Elephant In Exile

Income= $50K, Mortgage=$607,000

An interesting article in today's Washington Post on the impact of the mortgage crisis on sunbelt cities. I found this quout enlightening:

"We're in so deep that it doesn't seem like anything will help," said Rebekah Ao, 33, a pregnant homemaker who lives in a new four-bedroom home in Avondale with her husband, Otto, a truck driver. The Aos, with $50,000 in income, owe a total of $607,000 on mortgages for two houses they bought since they moved to the Phoenix area about two years ago.

So please tell me exactly why taxpayers whould be bailing out the Aos?

They'll get a bail out, the executive of the mortgage firm that lent to these people will get a huge bonus, and responsible folks who were smart enough to get a fixed rate mortgage- like most of us - will pay for it.

Mission accomplished.

Labels: Crazy, Economy

For Geeks

Wow, what a great weekend. Kicked it off on Wednesday with the GOP debate. Sad, but interesting. Then Thursday's Democrat debate. I think Senator Clinton did well, as I found myself not cringing everytime she spoke. Then we get an amazing Superbowl (even if the evil Eli Manning is the hero of the day). It was a good game. And Tommorrow's Super Tuesday!

Oh yeah...and Ground Hog's Day was in there somewhere too!

Here's hoping for a McCain-Obama race.

Labels: 2008 Elections, Crazy, Updates

Will Campaign 2008 Destroy the Dems?

Elephant Answers: Yes, if that is what is required to elect another Clinton. More here.

One thing that has struck me is how the trend of left-right divisiveness that characterized the 2004 election has now infected both parties - the Dems with a two-way (or perhaps 3-way) split and the GOP with five factions competing for the nod. I think this is good in the long run for both parties and in the short term makes for a riveting news cycle.

Labels: 2008 Elections, Clintons, Crazy

Re-emerging

First of, I can't believe it has been two months since I've posted. Time flies. Part of the lack of blogging has been that the new job is much more demanding than the old job. I like it fine, but I'm earning my keep as they say. It's also hard to blog about the current state of affairs when they've gone so far over the cliff that they simply mock themselves. From the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, to Larry Craig's sad demise, the plunging dollar, to Bush's ongoing destruction of our republic, to the pathetic crop of GOP presidential candidates, idiot talking heads on TV, etc, it's taken all my energy not to explode in rhetorical rage, thus the silence.

On the flip side a lot is happening in the personal and professional life that's keeping me going. Just got back from an AMAZING trip to Guatemala (Antigua & Tikal), and in a week, I'm headed to France for a two week vacation and work is busy and challenging. Will try to get back to regular blogging soon.

Labels: Crazy, The Future

More to come...

I did get a response from teh Whole Foods, "Global Communications Team". More on that in a bit. Needless to say it was about as lame as the excuses we're getting from Senator Vitter.

Labels: Crazy

Like the Sun Rising in the East.

Another day dawns and yet another republican is busted for solicitation.

"State Rep. Bob Allen was arrested Wednesday afternoon at a local park
after offering to perform a sex act on an undercover officer in exchange for
$20, police said."

It used to be funny, now it is just sad. It turns out our country's moral fiber is under attack, under attack by Do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do-Republicans.

Update: Holy Straight Talk Express!- Suspect is John McCain's Florida Co-Chair.

Labels: Crazy, The New GOP

Is Insane

Seems to me someone needs to give Senator Joe Lieberman (R, Israel) a big dose of reality.
Attach Iran? With what Army? and with what budget? Of course by comparison, it would probably make our efforts in Iraq look much, much better. As with most 'strategic' discussions coming out of DC the past few years, I'm laughing between the sobs.

Labels: Crazy, DC, Joementum

I can't fall asleep tonight. It's very strange, I'm tired, nothing is troubling me, yet here I am at 1:30 am.

Labels: Crazy

Limits on Toilet Paper? The Napkin Sleeve?

This has not been a good weekend for the so-called environmental movement. First I had to wade through the Forest killing, wild-eyed irony of the Vanity Fair Green Issue (see below) and now all sorts of crazy reports in the Post on some of the grand plans of the new green dynamic duo of Sheryl (read Cherl) Crow and Laurie David.

Here's some highlights on from the Post from their blog:

Crow: I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required.

(Elephant: I'll do this one better. In South East Asia they don't use toilet paper, but rather have a bucket of water near the squat-hole. You use your hand and the water to clean you behind. This is why you NEVER offer out your left hand in South East Asia...it's your poop hand.)

Crow: I also like the idea of not using paper napkins, which happen to be made from virgin wood and represent the height of wastefulness. I have designed a clothing line that has what's called a "dining sleeve." The sleeve is detachable and can be replaced with another "dining sleeve," after usage. The design will offer the "diner" the convenience of wiping his mouth on his sleeve rather than throwing out yet another barely used paper product. I think this idea could also translate quite well to those suffering with an annoying head cold.

I'm pretty sure that last one is a joke right? The Napkin sleeve? I mean surely she jests? And one square?! Lord!

This weekend I saw a commercial from Walmart encouraging all of their customers to buy just one compact fluorescent bulb. If we all did (I currently have 10 installed at home) it would be as if we took 1,000,000 cars off the road. In the end, the evil Walmart will likely do more to cut emissions this year than all of the environmental organizations combined.

Labels: Celebrities, Crazy, Environmentalism, Hollyweird

Why I Stopped Watching

Televions news has been the equivalent of dogs F'cking for quite a few years now. Putting on anything that gets the basest of a rise out of people. Nacy Grace, Lou Dobbs, Tucker Carlson and Bill O'Reilly. But perhaps things have devolved to the point where they are now interesting again.



I know, I know, it's no Sanjaya, but a good indicia of the state of American Journalism.

Labels: Crazy