Vincent's Journal
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12/21/2008 23:01 #47130
Longest Night of the YearCategory: potpouri
This year it is kind of cool that Hanukkah starts on Dec 21st, the longest night of the year for an event that centers around bringing light into darkness.
I'm just listening to The Twilight Singers first CD tongiht for some reason tonight.
I'm kind of laying low at the moment. Really all I'm doing is just recharging myself and trying to focus on what I want out of life next year.
12/19/2008 21:50 #47117
In these challenging economic timesCategory: holidays
Christmas and Hanukkah Merger
Continuing the current trend of large-scale mergers and acquisitions, it was announced today at a press conference that Christmas and Hanukkah will merge. An industry source said that the deal had been in the works for about 1300 years.
While details were not available at press time, it is believed that the overhead cost of having twelve days of Christmas and eight days of Hanukkah was becoming prohibitive for both sides. By combining forces, we're told, the world will be able to enjoy consistently high-quality service during the Fifteen Days of Chrismukah, as the new holiday is being called.
Massive layoffs are expected, with lords a-leaping and maids a-milking being the hardest hit. As part of the conditions of the agreement, the letters on the dreydl, currently in Hebrew, will be replaced by Latin, thus becoming unintelligible to a wider audience.
Also, instead of translating to "A great miracle happened there," the message on the dreydl will be the more generic "Miraculous stuff happens." In exchange, it is believed that Jews will be allowed to use Santa Claus and his vast merchandising resources for buying and delivering their gifts.
One of the sticking points holding up the agreement for at least three hundred years was the question of whether Jewish children could leave milk and cookies for Santa even after having eaten meat for dinner. A breakthrough came last year, when Oreos were finally declared to be Kosher. All sides appeared happy about this.
A spokesman for Christmas, Inc., declined to say whether a takeover of Kwanzaa might not be in the works as well. He merely pointed out that, were it not for the independent existence of Kwanzaa, the merger between Christmas and Chanukah might indeed be seen as an unfair cornering of the holiday market. Fortunately for all concerned, he said, Kwanzaa will help to maintain the competitive balance. He then closed the press conference by leading all present in a rousing rendition of "Oy Vey, All Ye Faithful."
I just Wanted to let you know that this isn't really news Chrismukah all ready is a Holiday Just ask Seth or Ryan Atwood, This fact could also be confirmed Summer. For some people who don't know what the hell I'm talking about here is a spot that defines almost anything :::link:::
Now that's funny
12/17/2008 13:22 #47090
It may be timeCategory: finance
Seriously a 4% tax on itunes, $.50 more a movie ticket, a couple of bucks to a Sabres ticket, 4% to Satt TV or Cable, Additional 4% tax of clothes, A tax on gym memberships, Increased taxes of beverages. Seriously someone making 30K in Buffalo you will have less to spend on entertainment or keeping yourself in shape than elsewhere.
My question is where does all of this money go?
They are taxing smoking. My question is why aren't they taxing alcohol? They should. It is linked to as many diseases as smoking is.
I cant believe they will tax gym memberships. If people stop going they will just end up with more sick people over time and then that will cost more for the state. I thought most of the taxes were for entertainment and things that were bad for you - e.g. cigarettes, alcohol, soda, etc
It has gotten to a point where you could live in a thriving city for the same cost as living in comatose Buffalo. And why would any one or any company move here if they could move to a better market with similar costs?
Even I , Mr. "I <3 love Buffalo" himself, have thought about moving. This is getting crazy, and scary! What incentives from the state ate people getting to stay in NY? Uughh!
Clearly, it's not going to plowing after snowstorms. =/
So if there is a lesser increase in spending, did the government used to increase spending by more than 1.1% every year till the last budget? How did they fund all that - have they levied taxes like thes in the past as well?
It's a larger budget than last year's budget. That's all it means. With these people you have to be careful, in many cases cuts don't mean actual cuts, rather it means a lesser increase in spending, and a one percent sales tax increase is "just a penny" - they're snakes of the highest order. This is supposed to be their slash and burn, oh my lord we're cutting so much, the sky is falling for the government budget and they're fatter than ever.
So how is spending increasing 1.1%? What are the extra expenses that are not even covered by all these cuts?
I notice I didn't hear anything about cutting down state government at all. Tough to solve decades of issues in one swell foop.
12/12/2008 20:54 #47047
Boiler RoomCategory: finance
The funny this is in the movie Giovanni Ribisi character realized that there is no way after working @ J. T. Marlin he would ever get a job at a "reputable" firm like Merrill Lynch, HA if he only knew how "Reputable" they would turn out 8 years later.
It just reinforces the face that the as "the game" has been played over the last 25-30 years in the country. That guy that pulled off the biggest ponzi stock scheme was the FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE NASDAQ!!! Now who can you really trust?
The only part that will be interesting to read/watch will be the fallout of the people at those country clubs in Palm Beach or the Hamptons who now realize that they aren't millionaires after all!!! There should be some good dateline episodes coming out of this for sure. Time to pull the kids out of private school...
I saw that movie on a long plane ride. I had no sound, and just watching it made me think it was Entourage: The Movie.
12/12/2008 00:34 #47036
Vegas Trip Dec 6-9 '08Category: vegas
I actually did something that didn't involve gambling, I saw Oasis on Saturday Night.
Liam being a Liam at the end of the show
Everyone trying to get out of the Palms
The Venetian, adding another tower altough the stock price has plummeted from $200 a share to $5.
Me going out to a shady but always entertaining bar by the Hard Rock, The Double Down Saloon.
Why can't we have a special at a bar like this?
Now my Mom actually wanted to go and see "Dirty Vegas" aka the are off of Fremont St.
Here is the regular Fremont St Experience
A Million Dollars @ Binions, which they had back in the day before the casino was sold 3 times in 10,000 Bills. It's good to see that the new owners are putting money back into such a historical casino.
Now the lowest of the Low Casino's on East Freemont St which is really "Dirty Vegas" or the Gold Spike.
The Berlin Wall in the Men's room @ Main St Station.
Want your Checks Cashed?
Great pictures thanks for sharing not sure what my favorite one is, the fact that they have part of the berlin wall is pretty interesting, hope you had a great time.
I want to go to dirty vegas! (Are there table games with lower minimums there?)
Also,$5 for a share of the venetian seems like a good bet (with absolutely no research, mind you). What is the ticker symbol? And can you please provide a justification for me profiting off of other people's misfortune?
Ha, brings back some memories. I actually went to high school about a block from the "dirty" Vegas in your pictures. It was perhaps even dirtier back then.
I'm glad that you're enjoying your forced "vacation" status!
Oh, man. Oasis would be cool. Looks like you had a good time. I'm gonna miss out on the UB bowl game I think because I still can't find my proof of citizenship. =(
I want to propose dammit. I want to propose. (I just shouted that out my window into the blowing snow) I feel better already. :D