DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

Leap day.  kind of a ripoff if you think of it - we work one more day this year for no extra pay. Thanks to Kent for sending this article: http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2011/03/20/roger-keats-says-good-bye-to-crook-county-illinois/ a former Illinois politician giving his farewell to the shithole that is Illinois.  Take a read...when it is all laid out in one article, it paints a pretty stark picture of just how scummy Illinois is.  There ain't no fixing what is wrong with this state...because it is wrong only in the opinion of those who pay taxes, don't collect a pension, and follow the rules made up by the scumbag politicians. and here is another indicator of how the scumbag politicians do what they want...and expect us to pay: Apparently the IL lawmakers passed a pension loophole for themselves in 1990. They can make a onetime payment and can significantly increase their monthly pension; In Beavers case, for a onetime payment 68K, he bumped his City pension from...

Feb is almost history....time sure does fly. The Daytona 500 was rained out yesterday...and if your weekend plans include watching cars make left turns, you need better weekend plans...but, soon golf season will give me a reason to be outside...and not sitting on the couch watching cars drive in circles. Let there be no more stark example of the divisive, polarizing effect that our colossal failure has on the population than this: http://www.prisonplanet.com/obama-plays-race-card-calls-on-churches-to-support-campaign.html are we to assume that he is calling to actions African Americans only because he is an African Amercan, and African Americans should blindly vote for anyone who is African American if the alternative is a European American white candidate?  he might as well set up a "no federal tax payers for obama" while he is at it.  what has he done that would encourage the person that pays taxes to vote for him?  the people that pay taxes cannot afford another ...

here is the wisdom of our president regarding his total failure on all elements of his energy program...alternative sources, gas prices, etc. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obamas-energy-plan-algae now, let me call your attention to a quote from our messiah (in the article): "You’ve got a bunch of algae out here, right? If we can figure out how to make energy out of that, we’ll be doing all right." let that sink in.  our President...this is the best he has to offer us..the 50% that pay taxes??? Priceless...kind of shows the very limited ability of his thought process.  He is really trying.  and failing miserably.  miserably.  Of course, the office of the President of the United States requires a lot more than what he brings to it..what he brings is beyond me. his records have been sealed.  who is he anyway?   If we can figure out how to make a leader out of a community organizer we'll be doing all right...ARE YOU SERIOUS..this is our lea...

look at this story about a cook county commissioneer, Beavis, and his lack of any civilized class http://www.suntimes.com/10855337-417/commissioner-beavers-on-us-atty-patrick-fitzgerald-f-him.html what an utter joke....this is a politician elected to represent his constituants...we keep lowering the bar, but it is still far too high to account for the scum that gets elected..for the lowest rung of the low that somehow gets into office and rips us all off.  we are really in a bad way.  a turd like this is a political heavyweight?  my, how low we have fallen.  I fear for the future of this country. cook county - what a pathetic shithole Illinois - what a really sorry excuse for a state...in short, a real shithole.  and they take how much of our income? Fudd...what a pantload. prickwinke...what a stupid man (or woman...or what exactly is that thing?) folks - we are screwed...

I guess winter is not quite over yet.  got dumped on...as you know.  but, the Daytona 500 is Sunday...a sure sign that spring is close.  get a load of this crap: http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/washington-secrets/2012/02/michelle-obamas-pitch-share-wealth/304981 Michelle Obama saying that everyone should share the wealth...fresh off a ski weekend that cost the taxpayers millions...and we should share the wealth...with who - the 49.5% of the pantloads that pay no federal tax?  we are in free fall.  the policies enacted by the president have started the snowball of inflation...gas going up 25 cents per gallon per day.....and the response of our messiah? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203918304577241623995642182.html?mod=opinion_newsreel we're in a world of hurt...we needed a leader and we got a shyster.  the emperor is wearing no clothes...we've been had. but, enjoy the race on Sunday.  and eacho peas, you commoners.  ...

well, Gov. Fudd Quinn really laid out an impressive plan to solve Illinois' budget problem didn't he?  After all, he took the biggest problem, pensions, and did nothing about them....OTHER THAN APPOINT A PANEL TO FIGURE OUT THE PENSION PROBLEM..  why wasn't this panel created a decade ago?  and, of course, those on the panel will no doubt get a pension for their work on the panel....don't get me started...don't even get me started.  (lame snl bit - I looked for a youtube clip but came up empty) and here is more shocking news http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/chart-of-the-week-nearly-half-of-all-americans-dont-pay-income-taxes/ Half of Americans pay no federal tax....maybe that is the half that is in favor of our colossal failure-in-chief being re-elected.  Half pay no taxes...think of that...I know of no one that pays no federal taxes...hmm..who would those be that pay no taxes???  social justice, my foot.  we are increasing exponentially the n...

