It has been far too long since I have posted anything out here. I was looking on CNN today and saw a fun article on how to id cop cars.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE53E4P020090415

After reading this story I could not help but laugh. I would be satisfied with a check and balances system for the IRS. Right now they are the judge and jury, a true kingship.

The conference report, the resolution of the differences between the two bills passed by the Senate and the House, passed today. Our House Representative, who sometimes votes with the Republicans in order to keep himself safe from a conservative backlash that would happen if he stuck his head up too high, voted for it and for each step that moved the resolution forward.

I hear people say that they like to vote for the man, not the party. I might be able to support that, but not this man. He only represents our needs when he's visible and can't get away with anything else.

Crash

This site has been rather quiet lately, but with all the things going on in our world right now I'm not sure I can keep my mouth shut.

Right now I'm going to rant about H.B. 45. A congressman from Illinois has submitted a bill that calls for not just a national registry of firearms, but a required license for all firearms owners. The bill would criminalize possession of any firearm after the licensing period. There would be no legal private sales of firearms, but only through licensed dealers. There's so much more. I'll keep reading and then rant some more.

The right to own a firearm is guaranteed in the Constitution. Should we have a mandatory license for other rights?
How about making everyone have a worship license?
A free speech license?
A right to assemble license?
Unauthorized search and seizure?
Habeas Corpus?
Press license?

BTW, you can find your congressman by going to the Postal Service Zip+4 look up site http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp and getting your zip + 4 code, then go to the House or Representatives site and entering the zip+4 code. http://www.house.gov/htbin/zipfind

Here is the Contango site. The company head does a pretty good job of talking about current economic issues. Let me know if you find it useful.

Contango Site - Click on the client conference call

I do not normally respond to articles but thought I would for fun on this one from BBC News.

This is what I responded:
Executive pay comes from a deal between a company and the individual it is hiring. It seems fair that if we cap executive pay from an outside source, we should also cap the pay of our elected officials. Their pay should be voted on by the people that elected them rather than voting on their own raises.

I do not think it will overtake the memory storage that is starting to envelope us now, but it is a cool thought.

Story

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere
under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints
and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you
to say, 'Oh sh -- '

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their
holes until you die of old age.

SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation
of blood-blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor
touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt
heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer
intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

Sure wish I knew what the next 6-9 months were going to look like in the market. I heard a snippit from the CEO of BofA and he said the banking market was going to be bleak for H1 09 and it should start looking up in H2. UGY is playing with a low today so I am going to watch that. I think Oil will rebound in a month or 2 as our consumption goes up seasonally. I would love to be able to afford some of XOM or CVX or something. DIG is cheaper and is still coming down. That is an option. Basic materials is also an interesting thing to watch (UYM). I think as the economies start rebounding in 2010 this will be a good index to have.