Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Jagrmeister


Jaromir Jagr, prepare to meet your meister.

Just say OV, add an L and an E. And you've got LOVE. Love watching Jagr get pummelled to the ice with his head up and practically looking straight at the crouching Russian savoring his kill. Props to Semin & Malkin for adding insult to injury.


Saturday, February 20, 2010

Another Lost Weekend


Okay, you people are lucky. Oh yeah. I coulda linked frivolous ditties like Starship's "We Built This City" or C.W. McCall's "Convoy" or Jigsaw's "Sky High".

But no, I've centered on weightier numbers. Just 'cuz that's where I'm at tonight. So I give you Greg Lake.




Picking up the torch from Greg, there's the Fureys with Davey Arthur singing about more people dying in vain. Which of course is infinitely more uplifting than the Pogues "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" -- that includes the line "And when I woke up in my hospital bed / And saw what it had done, Christ I wished I was dead / Never knew there were worse things than dying."




And in keeping with the death-pop theme, there's this beauty of Nirvana covering Terry Jacks' 1974 classic "Seasons in the Sun". I like it not so much for the irony, but particularly for fact that all three bandmembers play opposite - Cobain on drums, Grohl on bass, Novoselic on guitar. And they all look totally lost. But I like that.




Shit, where's Henry Gross when you need him? "Shannon is gone, I heard she drifted off to sea..."

Puppies are great.

Monday, February 1, 2010

When You Walk Through A Storm...


...you never walk alone.

In fact, the USA walks better than most. Though I kinda want to be a Canadian. Good bacon there.



The Real Hockey Stick


That red line looks an awful lot like a hockey stick. One unfortunately based on real data...




Fire and Ice






Friday, January 29, 2010

Obama Caucuses with GOP?!?


Wait, what?

The Republican congressional caucus invited President Obama to a conclave in Baltimore today. And Obama went!

He was peppered with tough questions on jobs, public debt, and healthcare, among many other issues. And he answered them! Candidly!

Yeah, there were some jibes back and forth. But overall it was a civil meeting, where both sides got to stake their positions and air their grievances about the other side's methods. It was stunning to watch even the condensed episode on PBS's Newshour this evening.

Look, I've been pretty tough on both the President and the entire Congress. But Obama showed serious stones to walk into that group.

Mongol respect Sheriff Bart.


I highly recommend viewing the full version if you have an hour...



Monday, January 25, 2010

That's With a "T"


Let's see, total debt north of 12 trillion. Receipts around 2 to 2-1/2 trill. Expenditures at 3-1/2 t. Treasure wantonly squandered.

Figures on U.S. government spending & debt below (last six digits are eliminated).

Total public debt subject to limit Jan. 22  12,245,872
Statutory debt limit                        12,394,000
Total public debt outstanding Jan. 22       12,302,465

Operating balance Jan. 22                      142,454

Interest fiscal year 2009                      383,365
Interest fiscal year 2008                      451,154

Deficit fiscal year 2009                     1,417,121
Deficit fiscal year 2008                       454,798

Receipts fiscal year 2009                    2,104,613
Receipts fiscal year 2008                    2,523,642

Outlays fiscal year 2009                     3,521,734
Outlays fiscal year 2008                     2,978,440

Gold assets in September                        11,041