The state is abuzz (well, I am anyway) in anticipation of the undoubtably insightful and problem solving speach to be given today by our uber-genius governor Fudd Quinn at noon today.  take a read on the attached article in today's Trib http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-to-call-for-dozens-of-prison-human-services-closures-20120221,0,4642430.story?page=1 he is talking about making all these cuts....BUT WE WILL BE SPENDING MORE THAN LAST YEAR.  Oh Fudd...you blissfully ignonant dope.  when the guy is tying your shoes this morning, ask him if he has any advice for the budget problems. Not a word about cutting pensions...the biggest hole in the budget.  so - just imagine the budget problems when the TEMPORARY income tax expires.  Sure....temporary until it is increased to 10%.  Illinois - what a shithole.  can anyone argue.  a shithole led by a rube...or perhaps an idiot savant..... nah - just an idiot. 

Well, here is a story that is shocking....just shocking.  Seems that older workers are not retiring...because they can't afford to retire. http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/20/10435958-tough-times-keep-older-workers-from-retiring the cost of everything is going up due to our failure-in-chief printing money like he has no clue what he is doing  (but, he really has no clue of what he is doing).  just wait a few years until the real impacet of his irresponsible spending takes hold.  our property taxes are going up even though the value of our houses is going down dramatically.  we are being taxed every which way possible.  and, the mopes drawing pensions are getting an increase every year...on us... Here's another story that should infuriate you.  http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120218/ISSUE01/302189981/comed-mulls-power-rate-hike-to-offset-loss-of-suburban-customers because comed cannot be price competitive, communities are bu...

well, whatever minute economic recovery we have had since our collossal failure was elected is bound to be wiped out by the gas prices we are about to be faced with. http://www.cnbc.com/id/46445698 the dems have a plan, don't they?  remember how Bush was ridiculed for asking the Saudis to pump more oil?  at least he did something...and our current failure in chief, well, he vetoed the pipeline from Canada to the US.  but, his wife did find time for another vacation.  and we commoners should all rejoice that her life is as free of the worries of the working class as possible.  no pea-eating for her. http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/washington-secrets/2012/02/michelles-ski-trip-marks-16-obama-vacations/294051 November can't get here soon enough.

It is starting to look like spring now - the sun is higher in the sky, the days getting longer...we'll get dumped on at least one more time, but the end is in sight...6 weeks (or less) until the first round of golf for the season.  less than 6 months until fishing in Canada, and I know you are all really anxious to see more fishing pictures... Jewel had a sale on cases of bottled water yesterday. 4 cases for 9 bucks, or 2.25 per case...now, if I had bought that water in Chicago there would have been a tax on each case of $1.20.  Honestly...a 53% tax on water?  but, those penisons aren't gonna pay themselves, are they? Then there is this garbage...a proposed tax on soda...to help prevent us from ingesting too much sugar... http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/10691227-418/sugar-drink-tax-to-get-chicagoans-budget-in-shape.html Chicago...what a shithole..... here is a story underscoring just how out of control the elite class, that is our elected officials consid...

check this out - the Chicago Teachers Union is asking for a 30% raise over 2 years.  Now, seeing how their work has resulted in so many outstanding citizens in Chicago, I think they deserve far more than 30%.  and they should get to retire far earlier.  there should be no concern that our property taxes are already unaffordable....pay these molders of our future leaders more.  the Social Treasures churned out by the chicago public shool system warrants whatever raise they think they deserve, right?  After all, their union is lead by a hippo-like woman who is an admitted drug addict, and has been video taped insulting people with speach impediments, and recommend those with speach impediments be beaten....oh wait - the press did not take that angle, did they....I wonder why??? What are these people thinking?  I say the taxpayers should propose a 60% cut in teachers pay as a starting point.  this link from today's Trib: http://www.latimes.com/news/na...

