DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

The very un-winterlike weather continues.  Hopefully right on into spring.  after last winter, we were owed this weather.  the governor of the most poorly run state in the country will be giving a speach about how he is going to help families with jobs and tax cuts.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-quinn-state-of-state-20120131,0,2511116.story this is the same genius that raised the corporate tax rate to the point where companies are leaving Illinois in droves...but, so are the individual taxpayer....heeyyyy...maybe this guy actually is a genius...you force enough people to leave the state and relocate to a more affordable state, and there will be jobs created, assuming those people that fled had a job when they left.... you are very smart, mr. fudd..very crafty

wow - January flew by. Feb is a leap year, so it will be a day longer....and there have been rare occasions that we have played golf in March...keeping a good thought. the Trib ran a good op ed asking Quinn if his TEMPORARY income tax increase would become permanent...and only a rube would believe it is not permanent.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-budget-0130-20120130,0,1495755.story there has been no action taken on the budget issues that necessitated the tax increase in the first place...well, other than giving tax breaks to every company that threatens to leave the state, and now pandering to the low income families by promising them a tax cut.  Genius...just genius.  and, as another indicator of the slippage of American society, tonights Fear Factor will have one stunt requiring the contestants to drink mule sperm and mule urine.  funny how Ed Sullivan never had that on his show...perhaps the 60s were not ready for such in...

Will winter never end?  This weather sucks - can't do anything outside.  and, looking at the pics I post, you know I love to be outside. so, Gov. Fudd   Quinn has come up with yet another bit of geniusness....giving a tax break to families with kids.  http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/pat-quinn-taxes-state-illinois-speech-families-20120128 at a time with a bottomless pit of a budget deficit, and handing out tax breaks to every corporation threatening to leave Illinois, we are cutting more taxes to a special group...now, just who do you suppose will be asked to make up the difference?  and, of course, when the TEMPORARY income tax increase expires, what then. How ya coming on fixing the pension mess, Einstein??? Gov. Quinn:  please tell us your IQ.  If the question confuses you , please make a confused face and answer with your fingers. Does anyone miss the obligatory outdoors pic? 

the link below is the kind of reporting we are continually exposed to in Chicago...3 WHITE kids called a BLACK kid bad names and allegedly put a noose around his neck. http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/10252991-418/authorities-hate-crime-took-place-in-home-of-states-attorneys-employee.html the 10 o'clock news led with this story the other night...the anchor breathlessly reporting the 3 WHITE kids were being charged with a hate crime. ok - if guilty, these scumbags deserve to be punished...but how about some even reporting....On Memorial Day, were the beaches not closed due to mobs of BLACK thugs beating WHITES?  oh wait, the race of the alleged criminals was never mentioned in the many stories this summer about whites being mugged by "teens, with no description".  How about the poor folks taking a wrong turn off the expressway and end up in a bad way...where is the fair and unbiased reporting about those crimes?  Fair is fair...report crime the same way in each c...

the dumbing down of America.  It stated long ago, but take a look at the quote from our President: http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/01/26/obama_i_want_an_economy_where_were_making_stuff_and_selling_stuff_and_moving_it_around.html He wants and economy where we are making stuff and selling stuff and moving it around.  Huh?  this is our leader?  What kind of stuff should we be making?  having Solyndra make stuff?  make stuff like the Volt electric car that is a failure?  Nice Job America.... Stuff this..... oh, and how about this view: Look on the left side of the picture - that big brown bird is a sandhill crane.  My buds and I watched a wolf walk down the shoreline and take the baby from the crane and eat it....I cound not get a good shot of the wolf - very crafy animal.  since that movie The Grey came out today about guys getting stalked by wolves, I figured you could not be less interested would like that story.

