Salus Populi Suprema Est Lex

‘Top Line’ -- Where are Obama’s Allies?

2009-12-09T16:16:49Z

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: President Obama’s new Afghanistan strategy has divided his allies in Congress.

Even beyond those offering outright opposition, some of the president’s closest friends -- like Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. -- are staying non-committal. He’s getting some support from strange corners, with Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., for example, applauding the president’s actions.

Durbin, Zeleny said, is most likely only staying non-committal for now to help the White House politically: “This is a senator who does not believe that the war should be escalated. He, I would assume, will ultimately come out against this, but he wanted to give the president a little bit of time in this respect. And I think the White House was hoping others would as well, but that didn’t happen.”

chefhmboyrd @ 2009-10-13T09:52:00

2009-10-13T14:56:20Z

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that ... Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is. "We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.

why are we not outraged?

2009-09-23T14:38:52Z

from TMQ Gregg Easterbrook.....
Let's Not Forget AIG Has $182 Billion of Your Money: Robert Benmosche, new CEO of AIG -- which continues to hold $182 billion of the taxpayers' money, and seems in no hurry to return any -- will be paid about $7 million per year. That means typical people, who earn a median $50,000 a year, are being taxed so yet another plutocrat can own an estate. Benmosche also is "eligible" for a $3 million annual bonus, meaning even after all the flap about AIG bonuses, average people are still being taxed for AIG bonuses. And he received 200,000 AIG stock options with a strike price of $20. Right now, AIG shares are selling for $40, meaning the options have a current value of about $4 million. Thus Benmosche could take home $14 million for his first year of running AIG. This money comes from pockets of taxpayers struggling to pay their rent. It doesn't surprise me that a plutocrat would be shameless about reaching into the pockets of the working class. It does surprise me that Barack Obama would OK this, and that the mainstream media would give up on AIG outrage. Have we simply accepted at this point that it's OK for Wall Street leadership to steal from taxpayers?
Meanwhile, previous AIG CEO Edward Liddy repeatedly said he was working "for $1 a year." He asserted this on "60 Minutes" and in sworn congressional testimony, and was broadly praised for his dollar-a-year service. Now it turns out he was lying. AIG quietly said Liddy received $38,368 for a New York apartment, $47,578 for personal airline flights, $31,348 for car services and $180,431 "to cover tax obligations." In what sense are these not income? You work at a job in order to be able to pay for your housing and transportation. You must earn income to pay your taxes; nobody pays them for you. If AIG was paying for Liddy's housing, personal travel and taxes, then he wasn't earning $1 a year. Yet he lied through his teeth about this and got away with it. That's the core lesson of corporate scandals -- the CEOs tell lies, pocket cash and never pay any penalty. What does this encourage? More CEO lying. Liddy also received stock options. AIG has never said how many; suppose it was 200,000, the number just granted Benmosche. When Liddy went to AIG, its share price was hovering around $5; if that's the strike price, 200,000 shares would be worth about $7 million right now. Plus AIG quietly said Liddy may receive a bonus payable in 2010. The man who was widely praised for claiming to work for $1 may end up with a king's ransom in his pockets, all pilfered from the average taxpayers. Why have the media dropped this story?

healthcare

2009-08-28T15:39:40Z

To Washington: stop all of your pompous self serving posturing and get together on some real healthcare reform you jackasses. People are dying!

@

love

2009-07-21T14:21:41Z

"The really potent part of love is that it allows you to carry around beliefs about yourself that make you feel special, desirable, precious, innately good. Your lover couldn't have seen [these qualities] in you, even temporarily, if they weren't part of your essential being."

Martha Beck, O Magazine, February 2003

chefhmboyrd @ 2009-05-05T10:29:00

2009-05-05T15:29:59Z

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC)

50 ODD Things about me!

2009-03-11T17:02:29Z

50 ODD Things about you! If you opened this, FILL IT OUT! Learn 50 things about your friends, and let them learn 50 things about you!

1) Favorite object in your bedroom?
My bed

2) Have you ever smoked weed?
Of course

3) Do you own guns?
not right now

4) What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic?
cranberry

5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
no

6) What do you think of when you hear hot dogs?
baseball

7) Favorite song?
right now, breakdown - seether

8) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
coffee

9) Can you do push ups?
lots

10) Can you do a chin up?
some

11) What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
my one and only necklace

12) Your pet peeves......
gum on my shoe, people starting to say something and not finishing, and my house messy

13) Ever been in a car wreck?
Yes

14) Do you like to work on your Birthday?
No

15) What's one trait that you hate about yourself?
nothing I hate...but i would like some top surgery soon

16) What's your middle name?
Cole

17) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
last night..... mmmmmm
I am ready for lunch with jen
what's for dinner tonight

18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
transmission, food, drink