There was an article this week that said Chicago was going to work with the state of Illinois to withhold from someone's state income tax refund any fines owed to the city of chicago.  really...how about continuing this trend and withhold property tax from state pensions.  How about a new tax, called the "unrealistic retirement payout" tax that would be the difference from the age someone retired and the social security retirement age.  so, if someone retired at 55, but the SS retirement age is 65, they would pay a tax of the number of years times two.  or, a 20% tax on their pension.  this, of course, would be a starting point.  that tax could be increased by 66% in one fell swoop, like the state income tax increase was.  makes perfect sense, doesn't it?  and gives some relief to the much abused tax payer. what sayeth you, Fudd, you hopelessly lost idiot?? have a good weekend, all....

Here is a link illustrating just how badly we were misled by Obama in the 2008 campaign.  No one realized how bad things were, so he should get a pass on how bad things are now???? http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/02/14/obama_on_failed_promise_to_cut_deficit_in_half_recession_turned_out_to_be_a_lot_deeper.html Huh?  we watched him point at the camera and say "LOOK", as if the next words out of his mouth needed to be identified for their geniusness....but he did not know how bad things were, nor how to fix them.  His record of voting "present" over 100 times did not give him the political seasoning that a President should have.  "a lot of us didn't understand how bad things would get"?????  you moron.  I understood, and continue to understand.  I don't get to take a private 747 on vacations...and you told us we had to eat our peas.  so the regular guy has to eat peas...while you and your family eat steak. what a mistake this county...

here is an interesting video clip with Nancy Pelosi, big piece of poop and inside trader, talking about what the Dems would do to lower gas prices http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbzzeuYJteY remember - this was from 2007.  before our messiah was elected president.  before pelosi made millions on insider trading.  but we sheep are coerced into eating these turds....why do we eat these turds?  why do we keep electing crooks?  now look at the bs that our colossal failure of a president puts out there about the price of gas. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-cites-rising-gas-prices-83-percent-under-his-tenure-among-reasons-extend-payroll folks, we are in really bad shape here. the emperor is wearing no clothes. things do not look good for our community organizer.  what a colossal failure this social experiment has turned out to be...well, for those of us who pay taxes, anyway.  for the 49% that don't??  enjoy your laziness.  I ...

here is a story you almost never see: http://www.moneynews.com/StreetTalk/Former-Shell-Gasoline-price/2012/02/13/id/429217 the price of gas is expected to skyrocket....well, that almost never happens, does it?  there are a number of stories on the web today about rising gas prices - this is just the one I grabbed, but look at the rationale used for rising prices...what a crock.  some of them indicate a lack of refining capacity is behind this price increase...however, did you know the US is one of the leading exporters of refined gasoline?  Why are we not putting that refined gas on the market to hold down prices???  why, that would cause the oil companies record profits to suffer.. http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2011/12/us_net_exports.html   I bet you didn't know that the US is a net exporter...bend over...the oil companies want to ass rape us again.  and what is our messiah doing to help us?  nothing.  what a colossal failure....

My last day off for awhile...and I have been sick for every one of the days off I have had the last week.  but, it is cold season, so I shouldn't complain. The weekend news was abuzz with Whitney Houston's unfortunate passing.  The tributes at last night's grammy awards was nice, however, where were all these people while Whitney was self destructing before their very eyes?  Is anyone really surprised that she died a young death, and that drugs played a part in her death? I see a budget has been submitted to congress...and it includes: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/us-usa-budget-foreign-idUSTRE81C1C920120213 $800 million to help middle east countries have civil wars and rebellions.  huh???  why not spend the money here cleaning up the toilets like Detroit, Chicago, and every other big city? 

this turned out to be a less than stellar week to have off work.  but, it is good to be off, and good to have a job to go back to...and good that I have 2 more days off before I do go back to work.  I meant to write the other day about the change in funding approach that Obama made....he campaigned in 2008 on not accepting money from PACs...now, of course, he changes his tune and will accept money from PACs.  just another example of the duplicity of this guy.  Obamacare?  no thanks...the economy???  hardly.  who in their right mind would donate money so we get 4 more years of this?  well, maybe Warren Buffet would... http://freebeacon.com/warren-buffetts-net-worth-jumps-154m-thanks-to-mortgage-settlement/ gee - Obama is sure tough on those bankers, huh? what a joke.  the emperor is wearing no clothes, folks...

here is a link to the story that CBS did last night on pension double dipping. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/02/08/some-university-employees-double-dipping-for-state-paychecks/ I don't know which is more infuriating - that we are paying for this, or that these mopes think they deserve these payouts.  but, don't worry - Fudd will have this figured out by the time he speaks on the subject on 2/22. pull my finger, will ya???

