to see his handle to start their same arguments up again, and I'm guessing he felt it wasn't productive for CR's sake, because I'm pretty sure he wasn't afraid of debating anyone.
sdtfs
Wish I said that.
Outsider,
Thanks for making me go back and look. Maybe after some time I'll sneak back in.
Well, if I can't get my Dawg fix over there I'll just have to come over here more often!
p.s.: Actually I haven't missed a post here, just rarely comment.
tj and the bear,
I would have told you privately if I had a contact.
It really is no big deal. The HBB went on without me. CR will do fine. Community is transient. My interests drift especially now that I can't take medication.
I'll use this as an opportunity to push the EN up a notch.
I just solved Californias housing problem.
The state needs to start advertising in the northeast RIGHT NOW. It is 130 degrees warmer today in SoCal than the low in the northeast. Hell, our low was almost a 100 degrees higher than theirs. Get the guys from Entourage to make some slick ads with lots of bikinis.
Evil empires, one down, one to go.
w,
I lost only 3 Bacon varietals in the wind but man is it ever crunchy dry. You be sure to watch the ridge lines for fire.
My sister in in Dayton. Ouch. Personally, I consider it a form of child abuse as her kids were born in Hawaii.
Hey Robbo... I've made CBS News yet again, showing my disdain for the government bailouts.
No word on prosecuting me for my serial frauds dating back almost 5 years... Sweet!!
Obama is a tool.
Try using a different handle over at the other place, but post occasionally as the Dawg so rent_to_own has a bone to worry.
Rob,
Don't want to post my email address publicly so I'll just drop you a postcard with my info.
Take care!
Tried a Dawg post only to get immediately excoriated for not understanding peak oil. I've been right about peak oil for 20 years and it gets tiresome to have every noob reinvent peak oil and proceed to lecture on it.
Speaking of peak oil...Did Kunstler move to Madison?
Bye the way, I just got home. Had to run the air conditioning in my truck because I was burning up as it was 68 degrees. I know, 68 isn't hot, but you have to remember that 68 feels like 85 when the moon is out. (Who makes those stupid weather numbers that say it is -7 out but it feels like -38?)
Just curious, I got laid off yesterday, and I noticed on the news yesterday and today that a lot of companies did that on Tuesday (and a few on Monday, and others on Wednesday). Some companies up here - MN- had massive layoffs, like 30%. What do you think the triggering event was that made the boards decide to dump so many people?
Jake
Sorry to hear that.
You should expect lots of company in the unemployment line.
Watching the finance channels on TV, it seems like every company is cutting or getting ready to do so.
Sure is feeling like the late 70s again.
-Layoffs every where you turn.
-Retail is failing and taking CRE with them
-Government sector is asking for crazy raises while taxes nobody can afford go through the roof.
-Bruins and Celtics are powerhouses in their respective leagues.
Where did I put those plaid pants and rayon open neck shirt?
h.
Where did I put those plaid pants and rayon open neck shirt?
I found mine behind my mustard colored leisure suit.
Jake,
Sorry to hear that. This is not a case where it feels better knowing you are not alone. Layoffs are just piling up. I too seem to notice big ones in the middle of the week. I can guess so as minimize time in the news cycle. Soon it won't matter unless you are in S&P 500 and the RIF is in the thousands, it'll be just noise. Regular readers here know MN is my pick for going down before California. I'm not sure of their specific issues but State politics is surely part of the problem.
Companies everywhere still have corporate memories of the 70s. They knew the didn't rightsize anywhere near fast enough and are eager to make a worse mistake in the other direction this time. It doesn't help that many jobs these days arte considered cost centers by the bean counter types now found in upper management. One aspect of MN that exacerbates their problems is losing population. Lots of government spending is essentially a ponzi scheme of spend now and leave the bill to the future. A smaller future busts that scheme. California's problem is similar but more subtle. CA is losing taxable residents even while the population is exploding particularly those segments with high demand for government services.
OT:
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jan/15/oxnard-council-approves-344-homes/
More river/park homes?
Form the above article:
"That 20 acres is on portions of the old Santa Clara dump."
river/park/dump?
Sorry to be OT again.
river/park/dump?
That's the answer to the old city planner joke.
So Casey opposes gov't bailout. No surprise - it's happening too late for him. Now, at the peak when he still had houses... THEN he'd want the bailout.