19) Name 3 drinks you drink regularly?
coffee, sparks, diet soda

20) What's your job?
administrator

21) Current hate right now?
none

22) Do your friends love you?
Yes

23) How will you bring in the New Year?
party with my girls at my place

24) Where would you like to be right now?
on vacation on the beach

25) Name three people who will complete this
i dunno

26) Are you one of those teenagers that thinks and talks about their life being unfair and miserable while the rest of us are left thinking how stupid you are?
nope

27) What shirt are you wearing?
black t shirt

28) Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
cotton 600 thread count or higher only

29) Can you whistle?
yup

30) What will you be doing in a year from now?
making music

31) Would you be a pirate?
hells yeah, they are the chosen people

32) What songs do you sing in the shower?
al sorts

33) Favorite girl's name?
Savannah

34) Favorite boy's name?
Andrew

35) What's in your pocket?
crap

36) Last person that made you laugh?
Das

37) Best toy as a child?
gi joe

38) Worst injury you've ever had?
torn ligaments in my leg 10th grade

39) Do you love where you live?
yup

40) Do you give good advice?
I think so.

41) Who is your loudest friend?
me

42) How many cats do you have?
None

43) Does someone have a crush on you?
yes

44) Favorite part about your weekend?
party

45) What are you gonna do for your next birthday?
no plans yet

46) Favorite Sports Team
Titans

Where did 47 go??

48) Where is the next place you want to travel to?
the beach

49) What were you doing 12 AM this morning?
hee hee hee hee hee

50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
more of what i was doing at midnight

chefhmboyrd @ 2009-03-05T17:52:00

2009-03-05T23:52:51Z

Rollin into noble...
What a year huh.... wow

I am a lucky man....
And soon we will be living in the lake house and it will be spring...
Life is good

And the hits will just keep on coming....
I hope! Ha haha
I am excited to get another shot at my dream.
This time I will be me
All me
And ready
@

chefhmboyrd @ 2009-02-13T12:39:00

2009-02-13T18:39:03Z

Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised.
- Marilyn Manson

chefhmboyrd @ 2009-02-12T09:32:00

2009-02-12T15:32:04Z

Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.
Oprah Winfrey (1954 - ), in Good Housekeeping

focus

2009-01-20T12:51:11Z

I am focused.
I am back on the grind.
Workin hard to be hard.
Making that money,

Getting my house in order.
Rebuilding our kingdom
Brick by brick
Earn my crown again.

Taking each day,
Steady and strong.
Steering the ship
toward the sun

@ndrew of @ntioch

Writer's Block: So Long, Farewell

2009-01-19T19:23:31Z

It's the last day in office for George Bush. There's been a lot of talk in the media lately about Bush's legacy. What do you think he will be most remembered for?

View 500 Answers

an unwanted useless war
and plunging the country into economic crisis
by allowing the obscenely rich to hold us hostage

chefhmboyrd @ 2008-12-24T12:04:00

2008-12-24T18:05:02Z

Merry
SolRhamaHannaChristKwanZaMasKahDonTice
And Happy New Year

(I hope I didn’t forget anyone???)

thanks
@

it should be illegal

2008-12-23T18:48:05Z

From TMQ:http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/081223

Very high pay to Wall Street managers is justified on the grounds that they are financial geniuses with astonishing expertise. Instead it turns out many financial industry managers made basic blunder after basic blunder. The 2008 financial markets crash belies the entire premise of Wall Street -- that the people there deserve huge paychecks for incredible skill in finance. Any fool can make money in a rising market by borrowing! But if the rise stops and you're leveraged, you hit the wall. This is the short version of how many Wall Street and hedge fund managers appeared to be "financial geniuses" from 2003 to 2006, then ended up destroying their investors. The financial manager with true expertise knows to avoid bubbles, especially bubbles based on borrowing. Many Wall Street and big-bank managers during the housing bubble were taking wild risks or performing no due diligence -- and when the risks blew up, they got to keep their bonuses while investors and stockholders got hosed. At this point, it's totally obvious the system is rigged -- lie about returns (or take crazy risks), claim a spectacular year, award yourself a vast bonus. When the scandal hits, so what? You keep the bonuses. TMQ's basic question: Why isn't this considered embezzlement, punishable by law? Financial managers have a fiduciary responsibility to act in their investors' interest. When financial managers instead act against their investors' interest in order to line their own pockets, that isn't just cynical -- that sounds like a crime.

Happy Birthday

2008-12-15T16:20:36Z

happy birthday to the most wonderful PTBDSMBFF EVAH!
i hope this year brings you peace and fulfillment
and all the riches you deserve
Somos Dioses, Mi Primera

chefhmboyrd @ 2008-12-12T07:58:00

2008-12-12T13:59:45Z

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3761411&sportCat=ncf&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos1

death of a very underrated woman
who changed the face of college sports today

@

Las Vegas

2008-12-12T13:13:30Z

i am headed to las vegas
YAY!
Mynx is dropping me at the airport at 3ish
and i will be on my way baby!!!!!!!!