I promise to write more about Fudd/Illinoissucks/etc tomorrow. I think this is the last video clip I have to post...  and it is not nearly as cool as it was to be there..but here ya go.  I promise I am done posting these really bad clips...for awhile....until I film more. August 2011....you can almost see the wolf back by the trees.  we sat in a boat and watched that drama unfold for 45 minutes or so...culminating in the wolf eating the sand hill crane's baby.  a once in a lifetime thing for an outdoorsman. 

I am running around a lot tomorrow, so here is tomorrow's posting today  (3rd one today..I must be bored..or lost..***) the flap about the Chicago city sticker/gang sign mess was at first not a big deal..a disadvantaged, yet talented kid makes an artistic statement, and for some reason, his design is unfairly scrapped. http://www.suntimes.com/10513665-417/city-clerk-yanks-stickers-over-gang-sign-flap-despite-moms-plea.html however, look at this blog http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/ turns out the kid was a gangbanger...hmm, who would've thought, huh?  just so you know I am always thinking of my readers, I have a link to a story about 3 really hot chicks...I think you will agree....forget Mila Kunis - give me one of these stomach-turning freaks  hotties. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2098143/Sangli-sisters-Werewolf-syndrome-doesnt-stop-Savita-Monisha-Savitri-dreaming-marriage.html now that I have mastered the technique, here is my second video uplo...

It is 5:24 pm, and there is a glimmer of daylight left.  We are on the good side of winter, I hope.  we'll probably get dumped on a time or two before spring springs.  I had the last 3 days off work.  had to use up some days or I would not accrue any more...so, with the weather not great, I sat at the keyboard by the same window that I did when I was unemployed in 2008/2009.  just watching the world go by....looking for something of interest on the web...I must say, the feelings of hopelessness are never too far from the surface.  I know I have a job to go to, and that is great.  But the memory of having nothing to do and going to WalMart at 10 am, or the grocery store mid afternoon comes back pretty quick.  I suppose I need to get rid of that mindset...but as my friend Rob said "unemployment is the scar that never heals".  and if you have been through it, you know what I am talking about.  if you haven't been through it, be thankful f...

this story is shocking...Illinois was ranked the second worst state to retire in...what is shocking is that there is a state ranked worse than Illinois. http://money.msn.com/retirement/10-worst-states-for-retirees Here's a story about nothing...Gov. Fudd is supposed to offer his plan on the state deficit on Feb. 22.  I love his quote "nobody will get scalped, but everyone will get a haircut".  unless you are collecting a pension, that is.  I can't wait for Fudd to share his wisdom on this sinking ship. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-offers-details-on-pension-medicaid-cost-cutting-20120207,0,7220519.story and, get off the water - looks like a big one is coming.....I remember being in a boat at 11 am when this one hit....funny thing...when we were young and careless, this kind of storm was nothing more than an annoyance...albeit a dangerous one. put on the rain gear and keep fishing..feeling the hair on your arms stand up because the...

Really gray, lousy weather.  I took a few days off work, but can't do much...other than play on the computer.  stop the presses...the price of gas is supposed to skyrocket...again.  the same lame reasons are given, as if that somehow makes the increase acceptable. http://www.suntimes.com/10475942-417/expert-expects-gas-prices-in-chicago-to-hit-460-by-may.html of course, you will now see the oil companies post record profits...again.  sell less gas, and sell it at a higher profit margin and the record profits will follow. http://www.suntimes.com/business/10487786-420/bp-hikes-dividend-after-strong-fourth-quarter.html how many more price increases on those things we rely on can we stand?  Where does it end?  did you ever notice that if you see a picture of a guy holding a fish, that guy generally looks pretty happy???  must be a lesson in there somewhere.

