Well, allegedly taxes could go up on clothing, gasoline, and in a number of other areas because our state government leadership cannot set real priorities or even understand first grade mathematics. Only in government can a budget be called a values document. We have some real numbskulls in local government.

Tax hikes on clothing, gasoline (indexed to the price of gas), cigarettes sold on reservations, local cash drives...er....property reassessments, SUNY tuition hikes. State and local government do a bang up job giving the working man a break, let alone people on fixed incomes. The talk is about people "paying their fair share" who already get roto-raped by the State. Oh, and how about rules put in place to require new license plates, thus triggering more revenue? They can't fuck you enough.

Any chance we'll get a break if and when we ever pull out of this stinking mess? I'll go ahead and safely guess that they'll do what they've always done - fail to adapt, fail to prioritize, shift blame for an upstate exodus and a shrinking tax base onto someone else. Our deficit is projected to get worse, not better, yet they treat necessary belt tightening as if it is torture. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they are purposefully trying to push people out of the state.

PS - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NYS don't repeat the same lie about a cigarette tax hike being about my health. NYS doesn't want anyone to quit smoking - it is too profitable.

So, President-elect Obama will reportedly offer Israel a "Nuclear Umbrella" in the event that Iran strikes it with a Nuke. Anti-semites the world over are fuming. I have to say I'm surprised by this development. I thought Obama's typical response would be to bend over and spread 'em wide. I hope not - Medvedev is practically smirking at us.

I guess this is where I think it is going to go if Obama does make this offer - The Russians will agree to protect Iran from an Israeli attack, if they have not already, or make some other aggressive move. There will come a time when Israel doesn't ask our permission to protect themselves - they have already drawn up plans, as militaries tend to do, to handle any contingency.

Now the way news works lately is that it ends up in the media before the media even checks their facts, so it wouldn't surprise me to hear later that Obama never agreed to any such thing.

Well, no lie, the Festivus Pole is going up in the Washington State Capitol. I have to admit I can't completely divine the motivation. Is it there to point a finger at the Nativity, is it there to mock that sign, or is this "private citizen" making a point about the Governor's policy? Regardless I laughed out loud when I heard the news this morning. The irony is delicious.



How about that Illinois Governor? Fitzmas comes early! The miasmic little bastard currently is en route to an "unknown location" - hopefully a dark prison cell but maybe I'm being a little presumptuous. How does not one stare, mouth agape, when the allegations against him and the juicy tidbits have been heard? The Conservatives already are trying to tie the guy to Obama as it pertains to the selling of the Senate seat. Interestingly enough, David Axelrod now says he was "mistaken" when he said previously that Obama had spoken to Gov. Blablabla about the Senate vacancy. Honestly, I don't think you need to cover a non-issue, David, it's a little goofy to be afraid of the Cons on this. The article is dead on, refusing to bribe is not a crime!



Thank God we have, finally, I think, a decent Governor. What's the hubbub over Gov. Paterson saying "When you go black you never go back" at a dinner where media usually isn't allowed, where people roast each other, where things are off the cuff? I really don't care. The Governor's a cutup, who knew? I'm pretty sure you have to be dead to be a saint these days, right? I'll take being able to deliver a good joke over that haute-whore indulging behavior of Spitzer 10 times out of 10.

't-go-back/

Am I ever ready for an effete, socialist European beverage! Today my brain has been about as efficient and effective as the NYS government. Heh, well, maybe I should give myself a little more credit than that, I have gotten some things accomplished today.

I don't get it. My diet lately consists of cigs, pricey beer, various pasta, bread, chili, diet Peach wedge. I got on the scale at my Uncle's and it said 160. I had to verify the measurement at Jerry's house. I haven't been 160 since high school, and now Jerry is heavier than me which has never been the case. I don't think I'm sick or anything.