Kid couldn't even time failing correctly.
Companies everywhere still have corporate memories of the 70s. They knew the didn't rightsize anywhere near fast enough and are eager to make a worse mistake in the other direction this time.
Awww.... that makes sense. My company's layoff/downsizing hasn't hit the news yet, if it will at all, but it was at least a 10% cut, and every manager was told they had to cut at least one person on their team. My manager was really nice and very upset. A lot of my coworkers were upset, but I understand why I was chosen; newest to the team (started in May), no kids, and, they hoped, could get something quicker than everyone else.
It was really nice, several people said they would would be references/contacts and even write up something for me too. And, wow, I've never been given so many names to contact before.
One funny thing is how mad people are at the top management. They have at least $50-100 million in cash, and they also feel that if cuts have to be made, some of the top could take a temporary pay cut.
Oh, well. I have two weeks of severance, and I'll see if I get a job again before the mortgage, Cobra, and HSA burn through my savings (as you can find out from recent news stories, even though I'll get the max payment from the gov, it doesn't cover it). Damn Cobra & Damn HSAs. And while I'm at it: F#$% Garrett County, F#$% Wellshire Farms, and F#$% Louis Colameco.
Colameco said the items do not violate any law and that a recall might suggest
an admission of guilt, opening him to lawsuits.
Well F#$% you sir, because now I'm back on a shit load of meds, the doctor wants to take more labs, and wants me to make a few more regular appointments in the next few weeks, which costs a SHIT load of money, when I don't have a SHIT load of money!!!
Sorry for going OT, I'm sure anyone could understand the bitterness, when doctor visits are like $200, and prescriptions will be coming out to $700-$1000 monthly. At least I'll hit my max out of pocket early, but if and when I go on new insurance, it won't carry over, and throwing $3,000 into deductibles right away really sucks. Especially when some asshole decides to not tell anyone his food is poison to those who would be buying, because it's not against the law. At least I now know where it was coming from. Can't "wait" to find out what my new epi-pen costs.
Wildly off topic, but interesting:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/01/15/job.mob/index.html
And here I thought ex-mortgage types were only useful as fill dirt. Apparently they can get other jobs...
Jake,
COBRA is a joke. Go get yourself one of those insurance plans that only kick in after $10k. It will run you about $100/mo, and you won't have to worry about going bankrupt if you have a heart attack. For minor ailments go to one of the CVS/Walgreens clinics and pay them $40.
I agree with Lou, high deductible is the way to go. I have a $5k / yr deductible that costs $150 / mo. You can get this coverage with just a phone call. Screw the employer insurance, they are stupid.
If you're out of a job you should be able to qualify for MediCal or whatever they call it. You could probably get the USDA food card too. Hey, every little bit helps. Even $100/mo is a lot when you've been downsized by corporate restructuring priorities.
I received a very lovely invitation:
The Presidential Inaugural Committee
Requests the honor of your presence
To attend and participate
In the
Inauguration of
Barack H. Obama...
Did anyone else get one?
I figured it was junk mail.
Re: Inauguration invitation
Were you promised a huge sum of money and requested to send in your bank account information?
I hear this is part of Barry's secret stimulus plan.
Akubi, we you required to buy a plate?
Should be fun Akubi. You get to stand outside in -25 degrees and watch Obamas motorcade pass by and see him get sworn in on a big television.
I'm going only because I can walk there, otherwise I can't imgaine why anyone in their right mind would come. $1000 a night for a 500sqft studio? To watch in the freezing cold on a jumbo screen? Even for CS this sounds like a loose-loose deal.
When the dust settles on the 21st and the market is, inexplicably, stlll not back to 14,000, there may be some very confused people to deal with.
I am going out to dinner on Tuesday night, raising a glass and celebrating our new president, and even more importantly, the departure of the old one.
Well, if I don't do COBRA, I'll have to go on MN program, which is like MediCal. I seriously couldn't even get BCBS to send me the paperwork to apply for ANY of their individual health insurance plans this past spring. The sales rep. refused. He said I was going to be denied, so "I" shouldn't even bother. He was doing me a "favor". 1) I think he didn't want to bother and 2) I bet denials get tracked.
