DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

This has been a long week.  I feel beat up.  but ready for the weekend. The news is full of stories today about Bank of America raising the monthly fee for their debit card to $5 IF THE CARD IS USED FOR A PURCHASE.  Isn't that the idea of debit cards?  All the major banks are devising strategies to ass rape us to make up for the fees that the govt says they can no longer ass rape us with.  Same ass rapin, different cock.  these thieves are the same ones we gave billions of our tax dollars to because they mismanaged the financial system in the first place.  I have an idea - let's go back 10 years and let the airlines charge us for bags we checked when that was free.  and let the banks charge us for ATM withdrawls made when that was free.  My accountant this year asked how many internet purchases I had made - because Illinois wants its sales tax from that.  let's let eveyone have their pound of flesh.  we owe them, right?  lo...

September winds down...wow did this month fly by... With the presidential election just a year away, there are many more political stories in print and on the web...you see the term "Tea Party" so frequently now...and the liberal media being what it is, the term Tea Party usually carries a negative connotation.  TEA Party is an acronym for "Taxed Enough Already"...so, those whose lives depend on a government handout are naturally opposed to the TEA PARTY since those government handouts are money that is taken from the middle class pockets in the form of taxes and fees for virtually everything.  Unions oppose the TEA party - those outrageous pensions need to be paid, and that money has to come from somewhere....the democrats oppose the TEA party because Dems are traditionally parasites, and those government handouts have to come from somewhere...immigration advocates oppose the tea party because illegals come here, and there link cards have to come from somewhere.....

Feels like it should be Thursday, but it's not...oh well, quoth the archivist.... There was a story in Sunday's trib about a banking exec that had been laid off for a few years.  the story documented his struggles...the hardship his family was going through...and a good deal about his mindset.  Going back to December, 2008, that was the reason I started writing this blog.  I had been off 4 months at that time, and was angry, frustrated, worried...the whole gamut of emotions...all of them unpleasant.  During that time, I furiously sent out resumes all day - from 6 am to 6 pm...applying to jobs I was overqualified for...applying for jobs I had applied to multiple times.  What a crappy time.  I would read and post to boards for the downsized professional, and would converse with folks in the same boat at I was.  If you are extremely bored, go back and read the postings at the beginning of this blog - almost like it was written by a different person. Th...

some things are just to precious for words.....take this story about the budget hole that Illinois is in... http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/illinois/tax-increase-illinois-state-budget-deficit-growing-billions-civic-federation-20110926 here is a quote from a union spokesman about what needs to be done so we, the taxpayer, can continue to be forcibly ass raped into providing ridiculous pensions: AFSCME wants to amend the Illinois Constitution, replacing the state's flat tax with a graduated income tax. All who now pay tax hand over 5 percent of their income. The union envisions high-earners paying a lot more. "We need to look at a progressive amendment to the constitution that will allow the state to tax the rich, make the wealthy pay their fair share for the first time," AFSCME spokesperson Anders Lindall said. "We could also look at corporate income taxes. Right now, many small businesses feel that the tax burden falls too heavily on them." So, ...

Sure feels like a Monday - gray, raining.  the bears game yesterday was a suckfest.  and so back to work there was a good editorial in yesterdays Trib about the corrupt pension system. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pension-0925-20110925,0,4585188.story sure - this needs to be investigated and fixed, but will it be?  not a chance.  the pension hogs stand behind the corrupt law that states that pensions will not be diminished.  Leave it to the corrupt shithole that is Illinois to put in place a constitutional article that preserves the right of the crooks to profit from their crimes.  the feds need to step in and clean house...but wait...our president is a product of this crooked system...never mind.  here is a link to a good story last week by John Kass....you can't help but agree with him about the arrogance of these pension hogs.   http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-kas...