Feels like it should be Friday.  Every day should be Friday.  but then again, we would miss out on Saturday and Sunday if that were true.  let's just leave the days the way they are - I play golf mostly on Saturday and Sunday.... interesting op ed in today's trib.  someone calling out Obama for his lack of progress on the economy.  As I have written, this awful economy is not going to be fixed overnight.  but, Obama ran on the platform of being able to fix it - big talk, very confident.  And now that the scope of the problem is so apparent, he hides behind the stale excuse of blaming Bush.  He took over a sinking ship...but, he made himself accountable for the fix.  that is why he was elected.  hope and change.  take a read - a well written piece:   http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/ct-perspec-0126-obama-20120126,0,4655278.story One has to wonder with the chaos in the republican run off, wil...

mid week.  and the month is flying by...well, sort of.  climbing out of my rut...working on that roadmap to the other side.  the state of the union was what I thought it would be...a long winded campaign speach.  All I heard was that Obama wants measures put on his desk for his approval. and he challenges congress to come up with measures that will solve all our problems.  wait... I thought when he ran in 2008, he had all these things figured out.  hmm..our messiah cannot be just another windbag, can he?  the emperor is wearing no clothes. This, from frequent reader, K. Meade: 49% of those surveyed say Obama is doing a good job on the economy 49% of Americans pay no taxes gee - what 49% do you think approves of his work??? I saw Dick Durbin on the news this morning talking about how terrible it was for Mitt Romney to have a Swiss bank account.  And that info was uncovered when Romney released his records.....so, if we learn nothing els...

Rahm is recommending to Obama to continue to blame Bush for his inability to do anything during this term.  I thought Obama ran on the platform of being a fixer.  What has he fixed?  What has he done?  Now, I will agree that he inherited a mess...but every president can say that.  Every president enacts legistlation that will benefit his term.  Today's problems did not begin under George Bush...they began decades ago.  Our country's desire to take in every poor soul that wants a free ride, or giving aid to any country that asks has led us to spiral out of control.  We can no longer be the ATM for the rest of the world.  http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2378295&spid = anyway, the state of the union address should be a good one.  It will be interesting to listen to our leader tapdance. and, here is a hearty bunch of explorers...1982 (bottom pic).  and then 3 of us in August 2011 (top pic).  Can you tell who is who?...

this blog hit 7000 pageviews yesterday.  If someone could tell me they were #7000, I will give you a beer.   ok - start the week off right... Here is yet another sign that Illinois is so woefully off track. http://www.suntimes.com/news/10136396-418/state-to-track-the-makings-for-meth.html If you go to the store to buy cold medication you will have to sign a form to attest that you are not buying the cold medicine to make meth.  But, if you are suspected of being illegal, you cannot be asked for id.  How about having everybody that is collecting a pension signing a form every month attesting that they are collecting it legally, and they have not benefitted from salary spiking or any of the other scams that have been written about lately.  Is it me?  Gov. Fudd, you are so out of your league.  You happy idiot, you. and for those of you that like the view from the porch where we got drunk every day a nice Canadian Wilderness cabin, check t...

Mr. Murphy turned 6 yrs old yesterday. We got Murph when he was a few months old...he had been living in an aquarium in a puppy store for a few months at that point. look at him - why was he not bought by someone when he was on display???...or is this like Shallow Hal, where he only looks like this to me....He really understands everything I say, and knows that everyone but me is a dumbass. actually, like everyone's dog, he answers my tough, lifechaging questions.....anyway, he has now run our house for the last 5 1/2 years or so.  What is that in dog years?  He's probably at the age where he could collect a pension if he worked for the state of Illinois.  I have no doubt that dogs are collecting pensions in this piss puddle (I coined that the other day, so I will use it a bit) known as Illinois. you watch - that will come out...but, I will not sully Murph's big day.  He and I are going to have a few beers to celebrate. Q: How does a dog know it...

no creativity today.  I wonder if writing a crappy posting is worse than not writing at all...can't alienate the few readers that I have... Pensions..one of my favorite things to rant about.  here is a link to a pretty objective analysis of the Illinois pension system and all its issues.  http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Illinois_public_pensions as you read it, and the stats included, you have to wonder why it was that none of these concerns have been addressed.  and why they were allowed to fester so long.  one of my favorites: In Galesburg, the city has $715 in a trust fund for retired city workers that needs an estimated $8.5 million to meet future obligations what a mess. appropos of nothing, I was playing with the settings and figured out how to post a picture...so, I will make sure to do that once in awhile....because, after all, no one gets tired of looking at fishing pictures, do they?  really getting techno savy, huh?