Touchdown at 8:30pm
i plan to be sipping cocktails by 9

@

remember

2008-12-10T20:01:44Z

no matter what you may think
or what you believe
never forget
we are all made of Meat

@

freaks

2008-12-04T17:14:51Z

A lot a people are freaks that are sooooo freaked out
by their own freakishness that they freak out and
lash out against the freaks that aren’t too freaked out
to be freaky

Somos Dioses

2008-12-03T23:10:00Z

The real power behind whatever success I have now was something I found within myself - something that's in all of us, I think, a little piece of God just waiting to be discovered.
Tina Turner, O Magazine, December 2003

Tina is definitely on the right track

@

they are at it again

2008-11-24T15:33:16Z

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/thankgiving-letter-to-the-family-2008/#comment-10013

i love these old ladies

@

from tmq Gregg Easterbrook

2008-11-20T01:18:07Z

Why Are Taxpayers Paying Lavish Bonuses to Retain the People Who Screwed Up AIG? American International Group, the insurance giant that has swallowed $152 billion in federal subsidies in just a few months, "plans to pay $503 million in deferred compensation to some of its top employees, saying it must tap the funds to keep valuable workers from exiting the troubled insurance giant," Carol Leonnig of The Washington Post reported a few days ago. I suspect all the gold being shoveled to AIG is a colossal blunder by the George W. Bush administration. Money to reinforce Fannie Mae or to buy stock in banks may or may not be a wise decision, but at least there is accountability regarding where the funds end up. The money being shoveled to AIG is simply vanishing -- AIG isn't even telling the Treasury Department what the money is for. When the General Services Administration buys pencils, many layers of auditors check the deal. Isn't it a tad naive to think $152 billion can be entrusted to a firm with a demonstrated track record of financial mismanagement and that money is not going to be looted? The Treasury Department's handling of AIG appears to be spectacular irresponsibility with public money.

The people who work here give away your money to the Wall Street rich. But they ask tough questions! Such as, "How much do you want?"
Now, about the $503 million in tax-subsidized bonuses to prevent "top employees" from "exiting the troubled insurance giant." The top employees of AIG are the ones who drove the company into the ground by making crazy deals, taking on bad debt or promising to insure bad debt when they knew AIG lacked adequate collateral. Those "top employees" at AIG are either cheats or incompetents -- we want them to leave! They haven't demonstrated any financial expertise. Yet the same AIG top managers who did a terrible, terrible job are set to receive huge bonuses: an example of the problem that corporate bonuses are awarded regardless of performance.

Management-suite types often rationalize huge bonuses by threatening to jump to another job. What job exactly would a top AIG employee jump to? The financial services industry is contracting; lots of well-qualified people with strong résumés are out on the street; no financial firm in its right mind would hire a failed manager from AIG over the fully qualified financial managers looking for work. AIG top employees have no career options right now; it is inconceivable any other financial firms are offering them lavish raises to hire them away. So "retention bonuses" aren't necessary. But either the Treasury Department is too dim-witted to realize this or it doesn't care and is merely trying to redistribute wealth from the middle class to the rich by allowing tax-subsidized bonuses that the giveaway team at Treasury knows perfectly well are not merited.

Side note: You might think, "How could the fancy-degree top people at Treasury possibly be that completely, utterly stupid?" But Treasury officials have a self-interest in maintaining the assumption that financial managers should receive gigantic bonuses regardless of performance. Almost everyone at the top of Treasury came from the firms being bailed out, plans to return to such firms and wants to pocket gigantic bonuses regardless of performance. So not only is the Treasury Department acting irresponsibly with tax money but its top executives have a personal stake in irresponsible action.

man o' man

2008-11-17T15:36:11Z

i am back at work and
WOW!

the morning stretch to day is more sore from the car ride than anything....
but there are a few choice digs arond my chest and shoulders
mmmmmmmmmmm

what a wonderful time had by all
i will be stalking the galleries for cleavage later
lol

@

ahhhhh

2008-11-16T21:17:15Z

What a wonderful weekend.....
We are on the way back.... only took 2 hours to get to Dallas.....

I managed to make it through the weekend without any police intervention, so I faired well....
Although I may have have frightened a few girls off..... hate it,
But if you want to run with the big dogs.......

I actually was on my best behavior.... well forr me. *w*
pajara knows.......

I was a good boy.
Mostly.

Much respect goes out to the Pacific NW. You were a good sport. I really like u.

@

hoist the main sail

2008-11-14T12:12:12Z

The winds are favorable, we are passing the port of Texarkana.
The mist is thick but the sun rises soon. The sky promises smooth waters through the morning.....
We will be making port by morning tea.

@