New banner. New buttons.
Well here we are: 2009. The subject I think on everyone's mind is okane. Known to us Americans as "The Shit We Don't Have Right Now." Labels: alcohol, clubbing, international news, money, personal, pixiesticks
As the United States helped lead the Entire Fucking World into a global recession, I think it's time to refocus on our budgets and start piling up the cash. I know personally I'm not that great on the subject, but I'll try and whip it into shape.
Other New Year's resolutions for myself are as follows:
Lessen my smoking habit. Note: I've made quitting attempts before and I'm not asking that of myself this time. But returning to less and less is a favorable option at this juncture.
Dance more, drink less. Alot of my money goes to having a good time at Heretic. Why not go back to the way it used to be and still go and have a good time but dance more. This will not only help my money situation, but also my health as I'll be moving my groove thing. I may also find this helps me jiggy in other situations as I used to. Read: Have some fucking sex.
Not cut my hair. This one is kind of the easiest, of course. But other than trims, I'm going to strive to not cut my already lengthy hair in 2009. Just call me Sampson.
Feel free to post your New Years Resolutions on this post, or boast about how you achieved your goals from last year. Happy New Year.
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Tis the season for thieving.
A customer stole 50 dollars from me / my work today. Labels: crime drama, food, local news, money, work
Occasionally a customer will forget or have need to call when I'm delivering their food in order to give credit card information.
9 times out of 10, I make the call and do the transaction, but this time the customer went ahead and did it while I was standing there.
Only they PRETENDED to be calling.
I got them to sign the receipt which is normal practice in this case and went back to the store.
This is when I learn that he hadn't called the store at all and was just PRETENDING.
The phone number listed on his receipt only goes to voice mail.
I returned to his address within 10 minutes of when I was last there and he didn't answer the door.
My boss called the police and I had to fill out an affidavit detailing the events as well as a description of the man.
Thankfully I am not, at least currently, on the hook for the 50 dollars.
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Going Franchise, Prepare to Panic.
Confusion surrounds my work place as I was told today that we were becoming a franchise later this month. The details are pretty sketchy right now and rather conflicting as well. Labels: economic news, money, personal, work
I was told my health insurance was over, but when I called Cigna, they said the new company would roll it over to something pretty much exactly the same. I decided to cancel my insurance anyway. They'll have an enrollment period in January so I can decide what's up then.
I'm told any vacation hours would be paid off via regular check soon. I don't have any vacation hours I don't think. Not unless they count partial credits from October to now which I doubt.
I'm fairly sure things like my Accident Free Hours are toast as they likely won't have that kind of program.
I don't know if they're just laying us all off and then rehiring us or just keeping us all on and at our pay rates and everything. Do I lose my seniority? How affected is my day to day job going to be?
And then there is the 401k that's become too small to roll over to a traditional IRA thanks to the downturn in the global economy. I know for sure I don't want to accept a payout and lose half of it to taxes and penalties.
Looks like uncertain times are coming very close to home now.
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Amazon discontinues Honor System Program.
I got this in my inbox tonight. Labels: money, personal, pixiesticks
Beginning December 11, 2008, the Amazon Honor System will be discontinued. This means that PayBoxes on member websites and PayPages on Amazon.com will no longer function.
That means that handy dandy link on the left hand side that some of you used in the past in order to donate cash money to your lovable, hard working, and downright smexy webmaster isn't going to be there anymore.
I'm not sure how I'll be able to take donations in the future. I'm sure PayPal is an option in some capacity but I'm not quite exactly happy about the idea of throwing my support for such a corrupt company such as that.
How disappointing!
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More rapid fire news!
*** WaMu fails. J.P. Morgan buys it up. Labels: boys, congress, internets, local news, money, personal, school news, trap
*** Lots of screaming, even Treasury guy Paulson was on his knees at one point, but no deal was reached in the Big Bank Bailout of 2008™.
*** There are Chinese people in orbit above the earth RIGHT THIS MOMENT!
*** I responded to a personals ad on Craig's List. We'll see what happens, if anything. (No, it wasn't for hot tranny action, but I'm willing to experiment.)
*** Retards think that Clayton State College lost their accreditation when Clayton County schools did. They didn't.
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So, um, crazy...
>>> John McCain suspended his Presidential campaign today because he feels he needs to go back to Washington and help work on The Big Bailout™ that doesn't seem to be what anyone wants. Labels: bush administration, democrats, money, republicans
>>> Except Bush. And Paulson, the guy who's running the Treasury. Especially since the initial plan was to have no oversight.
