The articles say it all

Wall Street: Thumbs down on bailout
The TARP announcement "was a huge disappointment," said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at RBS Greenwich Capital. "There's been an incredible buildup for weeks and then they release a plan that has little in the way of details."

Little Details huh, well apparently the gist of "The Audacity of Hope" is carrying over into the administration's policy.

Measure Would Require Bailed-Out CEOs to Pay Taxpayers Back for Big Bonuses
In the hope that two wrongs make a right?

There’s Still Time to Kill the ‘Spendulus’
I pretty much wanted to highlight this entire article and paste it in.... I've been saying over and over in my head. People just don't get it. They won't understand what is happening until it is too late.

One Party....

And I don't mean the type that serves up jello shots.

GOP Sounds Alarm Over Obama Decision to Move Census to White House

Closing up this article:
"I've always remembered what Joseph Stalin said: 'Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.' The same principle applies to the census. Since one or the other party will always be in power at the time of the census, it is vital that the out-of-power party at least be able to observe the process to make sure it isn't being stacked in favor of the party in power. This will be difficult for the GOP since I suspect Democrats will control both houses of Congress for the entire Obama first term," Sabato said.

Ironic from a political campaign that said the Bush White House took too much executive power (which there is some truth to...). This move pretty much seals the deal that along with the "Stimulus" we will become a one-party rule Socialist nation. The GOP could end up in a marginally better position than the Green or Libertarian party soon.

Obama's press conference tonight was impressive. The likes of his communication skills have not been seen since Reagan, but as we are learning his rhetoric doesn't follow his actions, and his words are half truths at best.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

I don't know if it topped this pesto chicken sandwich that Kate made last Thursday, which she dreamt up herself, but I made a new dish on Saturday night. Basil Chicken over Angel hair. I followed the recipe at the link with the exception that I used "Linguine Fini" instead of Angel hair pasta. We had some black & white cookies for desert which were surprisingly good since I got them from the Shaw's Supermarket Bakery. I have a ton of fresh basil left over (they only sell large packages), which means that I will probably be having it on the small pizzas I'll likely make for supper this week.

Today Kate and I went to Lendy's, a deli/diner in Saugus. It is a great little place that we should frequent more often. Kate had a patty melt with fries, and I a cheeseburger club with cole slaw. They have one of those menus where you pretty much have to close your eyes and point... because everything seems pretty good.

So yes... it was one of those weekends where eating was a highlight. When I wasn't hanging out with Kate, I spent time preparing tax crap ang doing a ton of errands. I'm heading on a buisness trip abroad next week so I have a ton of preparation to do.

Caught pieces of the Grammy's tonight. A lot of it was crap, per usual, but I did enjoy a McCartney/Foofighters colaboration on "She was Just 17", and Radiohead.

So anyway... Monday. Here we go again.

The Decline of American Power

While it has been happening with an increasing pace over the last several years, today will be seen as the day when it accelerated. The era of big government is here.

Senators debate stimulus after reported deal

Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Arlen Specter broke ranks with the GOP and helped pass the Democrat special interests social programs pork laden monstrosity and may have done more damage to the American economy than any Congressional figures before them.

Barack Obama has shown his true colors. Apparently he, Reid, and Pelosi have cut deals for the state of Maine and Pennsylvania. Maine honestly has enough mill renovations for artists and prospective businesses that don't exist, so I know already that Collins and Snowe are masters at producing, and benefiting from pork.

This bill is 60% pork and very little of it actually even goes to the infrastructure improvements that could have created jobs in the short term, and built our economy in the long term. What it does instead is it expands government bureaucracy and buys the Democrats more votes from people who won't want to lose their often wasteful, and sometimes questionable government jobs.

Earlier Today:
Obama fires up House Democrats to help push through stimulus bill
"We're not going to get relief by turning back to the very same policies that, for the last eight years, doubled the national debt and threw our economy into a tailspin," he said. "We can't embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face, that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or failing schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees."
Trouble is THESE ARE THE SAME POLICIES THAT DOUBLED THE NATIONAL DEBT... ONLY WORSE!!!!!!!!!!
Bush passed one of the largest expansions in social services since FDR with his medicare bill. Bush rarely met a pork laden spending bill he didn't like. Bush passed a useless tax credit/check in the mail scheme, much like Obama's current proposal, only Obama plans to send the breaks primarily to people who didn't even pay taxes to begin with. (It is called Welfare... and it undoes some progress made in the Clinton years with the Gingrich Congress) Bush's tax break did next to nothing to help the economy, and neither will Obama's. And the fact that he mentions infrastructure in the same sentence as rising health care is a joke. Health care reform may provide a brief boon the first year or two (although in this economy it might not....). However, when the numbers come back and it is shown that Nationally funded health care at the current level of quality is unsustainable, ultimately it will result in hospital closures, less equipment, and less staff. As people at the lower end of the income bracket are forced to switch to government run insurance plans, it will begin a shuttering of insurance agencies and private companies. As this trickles into investment, and as the government limits how much can be spent on prescriptions, the pharmaceutical industry too will wilt and grind to a halt...... altogether shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs, making us poorer and more reliant on the system.