this is shocking...just shocking...even though we have been ass raped to the tune of the highest state income tax in the country, the shithole known as Illinois is still over $8 billion behind on paying  its bills...now remember, the delay is in paying those who have extended goods or services to the shithole known as Illinois...but, if you collect a pension, you are getting a 3% increase on the amount you are bleeding the taxpayers.  http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/19/topinka-illinois-unpaid-bill-crisis-just-keeps-getting-worse/ what an effin joke.  and we stand by and take this crap. (and I owe Billy an author's credit for submitting that link...thanks) the term shithole does not begin to describe Illinois - the state governed by a retard and with 5 previous governors in jail.  honestly - why do we keep electing these pantloads? last one to leave the piss puddle formally known as Illinois,  please leave your spare change for the illegals and pe...

I see that ABC is running a story about Newt Gingrich and his history of marital problems.  Now, while Gingrich may have failings as a husband, why does the media feel it necessary to run that story, and not look into why the records of Obama and his wife are sealed...no records from college, no info on their background whatsoever.  No investigation into why his SS# would not pass the governments own validity test.  Of course, this is how the guy ascended to the office of president - by letting the opposition be hung by their own records.  so, the lesson here is to seal your records.  Was comical to see the inept white house press spokesman saying Romney should release his tax records, but when asked why Obama did not release his college records, he said to go ask the campaign.  what a cop out. We've been had, folks.

I saw a link on Drudge that the price of gas has doubled since inauguration day.  Of course, we did elect a guy that said under his plan, the price of gas would necessarily skyrocket.  yesterday he did not sign the bill to build a pipeline from Canada to transport gas derived from oil shale.  what has this guy done for this country..besides blaming his failures on Bush.  He campaigned on his ability to fix what was wrong with the country...what has he fixed?  I am significantly less better off than when he took office..and when Bush took office...but, Obama ran on the platform of fixing things.  the emporer is wearing no clothes, folks...we've been had.  November cannot get here soon enough for me.

file this under "tell me something I didn't know".  so, Americans are raiding their savings and jeopardizing the economic recovery.  Hard to imagine when we are working more hours than ever before, earning substantially less than we were 10 years ago, seeing the price of everything skyrocket, seeing our property tax go up, our income tax go up, tolls go up, taxes on every service we buy go up, gas go up...... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46025535/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/ unless you are a receiving a government pension, your income has not gone up.  your share of the pensions that go to these hogs has gone up, however. so, eat your peas.  and stop spending the money you saved.  you are jeopardizing the pensions. I saw on the news this morning that the St Louis Cardinals were honored by a visit to the White House.  They presented Barack and Michelle with Cardinals jerseys and baseball bats, to which Barack said he is not sure he is comfortable w...

I drove my son to high school today.  Traffic around the school is a mess - cars cutting in everywhere, stopping randomly, kids walking between moving cars.  Not a traffic cop to be seen.  Just a mile from the high school in the neighborhood, there is always a traffic cop sitting on the side street with a radar gun. One day the guy in the car in front of me got pulled over for doing 3 miles over the limit - I know because I was reading email and had spaced myself a few car lengths behind.  I know of someone that got a ticket for a rolling stop.  a rolling stop....not far from where the Barney Fife is posted there have been numerous breakins and buglaries.  but no police presence to keep that crime in check.  that raises no revenue.  you should count on more selective enforcement of laws designed to bleed the law abiding middle class without exposing the cops to real criminals.  stopping real crime is too hard and will only be attempted a...