>>> Obama still wants to debate on Friday, but is going to visit with Bush and McCain at the White House tomorrow.
>>> Did I mention that neither many Republicans nor Democrats are liking The Big Bailout™ plan that may not even really work and doesn't address the core issues that created the financial mess?
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Congress, American Taxpayers Not Thrilled with Hueg Like X-Box Bailout.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke bluntly warned reluctant lawmakers Tuesday they risk a recession with higher unemployment and increased home foreclosures unless they act on the Bush administration's $700 billion plan to bail out the financial industry. Labels: bush administration, democrats, epic, government, money, republicans
Despite the warning, influential lawmakers in both parties demanded changes in the White House-backed proposal, and conservative Republicans recoiled at the prospect of federal intervention into private capital markets.
Six weeks before the elections, both major party presidential contenders also insisted on alterations in the administration's prescription for the worst financial crisis in decades.
Bernanke's remarks about the risk of recession came in response to a question from Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who seemed eager to hear a strong rationale for lawmakers to act swiftly on the administration's unprecedented request.
"The financial markets are in quite fragile condition and I think absent a plan they will get worse," Bernanke said.
Ominously, he added, "I believe if the credit markets are not functioning, that jobs will be lost, that our credit rate will rise, more houses will be foreclosed upon, GDP will contract, that the economy will just not be able to recover in a normal, healthy way."
GDP is a measure of growth, and a decline correlates with a recession.
Dodd later spoke disparagingly of the administration's proposal. "What they have sent us is not acceptable," he told reporters after presiding over a lengthy Senate Banking Committee hearing at which Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urged swift action by Congress.
Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the panel's senior Republican, added, "We have got to look at some alternatives" to the administration's plan.
The legislation that the administration is seeking would allow the government to buy bad mortgages and other troubled assets held by endangered banks and financial institutions.
Getting those debts off their books should bolster the institutions' balance sheets, making them more inclined to lend and easing one of the biggest choke points in the credit crisis. If the plan works, it could help lift a major weight off the sputtering national economy.
The White House and key lawmakers have been in negotiations since the weekend on terms of the legislation. It was not clear what impact the new congressional complaints would have on the discussions.
"Nobody is happy" about the bailout request, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., although he spoke of possible passage of legislation by the weekend.
"Nobody wants to have to do this," agreed Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader. He said he was hopeful of a quick agreement.
"I understand speed is important, but I'm far more interested in whether or not we get this right," Dodd said at the hearing.
Later, he told reporters he hopes for legislation soon.
"But it is not going to be a blank check or a simple signing on to a bill that sends a blank check to this secretary or any other secretary." He noted that either Obama or McCain would probably be appointing a new treasury secretary after he takes over in the White House.
Across the Capitol complex, Vice President Dick Cheney and Jim Nussle, the administration's budget director, met privately with restive House Republicans, some of whom emerged from the session unpersuaded.
"Just because God created the world in seven days doesn't mean we have to pass this bill in seven days," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.
Added Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., "I am emphatically against it."
Still, prospects for legislation seemed strong, with lawmakers eager to adjourn this week or next for the elections.
Differences include a demand from many Democrats and some Republicans to strip executives at failing financial firms of lucrative "golden parachutes" on their way out the door.
The administration balked at another key Democratic demand: allowing judges to rewrite bankrupt homeowners' mortgages so they could avoid foreclosure.
Paulson, seated next to Bernanke at the committee hearing, objected strongly when Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked if $150 billion might be enough to get the program started, with a promise of more to come.
Paulson said that would be a "grave mistake," and would fail to give the markets the confidence they need to rebound.
Paulson repeatedly fielded questions from committee members asking why taxpayers should accept the burdens of a bailout.
"You worry about taxpayers being on the hook?" he replied at one point. "Guess what - they're already on the hook." Paulson suggested that the fallout from the credit crisis would hit everyone's pocketbook unless forceful action was taken. Moreover, a flawed and outdated regulatory system, which didn't catch abuses, needed to be overhauled, he said.
Despite the unresolved issues, President Bush predicted the Democratic-controlled Congress would soon pass a "a robust plan to deal with serious problems." He spoke before the United Nations General Assembly.