I remember people telling me I'm the best example why we need national health insurance, but I fear if it does go to that, one day I'm going to have my brains blown out behind some shed. 'For the good of the country, much more cost effective'.
Me pessimistic, no way!
Akira, as for Inauguration, my parents and grandparents have been to them before. Check and see if you get to go to a hall/banquet. That will make it a bigger deal or not. Then, as for accommodations, its hard to say this security beings so tight. I've done crazy stuff before (I've never to an inauguration, so, can't speak for there) but here's a few choices, and find out if its possible first.
1) Backpack and tent it. I've done it in the Swiss Alps before, with snow and everything. If you get cold easy, make sure your tent is one person and you get a cold temp sleeping bag. Shower at the gym, or aiport, or sneak into a hotel with a pool.
2) Sleep at the airport. Harder after 9/11 but people get used to people who are stranded.
3) Take the train or bus out of town right 'afterwards'. Sometimes when I found flights that were much cheaper to a nearby destination, and bus/train/rental wasn't too much more (works best with a group). Anyways, figure out how late you want to stay out and then find out what times the train, etc takes you to whereever you need to go.
4) Try to room with someone or some charity/church. You would be surprised where you can find space at big events (usually I've found this when volunteering after a natural disaster, but who knows, it's the ONE!!!).
5) Watch it on TV at home or the bar.
I'm terrified of Obama... the guy has promised to bring more jobs to this country. Jobs!! Exactly the thing I'm trying desperately to avoid! ;-)
So Rob, no new top post?
I figured you'd have posted either with the nice metaphor of "the airlines falling out of the sky" yesterday or with today's news of Circuit Shitty folding up (not that this wasn't expected - but it was your chance to say "see, I told ya so!").
@Jake,
I think I'll take option #5.
Hey, don't worry about health care. Just move to California and say you're an illegal alien and it's free!
Were there any Casey "haterz" who were into flipping houses themselves?
B-Horror:
Depends on what you mean. I spent a couple years buying houses on the cheap, fixing them up (while living in them) and selling. Not quite the "flip in 30 days" that many were trying to do.
Made good money off doing this, but it was a lot of hard work, a lot of uncomfortable times (try living with no kitchen while you remodel), etc.
It was more a hobby than a business, though I made as much off of it as I did working. Sold the last one in 2005 when I got married.
Could not continue while married -she isn't in to fixing up places and, honestly, there were times I'd have divorced myself while doing remodels.
Housing prices were also a factor - I couldn't find anything even somewhat reasonable and figured it had to come down. Happened to get out near the peak - more by accident than by design.
Casey was never willing to put in the work. He had the idea that you could just buy them, sell them and make money. I made some money off rising prices, but most came from the work I put into the places. I turned high end homes that had been abused back into a nice turn-key home for someone. Lot's of work... too much for CS.
OT but possibly of interest:
EMMERICH TO DIRECT 'FOUNDATION'
From Variety:
""Columbia won an auction late Thursday for screen rights to "Foundation," Isaac Asimov's ground breaking science fiction trilogy. The film will be developed as a directing vehicle for Roland Emmerich."
"Emmerich and his Centropolis partner Michael Wimer will produce the film. The deal was mid six-figures against low seven figures."
"Originally published as a series of eight short stories in Astounding Magazine beginning in 1942, "Foundation" is a complex saga about humans who are scattered on planets throughout the galaxy, living under the rule of the Galactic Empire."
This train wreck is starting just like Jimmie's. Wooo-Woooo!
I was in the service and worked the detail of the parade for Jimmie Carter. One of the coldest days ever. Our zoomie bosses were smart and had flown in a bunch of artic parkas from Greenland, but the Army dudes didn't get the memo it was going to be freezing so none of us service folks could wear the real cold weather gear. Froze my butt off that day.
And the start of 4 bad years of lousy economic growth, destruction of the services, and lousy cars because of stupid epa mandates.
Feels like a bad memory coming back to haunt us all..
If you are going down, stay out by annapolis (just not on rt 50), drive to a subway station near the beltway, and use that to get into town. Cheap and fairly fast.
For a bit more coin, Fairfax straight in.
1 more thing, as Obama goes by, do not do anything sudden. Sharpshooters on top of all the buildings downtown who ask questions later.
Even though I was a miserable kid in the 80's (who wasn't?), I've been grooving off of this 80's retro music.
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