I lied...I did go into work yesterday.  but not for too long.  and I went to the health club.  and I read my book.  and I looked for something to love about life.  still looking for that piece.  but if you look, you will find something.  the news is in kind of a lull....no really good stories to rant about.  sure, a cruise ship ran aground, but not enough people died to really make it news worthy.  gas prices are supposed to hit $5 per gallon this summer...and just how that can be determined in January is a good question.  nothing too interesting on the election trail.  all that is yet to come. soo...kind of a nothin posting today.  will have to work harder tomorrow. ciao.

Midpoint of the month...well, I guess that would be noon tomorrow, but you know what I mean. Sunday...not working today for the first time in a few weeks....I remember last year at this time being stuck in a rut like I am now...long days, and your only goal is to get through the day.   Paying for fitness boot camp but not going....having a membership at the health club but not using it.  taking a book out from the library and not reading it.  that's a rut.  and I am in one. there is a guy, Ryan Van Duzer, that was on Out of the Wild.  He has a web site and is always involved in some adventure related activity - things more engaging than the business world.  He recently rode his bike across the country, and documented it on his site.  He rode his bike across the country....I haven't walked around the block in ages.... In the video on the site, he asks people that he met what they love about life.  I was up early today and wa...

another one bites the dust...now the corporate office of Aon is relocating to London.  there will still be an Aon presence downtown, but their taxes will be paid to someone other than Chicago, Illinois and the US.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-aon-to-move-corporate-headquarters-to-london-20120113,0,2849743.story in this economy, every company that is headquartered in Illinois that is not looking into moving out of Illinois should have to explain to their board of directors why not.  the parade out of Illinois continues.  Look at all the once significant companies that have either left or gone out of business: Hewitt, Sears, Kemper, IBM...the list goes on.  Oh, and the guy appointed by obama on the jobs creation panel has offshored more jobs than almost any other company. http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/ge-ceo-jeffrey-immelt-the-head-of-obamas-jobs-council-is-moving-jobs-and-economic-infrastructure-to-china-at-a-blisterin...

Happy Friday.  here are a couple stories I find interesting.  and another indicator of how screwed we are. the first is a portrayal of our president and a side of him the press has not covered.  seems he has no time to meet with and talk to our brave soldiers....perhaps he should just imagine he is at a fundraiser, and they are those blindly handing him checks so we can all enjoy 4 more years of his magic. http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/book-depicts-cranky-obama-on-baghdad-visit The second link is about the clip making the rounds of the US soldiers peeing on the dead bodies of the taliban fighters.  ok...so it is not really too nice to pee on anyone's corpse, but let's face it...they are already dead...and the dead guys have sworn to kill America and all it stands for.  And we won this battle.  These guys should be lauded as heroes.  But, look at the outrage of our politicians...the same asswipes that are profiting on inside trading, a...

I noticed a lot of page views on this blog from yesterday....so, either I have one new reader who read a lot of pages, or many new ones....hmmm....at any rate, feel free to leave a comment.  I can take it... this note courtesy of one of my biggest fans (mornin sunshine)....and you know who you are.... No. 2: Illinois. Now truth be told, Brady said Illinois actually tied Connecticut as being the worst state in his research. But ultimately Connecticut earned the inglorious honor of being the worst place for retirees; its property taxes, personal income taxes, and cost of living are higher than that of Illinois.But Illinois has plenty of woe: “Its pension funding, deficit spending, unemployment, and foreclosure rates are among the worst of any states,” Brady said. Illinois is rated as the second worst state to retire to, worse only than Connecticut.  which begs the question - how bad must Connecticut be to have a ranking lower than the shithole that is Illinois?  do ...