In his testimony before the Banking Committee, Paulson told senators that quick passage of the administration's plan is "the single most effective thing we can do to help homeowners, the American people and stimulate our economy."
But even before Paulson could speak, lawmakers expressed unhappiness, criticism of the plan and - in the case of some conservative Republicans - outright opposition.
"This massive bailout is not a solution. It is financial socialism and it's un-American," said Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky.
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Back from Half-Assed AWA.
I'm drowning. Labels: anime, Fang, money, personal
I know I am.
Drowning in debt.
Drowning in loneliness.
Drowning in depression and sadness.
...
I didn't go to the Yaoi Panel. Well, I did, but after the initial opening, it went immediately to the usual antics of hen da ne who while are very generous and wonderful sponsors of the genre, need to 1) stop singing and 2) make yaoi paddling its own panel.
While I'm sure it got better from there, I found myself realizing I was in my 8th Yaoi After Dark panel and not wanting to be. I wanted to be up in the Artist Alley with my friends Fang and Nemo whom I see perhaps as many as three times a year despite the fact they only live on the other side of the city.
So, if I can be forgiven, I left the Yaoi After Dark celebration before Violaine really had gotten the show on the road. Was the panel good? Dunno. Was it a swan song? Dunno.
I'm drowning, you see, and the only thing I think that could help me tread water for a few more hours wasn't going to be sitting (or rather standing since it was a huge crowd) in that panel.
...
I only went to AWA for one day. 25 dollars. I really couldn't afford that to be honest. I'm behind on my car note. I have car taxes to pay next month technically before my birthday, but it rarely happens that way. My credit card is maxed out. And I have no money.
I try to stay at work longer than my shifts and I call asking if they need any help when I'm not there. But work is a tricky thing since it costs some money to do it and if I'm not getting tipped enough...
I'm trying hard to change things in my life that will make things work again. Because, things used to work. But as of right now, I'm drowning. Or maybe I'm already dead and will require resurrection.
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AIG gets a bail out, the financial world continues to crash and burn.
WASHINGTON: Acting to avert a possible financial crisis worldwide, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board reversed course Tuesday and agreed to an $85 billion bailout that would give the U.S. government an ownership stake in the troubled insurance giant American International Group. Labels: epic, government, money
The decision, announced by the Fed only two weeks after the Treasury Department took over the quasi-government mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is the most radical intervention in private business in the central bank's history.
With time running out after AIG failed to get a bank loan to avoid bankruptcy, Treasury Secterary Henry Paulson Jr. and the Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke convened a meeting with House and Senate leaders on Capitol Hill at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to explain the rescue plan.
They emerged just after 7:30 p.m. with Paulson and Bernanke looking grim but top lawmakers generally expressing support for the plan. But the bailout is likely to prove controversial, because it effectively puts taxpayer money at risk while protecting bad investments made by AIG and other institutions does business with.
What frightened Fed and Treasury officials was not simply the prospect of another giant corporate bankruptcy, but AIG's its role as an enormous provider of financial insurance, which effectively requires it cover losses suffered by other institutions in the instance of defaults of securities that they have purchased. That means AIG is potentially on the hook for securities that were once considered safe.
If AIG had collapsed — and been unable to pay all of its insurance claims — institutional investors around the world would have been instantly forced to reappraise the value of billions of dollars in debt securities, which in turn would have reduced their own capital and the value of their own debt.
"It would have been a chain reaction," said Uwe Reinhardt, a professor of economics at Princeton University. "The spillover effects could have been incredible."
Financial markets, which on Monday had plunged over worries about AIG's possible collapse, reacted with relief to the news of the bailout. In anticipation of a deal, stocks about 1 percent in the United States on Tuesday and were up about 2 percent in early trading in Asian markets Wednesday.
Still, the move will likely start an intense political debate during the presidential election campaign over who is to blame for the financial crisis that prompted the rescue.
(Ed note: The executive branch is using public money to prop up private enterprise, with no oversight from the legislative branch... isn't that fascism?)
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The World Ends With You
All hell continued to break loose in the United State's financial markets. More investment banks failed (Lehman Brothers). Others were quickly married to other banks (Bank of America / Merrill Lynch). Oh, and still others are teetering on the edge of failing as well (AIG, WaMu, Wachovia.) Labels: bush administration, disasters, economic news, epic, France, government, money, weather
The Dow dropped over 500 points.
The Fed pumped in another 70 Billion. Not that that money actually exists in any real sense of the word.
