Category: tradition
07/27/08 03:09 - 68ºF - ID#45159
Leveled Regatta
Now the energy just isn't there as it was in years past. But for some odd reason I decided to go to the "Jug" instead of the Transmission Dance Party tonight. Mainly it was just to run into people I knew that haven't been around here for a while. For that purpose it did hit it's mark, but for a night out it really was kind of sad. Since I'm not a yachtsman this will most likely be the last time I stop by. Yea, it was interesting to see some strange people in town driving their BMW's and Infiniti's but really it is just a shadow of it's former self and I know it's by design.
It's just sad that 3 years ago that one particular age group of people I knew kind of f'd it all up. The funny part is my buddy that now lives in the ATL was a part of it. As we were working together @ the time it was funny to have him tell me, "You better take it easy & leave early, because I called in!" Yea, looking back I think I should have done the same to, but there's this guilt association with work that I have for some reason.
Permalink: Leveled_Regatta.html
Words: 305
Location: Youngstown, NY
Category: summer festivals
07/20/08 10:31 - 70ºF - ID#45084
WNY Fest roundup
Here are a few pics of some of the food staples.
(e:metalpeter) 's Baked Ziti with Pesto. There wasn't a restaurant associated with the place, but it was really good and worth the $4 I paid for it.
My annual stop @ Lobster Hut, pretty much I though this would be food porn for (e:paul)
What is an Italian Heritage Festivle in Buffalo without a Cannoli?
Later on I stopped by the Canal Fest once again. I know (e:mrmike) posted some pics, but here are a few more.
The midway food on Thursday
Some of the Arts & Craft vendors they had on this weekend. Nothing really too exciting, as it was more "Margaritaville this way & I'ts 5 o'clock somewhere signs.
These were taken behind the "local politcal campaigns, church and club fund raiser" food tents. The star of the 2 festivals' for food value was the Our Lady of Czestochowa parish's tent @ the Canal Fest. They had this thing called the "Polish Platter" in which you received a Polish Sausage, 2 pierogies, a cabbage roll and a slice of rye bread for $10. I only had a bit or two from it as my friend had it. But it was really great food if you're into the above mentioned ethnic food and the value was outstanding. Too bad I didn't snap a pic.
Permalink: WNY_Fest_roundup.html
Words: 422
Location: Youngstown, NY
Category: carnival
07/19/08 10:49 - 79ºF - ID#45069
Mouse Game @ Canal Fest
Permalink: Mouse_Game_Canal_Fest.html
Words: 67
Location: Youngstown, NY
Category: money
07/17/08 03:07 - 82ºF - ID#45051
Yea, No reason to panic...
Yea, we'll give you a check but no one will cash it.
The thing that gets me is the person that is trying to go from Indymac to Washington Mutual. Talk about going from one abusive boyfriend to another.
Permalink: Yea_No_reason_to_panic_.html
Words: 55
Location: Youngstown, NY
Category: money
07/14/08 11:54 - 69ºF - ID#45021
Good Old Fashioned Bank Run Rant
To be honest I hope people wake up & yank their money out of troubled banks & bring them to their knees. Savers have been practically shit on for the last 30 years. Just ask anyone that for whatever stupid reason, "believed in the system" & had more than $100,000 in Indymac Bank. They may have kept their money safe for the last 10 years, avoided the .com bubble in March '00, never got sucked into low interest, no documentation loan orgy over the last 5 years and now are going to get a haircut on their accounts over 100 K, basically 50 cents on the $.
The only way someone got even that is a saver with Indymac is to have loaded up on those 4.3% CD rates that they were offering. F**K, Fed Funds currently is 2% and that's the rate institutions borrow money. It really was a huge moral hazard, Let's offer rates DOUBLE the market rate to get enough Capital to keep going & if shit blows up in our face, THE TAXPAYERS OF THE USA WILL HOLD THE BAG!!!! Pretty smart, although a bit morally shady.