Well, the super bowl turned out to be a very good game.  hard to believe the football season that started in early September is over...already.  soon the 9 month Nascar season will begin...PGA season...the seasons do fly by, don't they? http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/education/schools-fear-governor-quinn-proposal-to-shits-pension-costs-20120203 Interesting link here...rather than actually reform the pension system, Gov Fudd is proposing to move the commitment for the pension costs to the local school district...of course, the local school districts are crying poor...I guess it is ok to award these high, unsustainable pensions...as long as someone else is paying the tab.  Of couse, the whole situation starts with the sorry shape of the entire state, and now the cuts that businesses have to make are being made by government.  and it is a long way from over. AUTHOR'S NOTE - an alert reader (Kevin Meade - mornin sunshine....) noticed the ironic wording on the...

8:30 am and I am already sick of the super bowl pre-game banter and analysys.  and it is 9 hours to kickoff.  guess I will have to find something to do for most of the day that does not involve sitting in front of the tv. I did hear a few news reports over the last few days that the economy had added 246M jobs, and unemployment was now down to 8.6%.  BUT.......the attached story presents a dissenting opinion: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/record-12-million-people-fall-out-labor-force-one-month-labor-force-participation-rate-tumbles - take a read and focus on the graphs....reasonably easy to understand what is going on here. the white house has just ceased to count the long term unemployed. the figures they use to bolster their case for a better economic picture include a record reduction of the pool of job seekers.  before the November election, look for this administration to cease counting the unemployed althgether...resulting in an unemployment ra...

Illinois...the dreadful piss puddle of epic proportions...the most poorly run of the 50 states...with billions in unpayable debt, and a pension mess that will only be fixed once it is declared insolvent and the feds step in...and what is our pantload governor doing to help fix these major problems???? http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/10412481-418/governor-spice-quinn-eats-spoonful-of-cinnamon-in-on-air-challenge.html why, he is going on a radio show and eating a spoonful of cinnamon....huh???  what next, Fudd - go on Fear Factor and drink a glass of mule sperm....how about eating a dog turd - is that undignified enough for you? you are an embarassment to the rest of us who are footing the bill for your idiocy. Illinois - just when you think it has reached the pinnacle of shithole status, our autistic drunken uncle Fudd makes us look even worse...Fudd, you happy retard, you.  hold up a sheet of paper that says you are a retard and make a goofy face, ok? on an unrealte...

tgif...long week.  beyond the occasional funny commercial, and the pool squares I bought, I don't have much interest in the super bowl this weekend.  such an overdone non-event.  it is a football game, albeit an excuse to have a party on a Sunday.  I am at a loss for a concept to write about today.  I suppose when my primary focus is writing about the bad and absurd, and when confronted with so much bad and absurd stories, none of them seem any more significant than the other.  or perhaps I am still in a rut.  who knows.  but the beauty of things is that someone somewhere will do or say something very stupid today.  and I will be back in business.  I was looking at the stats on the readers of this blog...are there really readers in russia, india, latvia, etc?  or maybe that is just some random hit????  I like to think my wisdom is globally accepted - perhaps I would be seen as a visionary in some other country and would b...

Groundhog day.  what a silly, dated concept.  6 more weeks of winter?  whatever...*** Gov. Fudd Quinn's speach yesterday was beyond delusional.  Illinois is in a deep financial hole of a magnatude that we will never emerge from...never.  and he is proposing multiple income cuts and more aid to the downtrodden.  ok...so who will pay for these things?  who will pay for the billions in vendor bills piling up?  who will pay for the out of control pensions?   he is going to tell us those answers in 3 weeks.  He will have all the answers for us because he is very wise....sure... http://www.suntimes.com/10367582-417/quinns-state-of-state-address-gets-cool-reception-from-legislators.html I see American Airlines is going to cut 13,000 jobs.  Overall, job cuts are up 24% from a year ago.  and what does our first lady think of this? http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/207885-michele-obama-cites-remarkable-progress...

The first month of the new year is here and gone.  8.25% of the year....At my age, the number of months I have left is much less than the months I have been on this earth...so, each 8.25% of a year is a lot...not to be overly morose, but you get my point.  time goes too quickly...too soon old and too late smart.  that saying makes more sense all the time.  but, we are what we are.  (today is cliche day). When you are the governor of a state that is hopelessly in debt, has its credit rating cut to an embarassingly low level, and has taken no action on the pension and debt woes, what do you do??? http://www.suntimes.com/10352660-417/gov-quinn-boost-low-income-college-grants-by-tens-of-millions.html Why, you propose spending tens of millions of dollars you don't have on college aid for the low income families.  so, if you are low income, or politically connected, your kids can get a break on college.  but, who is going to pay for this?  and, do...