I was out this morning at 6 am - still pitch dark.  I guess summer is really over.... When I was driving to the store, I heard the song "Operator" by Jim Croce...a song that was popular in the 70s....made me realize there are many younger people who have never seen a pay phone...who have never spoken to an operator..who have never made a collect call.  who have never seen a vhs video tape.  Who had not been borm before America became a haven for every reject and parasite from every other country. Today's gem is brough to us by Morgan Freeman, who has determined the tea party is racist...I suppose he means anyone who does not agree with our colossal failure, Obama, is racist.  Apparently he is forgetting how the previous president was savaged in the press...how he was a punch line, a nightly staple for Jay Leno and David Letterman.  At any given time, approx 49% of the population will disagree with any president.  In this case, Obama is suc...

here is a real news story: http://www.cnbc.com/id/44621082 Billionaire George Soros said we are already in a double dip recession.  What a crock of bs - we never got out of the last recession, and things have only gotten worse under Obama.  In a manner similar Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize before he had done anything of consequence (not that he has done anything at all since taking office) the fawning media was quick to give the messiah credit for ending the recession that was Bush' fault.  And since things have gotten much worse under Obama, the battle cry continues to be to blame Bush.... we now have the questionable Solyndra situation...we give them $535 million which they burn through, then declare bankruptsy.  But, similar to the pension issue I write of often, there were some in Solyndra that pocketed a lot of money before it went belly up.  That needs to be investigated.  but won't be.  the market continues to have big losses each day...

Fall arrives today...so long summer.  We will now go from the nicest season, fall, to the worst.  it is said that nature abhors a vacuum....it can also be said that the state of Illinois (the most poorly run state in the country) abhors a road that is not under construction.  yesterday within a mile of work there were 4 separate road construction projects that really had things messed up.  enough already.  it's great that we fund these shovel ready jobs, but can they not finish one before they start 3 more? here's a thought....it is clear the media does not treat our current failure in chief, Obama, as harshly as they did the previous idiot in chief, Bush.  However, the free pass for obama continues...but, I fully expect the media will say that obama set out to be very unsuccessful at all elemements of leading the country, so he has been extremely successful at being unsuccessful, and deserves 4 more years of colossal failure.  count on it. the e...

If you are like me (and if you are not, thank God you are not), you really get infuriated by stories of pension crime.  The fact that the haves can set themselves up at the expense of the have-nots is criminal.  And it is sanctioned by our elected officials.  Take a read on the attached Trib story - it is lengthy, but worth the read: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-pensions-legislation-watchdog-20110921,0,4724416.story The shithole known as Illinois is $100 billion in the hole on pension debt, and our politicians are re-wording legislation so that a guy that was making $15,000 per year gets a penion of over $150 grand a year?  And this is legal?   Again, I encourage you to read this story if only so you can see how messed up those controls that are supposed to prevent this very abuse are. Double the tolls, the gas tax, the income tax...Illinois will still be the steaming turd that it is no matter what Fudd does.  the unions are c...

Debt...insolvency...everything you read now is about the sorry state of finances at all levels: - the city of Chicago is broke, and has already sold the skyway and parking meters, letting the citizens get ass raped by the new rates of Kuwait who now owns the meters.  Daley spent the money, which was supposed to last decades, in 2 years.  the city has its own pension issues, unrealistic taxes and fees, and has no way out. - the state of Illinois, the most poorly run state in the country, is broke with hundreds of billions of commitments it cannot keep.  oh, btw - congrats Fudd on being named the 3rd worst state to do business in.  we are all confident you will own the #1 spot very soon. - the federal governmemnt is trillions in debt - I believe the number is something like $65,000 per household.  we continue to print money at an alarming rate, and are heading to a real crash, the likes of which have never been seen before. - Europe is broke, and one by one, c...

The days are noticibly shorter now.  Fall is upon us...well, fall will be officially here this week. here is a link to a story talking about cutting military retiree benefits.  Cutting benefits for those who risked their lives, and who are getting a fraction of the Illinois pension hogs.  When will the three functioning brain cells of Gov. Fudd Quinn realize that Illinois needs to do the same thing? http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/us/retiree-benefits-for-the-military-could-face-cuts.html?_r=1&hp to date, he has: - raised the personal income tax - raised the corporate income tax - raised the state gas tax (which is pegged as a % of the price of gas, so Fudd likes high gas prices) - raised the cost of tolls - discussing a utility rate hike (don't worry - that will happen) but no one looking at reducing the cost of pensions.  despite the fact that the market tanked, these pensions have not lost value, and the pension hogs can look forward to a 3% rais...