Here is some real relief for the working poor... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-increases-tax-credit-for-working-poor-20120110,0,4583515.story That $154 per year tax break comes out to about $3 per week... and if the person has to pay the a toll on the newly increase tollway, that one toll will consume 25% of what Fudd is proposing they get. and how ya comin on reducing the pension debt, pantload?

too busy to sit at the keyboard and pound out a bit of geniusness...my creativity has been low of late.  but.... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-asks-leaders-for-pension-panel-appointments-20120109,0,5895103.story Gov. Fudd is putting together a panel to deal with pensions...that would have been a good idea twenty years ago.  But, they took 2 lobbyists off the pension roles....great.  what a bold move. no creativity today...I promise the few readers of this blog I will rekindle that spark and really be an angry middle aged guy once again.

busy weekend - worked 12 hrs yesterday and was back at it early today.  year end...but, good to have something to do.  3 yrs ago I had too much time on my hands, and would have killed for a job, any job.  they say that hiring is up - who knows?  you have to apprecaite the fact that you have a job if you have a job.  interesting story on the Republican debate last night. http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/07/stephanopoulos-struggles-with-fairness-during-nh-debate/ so, the moderator of the debate is trying to trip up the participants.  another example of how the media is in bed with Obama.  the debate is between the candidates - and the moderate should stick to moderating.  or is it just me.  when I am a little less busy, I will write more of the mess that is Illinois.  as it is, I don't know which way is up.   I do know Illinois is down in the toilet.

A few weeks ago, I wrote that I had filled up my gas tank for the first time in at least 6 months.  That day, gas was $3.19 per gallon.  today I bought gas and it was $3.65 per gallon.  What exactly happened to justify a 46 cent increase in gas?  Some idle threats by Iran?  the economy getting better or worse?  What a crock. Here is a story that is classic Illinois http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/06/10018085-lottery-checks-bounce-for-85-winners-in-illinois the checks given to lottery winners bounced.  and those affected were offered A FREE SCRATCH OFF TICKET for their troubles.  classic.  what if those tickets win? I wonder if the pension checks bounce....nah.  fat chance of that.

the first week of the new year....busy, busy.  the diet has yet to start.  working out - not so much.  2012 has started the way 2011 ended. a good editorial in today's Trib about pensions and the need to get it under control....but it is so out of control, and the expectations of those getting pensions is so unrealistic, this will be the undoing of the state..well, one of the undoings of this poorly run shithold known as Illinois. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pension-0106-20120106,0,4065484.story

Now here is a story that is shocking...just shocking: http://www.suntimes.com/news/9798397-418/quinns-3-year-outlook-forecasts-gloomy-budget.html Our imbecilic gov. fudd says our budget is not looking good.  well, knock me over with a feather...and leading the drain on the budget....why, the pensions, of course.  the one issue that has had no corrective action taken.  since the 3 year budget outlook is dismal, what do you think will happen when the TEMPORARY  income tax increase is rolled back in 3 years?  fat chance. Illinois, what a pathetic shithole. will the last one to leave turn off the lights and wipe gov.fudd's butt before you go?  stay and you will be taxed to death.  and after death.

Wow, this year is really flying by.... ok - the attached article shows how wide ranging the additional fees we will be paying on pretty much everything.  No real news here....those pensions don't pay for themselves, you know...pay up you commoners.  the pension hogs gotta eat. http://www.suntimes.com/9758048-417/new-year-brings-new-fees-for-parking-driving-and-more.html Look at the rate increase schedule for water...a pretty hefty increase is scheduled for each of the next 4 years.  And I'm seeing more and more stories about the sad state of the water delivery infrastructure - old, rotting pipes, miles and miles to be replaced.  so, look for more increases to your water bills, and ultimately, the water system to be privatized like the parking meters in Chicago were.  and the rates to go up by 100% each year.  after all, it takes water to swirl lower in the toilet each day.

first posting of the new year.  I was so busy doing nothing I did not post for the last few days.  But, back at the keyboard today.  But, nothing has changed...the new year brings many new taxes and fees.  No reductions in taxes or fees of any kind.  A 3% increase in the amounts the pension hogs receive, because, of course, the investments the pension funds have never go down, and did not lose in value like our 401Ks did.  what a crock.  so - nothing has changed.  I suppose the hope for the New Year is something we have to find for ourselves, and delude ourselves into thinking that things will get better in 2012. Sure - and the Bigfoot show will get some really good footage of an actual Bigfoot. but, happy new year.  a few good college football games on today.  and everyone's diet starts today and will last until Thursday at which time it will be deemed unnecessary.