In a way we are all going to be holding the bag for the whole mess we are going to go through in regards to the Socialism for the Rich. There was no fear in making any loan to anyone with a pulse. While at the same time the whole thought of being prudent and conservative just went by the wayside. With what 70% home ownership in this country and with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac passing the joint around of the homeownership fetish in this country there was just too much froth for the whole thing. You look at the subsidies for Freddie and Fannie, The tax breaks for home ownership and the low interest rates below inflation for so long, people just had a no fear of anything. Just borrow, borrow and borrow like this tool; Do you really need $200 Jeans and BMW? We just can't have home ownership for home ownership sake to perpetuate the "American Dream" and keep prices rising year after year while having solvent institutions that have reserve capital to back up what they are lending. At some point you have to say, "Dude you're horrible with your money and you don't have anything to put Down on this purchase to offset this institution's risk, FLAT OUT NO!" The mission for Fannie & Freddie was at best schizophrenic. You can't make owning for everyone at all costs fit into the framework of being prudent, solvent and responsible for your balance sheet, it just doesn't happen, we can't all be winners.
We are all going to be homeowners as the U.S. Government is going to end up buying Fannie & Freddie. So I guess it makes the Government your benefactor landlord. So is this mess what the ownership society was all about? So instead of one big apartment bloc of flats owned and operated by the government as they did in the Eastern Bloc, we are going to have Uncle Sam own our Patio Home Condo's? Then again that's another thing with the people the invested in Freddie & Fannie, the GSE's that provided a nice stream of income, your shareholder equity at the end of this, ZERO. Do you think that in say 10 years if the "investment" for these Government Sponsored Enterprises pans out that they will return the gain to the taxpayers in the form of tax cuts?
At the end of the day we have to realize that Capitalism is a ZERO SUM GAME. You can't have success without failure. We compete every day for Jobs, Mates and parking spaces. This whole, let's help everyone out and bail them out is just plain bullshit. At the end of the day we are all going to fit the bill. If they tighten in the Easy money, people won't to be able to buy those McMansion's due to no institution willing to lend them money. How many people can lay down $40,000 Cold Hard Cash for a $400,000 house? They used to do it 30 + years ago & the payment could only be as high as 25% of your NET Income, since they wanted to make sure you could may your Bill every month.
We can either have responsible lending or easy money to let Real Estate prices keep their upward trajectory forever. You do that by making it affordable for people with the money they have, or give people more money to spend. The second option has been the policy for the country for the last 20 years and obviously that hasn't worked.
What I figure they are going to do since there is just took much at stake to let the economy inflate to Wilhelm Republic levels. All of us are going to be on the hook for bailing out all of the wreckless financial institutions. It's kind of like living in a Dorm and some drunken frat boys trashed the bathrooms. Well no one is going to fess up and everyone on the floor is going to get assessed a bill for the repairs.
At this point just keep on shorting the financials & buy Gold.
Permalink: Good_Old_Fashioned_Bank_Run_Rant.html
Words: 917
Location: Youngstown, NY
Category: summer party
07/07/08 11:06 - 78ºF - ID#44900
July 4th Party
It's a gathering of people all across the country. Everyone for the most part highly intelligent and pretty well off, so it was quite the refreshing environment. The highlight was talking to this one Hipster guy Josh who totally embraced our contribution to the party of Old Milwaukee and Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor. I have never seen Labatt Blue sit in a cooler so long untouched. That was quite a shocker to be honest. On a personal note there was this guy from Baltimore there who wore a "National Bohemian Beer" shirt that is of the Pabst family product line, but unavailable here.
Unlike past years the Dad of the family finally constructed himself a "Man Cave" and for the later part of the evening I watched UFC 86. Needless to say it was interesting to kick back watching the bloodsport while listening to old school progressive rock at the same time as the soundtrack for this party.
Needless to say here are some scenic pics of Lake Ontario and some fireworks in action.
Permalink: July_4th_Party.html
Words: 259
Location: Youngstown, NY
07/06/08 11:16 - 78ºF - ID#44883
Woodbine Race Track
This is what it cost to fill up My uncle's Nissan Maxima starting with a 1/4th tank. Mind you I filled my up car with 1/4 of a tank for $60 in the US of A.
If you Can't be a real good golfer, at least look like one...
For the most part the track is largely under utilized as there are 5 levels. The frist floor is the Casino and most of the horse betting activity is on levels 2 and 3. I went up to 4 and 5 somehow through using the stairs and I felt like a kid exploring into places that I should not have been ;-)
Permalink: Woodbine_Race_Track.html
Words: 203
Location: Youngstown, NY
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