What a beautuful day.  Sunny, kind of cool out.  Feels like fall.  here are 2 links to Trib stories, both about Metra, the public rail utility.  The previous head of Metra stole millions with full knowledge of the Metra board, and once the heat was on, he took the cowards way out and killed himself.  Then the story came out that he was supporting multiple households, After his death, he wife gets to keep his obscenely large pension and there has never been a story about the stolen money recovered.  So - we have a utility supported by gas tax, money being stolen, not accountability, no board oversight.  The first story from yesterday's Trib is about Metra's hiring of a $275 per hour consultant.  Yes - when you are running a piss poor operation, and you have just been caught with your hand in the cookie jar, hire a consultant.  Read the garbage in the story.  From what I can tell, all this guy has done was to turn in a conductor who wa...

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The month of September is half over....time does fly...unless it is mid-January. How long has it been since we have seen a story about the economy that was not bad news?  Everything you read these days has a negative slant.  the link below is a story about the number of homes in Chicago where the amount owed is more than the homes value. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/chicago/one-quarter-chicago-mortgages-underwater-report-shows-181615208.html?bouchon=602,il I challenge anyone to find a story that shows a glimmer of hope for an improvement in the economy, in unemployment, for America in general.  You almost have to adopt the mindset that "things can't get any worse, can they?".  but they always seem to keep getting worse.  We have, for all intents, a lame duck president.  nothing is going to get done in this administration.  so, those who are in dire situations will just have to wait....those pulling in the unsustainable pensions will get their 3% in...

I am only posting this link for the picture of Gov. Fudd Quinn - look at how Fudd-like he is.  Priceless. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-quinn-gambling-schools-20110914,0,1283244.story Then, there are these 2 gems in today's Trib.  In the first, the african american aldermen are defending a remap of chicago voting districts that will give an advantage to african americans.  The second link is to a story about latino aldermen wanting more city council seats for latinos.  Where are the stories about European Americans (well, you can call us whites - we are not conditioned to be insulted by commonly used words).  Give the latinos their seats...give the african americans their voting districts.  Chicago is a shit hole of really epic proportions.  these changes can only speed the descent into the lower regions of the cesspool.  seems like there is something for everyone - as long as you are not white. http://www.chicagotribune.c...

Hey, wasn't there some significant event about 10 years ago???  hmm...can't quite place it. what beautiful fall weather we are having.  correction...late summer weather.  soon the halloween decorations will be up, leaves falling, all that.  in the continuing rant I have on pensions, read the following from today's Trib: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-pensions-local134-20110913,0,838104.story what really gets me is that the repubs debate are talking as though social security is not an entitlement, and no one should count on getting it.  this, of course, after I have paid in over $100k in my career so far, and if I was a teacher, could retire on $80 grand a year at my current age.  but, we are to assume that since the federal government pissed away the entire social security fund, we should all just agree that it was never there.  this while the pension hogs fatten themselves at the public trough that we will never get to eat at....

Yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11...which I am sure you are well aware of.  Ten years...I guess that is the event that our generation will remember as previous generations remembered the great Depression, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, etc.  A significant event that is looked on as a catalyst for events that followed.  Look at what has changed in the last 10 years....the global economy is in the crapper.  Greece will default within a few days, and of course, other financial instabilities will then be exposed.  The middle east remains a flashpoint, and the trillions of American dollars and thousands of American lives lost there has done nothing to change the direction there.  Our personal freedoms here in America are being systematically taken away, one by one.   The middle class is being pushed down a rung each and every day.  Our government is an ineffective group of criminals.  Was it always this bad, or has it just gotten rea...

tgif...even though it was a 4 day week, it was a long week.  was just looking at the calendar - 6 weeks ago at this time I was on my way up to Canada.  Time does fly.  Ten years have flown by since 9/11.  I, like most, remember that day in crystal clear detail.  Maybe I will write of it on Sunday.  here is a link to a very good story/op ed from the Trib. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-quinn-20110909,0,2926245.story the story calls out Gov. Elmer Fudd Quinn for his failure on virtually everything he touched, and for cutting spend in order to preserve the outrageous and idiotic pension plan.  (and tell me that pic of him does not look more like Elmer Fudd than Elmer Fudd).  Like many of our elected idiots, this guy is a total failure, and is not qualified for any office.  but, he was in the right place at the right time, so he assumed his turn at the public trough.  I was talking to a guy at basketbal...