But infrastructure lets not forget about that!! Infrastructure... Construction Stimulus Breakdown Provided it remains similar to the house bill... which it seems like it will, only 160 billion or approximately 20% goes to what they call infrastructure... which is a loose definition. Only 50 billion (6.3%) is related to transportation... which I think is a huge mistake. We could have taken the opportunity to modernize this country and create a ton of jobs in the process, like FDR did... but instead this. The rest of "infrastructure" is related to crap which once complete, will have little to no bearing on the economy... if anything it will burden the economy further. Government health clinics, more Internet in schools, buildings to replace already functioning buildings, a bunch of crap for museums and the National Mall. We are in a National crisis... AND WERE GOING TO PLANT F$(&ing GRASS!!! Come on. The National Mall has looked like crap for as long as I remember. Lets worry about that when we have the time, or if we must get a chain gang or two out there and put them to work.

Commentary: Stimulate the economy, not government Romney gets it.

Stimulus Backers Face Growing Skepticism Over Need for Government Action
Even the Obama worshiping public are starting to get it....

Links of Note

Commentary: Libertarian ideas to stimulate economy

I agree with a lot of what is said in the above piece of commentary. Areas I differ, namely pulling out of Afghanistan, and the expansion in immigration. I would need to know more about the latter, and I disagree with the idea that immigration has much effect on the homelands of migrants other than funneling American cash outside of the U.S. There may be something to be said for improving scientific and engineering productivity, however I would need to see evidence before I could take a solid stance on that issue.

Commentary: Government shouldn't decide executive pay

An excellent piece by Carly Fiorina, one of many people who probably should have been higher on John McCain's VP list than Sarah Palin.

Obama: I heard God on Chicago's streets

And yet another double standard, when Barack says stuff like this he is wonderful and in touch with the people. When W said it, it was taken out of context and he was painted to be a mad religious zealot. (Although I think W's remarks had implied ties to the war on terror if I remember correctly.... which is perhaps troubling since so much of that was focused on religious extremists)

Obama is eloquent and a much better communicator than Bush, this prayer, double standard aside, is quite a nice piece of work, an excellent example of why he has such great popularity. Ooooh... I said something nice about Barack. Unfortunately there are a ton of people out there praying... and I'm not sure that is going to patch up the economy any time soon.

A shrine to "The One"

This has been in a Central Square shop window in Cambridge since just prior to election day. I suspect it was created in legitimate adoration of Obama, however, ironically, I find that it makes an excellent satirical point of the absurdity of Obama worship.

In other news Daschle actually stepped down, (after Obama caved under pressure).

Check out the CNN clip where Obama admits to "screwing up". Well at least he admits it, what about the 3 other appointees with questionable background, Geithner, Holder, and now the latest and tax evader (or supporter of tax evasion for campaign contributions... as in the case of Eric Holder) Nancy Killefer who was going to be appointed to "A chief performance officer to make the entire government run better".

February Begins

(un)happy Groundhog Day....

The damn rodent saw its shadow and of course that means more winter.

This past weekend was a good start to the 2nd month of 2009. I some how managed to not watch any of the Superbowl in years. Instead Kate and I had a busy weekend. Saturday night we had a nice meal at Antonio's of Beacon Hill. The atmosphere and food were great, although the service was a bit amusing. Rather "rough around the edges" Italian guys gruffly take orders and deliver food with a curt but efficient manner.

After dinner we saw "The Wrestler" which was very well acted but very depressing. Next time I think Kate and will opt for something a bit more "feel good" or "escapist". The film is essentially about several tragic characters who are victims of an environment that they actually participate in perpetuating for various reasons. It was realistic in other words....

On Sunday Kate ended up having lunch at Panera. We had intended to have breakfast at Zaftigs, but there was an hour wait so we opted out. We walked from Coolidge Corner to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum. Kate and I had been meaning to go here for a long time. I was really pleasantly surprised at the museum, it is absolutely gorgeous and went far beyond my expectations. Isabella Stewart Gardner was a collector of art and artifacts and she created this museum for the public in 1903. Apparently Gardner was even a Red Sox fan, despite having been born in New York City. Anyway, Gardner apparently meticulously set up the displays her self, and many of the rooms in this building would be at home in a palace in Europe. The courtyard is perhaps the most surprising feature of the structure. Looking out into it you would never know it was the heart of winter.

After walking through the museum Kate and I headed over to "The Pru" food court for a snack before parting ways.