The series finale of Rescue Me was on last night.  As with most finales of series that one follows, this was a let down.  I guess that frees up an hour a week for me that I should not be in front of the tv.  But with football starting, I will probably spend more time in front of the tv...isn't that was we work so hard to have the spare time to do???  I think it was 3 years today that I was let go from my previous employer, which was the cathartic event that led me to begin writing this blog.  Three years....I certainly don't miss working there, and have no fond memories of that point in my career in the least.  so, it was not a bad thing to leave that dump, it was the period of down time that followed that I find resentful.  Of course, I am working, and I know there are millions of Americans that are not but wish they were, so I am fortunate.  Anyone who has a job should consider themselves fortunate (should it be themself or themselves?). But f...

I tried to play basketball last night...if I have gotten a bit better at golf, I got a lot worse at basketball.  I think this is the end of the road for that sport.  Which brings me to a new analogy..... Imagine a kid with one leg going out for the football team.  It is a heartwarming story, and he gets to play middle linebacker in a real game.  Except that his inability to actually play the game far outweigh the heartwarming aspect of the situation, and other kids are getting hurt because the kid is not actually playing the game...the other kids are getting manhandled and the game is a disaster because they are essentially playing 11 against 10.  The handicapped kid is courageous, but is just taking up space that a qualified player would be taking.  that is what our current presidential situation is (to me anyway).  We elected a feel-good story...a non-threatening mixed race guy that was a smooth talker.  We didn't bother to...

Back to work after a 3 day weekend.  The news is now dominated by stories of Obama's decreasing popularity levels.  Story after story about the sorry state of everything.  Ambitious rallies with obama ranting about what the Republicans have to do, and haven't been doing, that once done, will lead to improvement with unemployment, economy, etc. so - my analogy of the day is: Back in the days of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, they had Michael Jordan and a good supporting cast. This powerhouse team plowed through the competition in a way never seen before.  The general manager, Jerry Krause, refused to give Jordan the credit he deserved.  Once the team was broken up after 6 championships in 9 years, and the stars traded or retired, Jerry Krause was determined to rebuild the Bulls to their former greatness....except that he was unable to.  He would promise the fans that they would have to suffer through another losing season, then Jerry would have the high ...

Well, that summer sure flew by, didn't it?  On Friday, I was supposed to go to my sons football game, then work the grill at the varsity game....but at 4:00 they cancelled the sophmore game, but the varsity game was still on.  So, I grilled burgers for a few hours, sweated in the 95 degree heat, and went to my son's rescheduled game on Saturday when it was hotter than it would have been had the game been played on Friday at 5:00 when it was supposed to.  I played golf this morning at 6:25 - it was about 35 degrees cooler than it was just 2 days earlier.  very pleasant...but, the sun doesn't rise til 6:25 am now...more leaves on the ground these days.   we have a lovely season ahead of us, but then winter.  kind of like if you loved a certain kind of food, but it made you sick every time you ate it.  that is what winter is to fall.  or something like that. now that the driving season is winding down, gas will certainly go down in price right...

tgif - and a 3 day weekend is upon us.  should be a hot one, too.  fire up the grill and ice the beer..... here is a link to a story that should infuriate you....if you get infuriated about the pension mess....which, of course, I do.  The story details how union leaders are using the system to go from a $40,000 salary to a pension over $100,000.  If you read the story, you'll see that in each case there were rules broken, and letters written so these pension hogs could cash in.  and nothing is being done to fix this mess.  It must also be asked how prevalent this situation is - it is certainly not limited to the people in the story. Illinois - what a shithole.  here is the link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-met-pensions-villanova-20110902,0,1997273.story also, with Labor Day upon us, the oil companies have taken the opportunity to ass rape us a little more....because more people will be out driving, they raise the price of gas...

September....football season....nice weather...shortening days.   I love the fall...but I hate what follows fall.  Oh well..happens every year.  Starting today, Illinois will eliminate the free rides for senior citizens on public transportation.  Yet another fee heaped on the taxpaying public.  Now, I would imagine there are lots of seniors that are ok financially, and don't have to rely on the free rides, but by the same token, there are many that do need the assistance.  Just like the increase in income tax, tolls, etc...those already paying will have to pay more.  Have we cut assistance to the illegal aliens that we cannot afford?  no...  have we cut those ridiculous pensions....no....  but, gotta stick it to the taxpayer once again.  Illinois...what a shithole.