Pretty much devastation every where you look. But hey, McCain says the fundamentals of the economy are strong. ORLY?
Meanwhile, oil prices continue to go down, not that it will help much at the pumps. Refining capacity continued to be at a declined pace due to the fallout destruction from Hurricane Ike. The price at the pump in much of the Southeast is well above the highest rates in history.
Speaking of Ike. There are around 37,000 people in Galveston that are overcrowding shelters that are low on food and water and other resources. While many are to blame for not heeding the evacuations in the first place, it does beg the question were any lessons learned from Katrina?
At this rate we won't need the colliders in France to create black holes in late October to ruin everything.
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Gas Stations Sock It To You After Ike
As a massive storm pounded through the heart of America’s oil zone, the pumps of metro Atlanta were feeling the impact Saturday. Labels: disasters, local news, money
In what hinted at a replay of the near-panic that followed Hurricane Rita, prices around the region exceeded $5 a gallon in some places. Some stations ran out of gasoline, and some of those still open found lines forming.
At an Ingles in Cumming, usually a discount station, regular sold for $5.20 a gallon before dropping later in the day.
The national average cost for regular unleaded was $3.73 Saturday, compared to $3.68 Friday, according to AAA. The highest recorded average price nationally was July 17 at $4.11.
Prices had started to tick up early in the week as Hurricane Ike took aim at the Texas coast. Then the refineries, production platforms and rigs shut down as Ike drew closer, and price hikes accelerated.
Metro Atlanta’s average price for unleaded was $3.75 as of late Friday afternoon, up from $3.61 on Thursday, according to atlantagasprices.com, which compiles motorist reports. That’s up 19 cents from one week ago.
Late Friday, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed an executive order activating a state statute against price gouging that allows prosecution of stations that raise prices excessively.
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Back from Con. (Gustav strikes Gulf Coast)
Another year, another DragonCon, another hurricane striking. Labels: disasters, dragoncon, money, personal
It's been a long, long weekend so I'm pretty much dead. Hopefully work will allow me to miss unloading the truck tomorrow morning. I couldn't imagine lifting 4000 pounds at this point! I did decimate my finances pretty sufficiently enough, but hopefully if one payment gets posted correctly I won't have gone into the negative.
I'm very sorry for those affected in the Gulf Coast area by Hurricane Gustav. It's so cyclical the way the weather works bring death and destruction year after year. Please continue to be safe.
I'm going to recover from the con now and we'll get back to regular updates on both of the sites possibly as early as tomorrow.
--love, PIXIE
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All Proud Out.
Considering I go out pretty much every weekend, Pride Weekend for me was just more. More nights. More people. More everything. Including more nothing, as in, I still managed to not get any. Labels: alcohol, boys, breeder news, clubbing, colin, DJ Kaze and Tatsuo, Elf, gay news, Heretic, money, music, personal, shotalicious, The Body Shop, trap, work
I was offered, but the guy who did was none to my liking despite us having some things in common. He just didn't have the looks I'd need to appreciate making the beast with two backs with.
As for my own pursuits, I managed to drive a guy that I've known for a few months home, and nothing happened there either. He's taller than I, short short blond cropped hair, and is a few years older, yet looks a few years younger. And though we're kissing friends, that's where we still remain.
Still, the extended weekend wasn't too bad of a bust. I spent just shy of what I expected thanks partially to Kaze and Tat being so generous as well as managing to sweet talk my way on The Bodyshop's guest list. To bad DJ Duo Yoshi Mac put on a marginal set. In fact, all the DJs seemed to be taking no chances with their oversized crowds.
I have one more day off, tomorrow, before I go back to work bright and early Tuesday morning. And I think that's just fine. I need to get my finances boosted back to smoother levels anyway.
As for updates on the site: Provided thunderstorms don't strike yet again tomorrow, I'll be back to posting a handful of shotalicious goodies then.
Ah yes, one more bit of information: Elf's housewarming party on Thursday went down as actually one of the highlights of the whole weekend. While I was surrounded by breeders, this fag actually took it in stride and had a good time even when I wasn't following my favorite trap around like a lost puppy.
Happy Pride to you all whenever your area celebrates such. And honestly, be proud year round!
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Money!
I got my first royalty check for copies of "Later, Skater" purchased via lulu.com. $26.74 cha-ching! Have you got your copy yet? Likely not considering I haven't sold that many yet. What are you waiting for? Put that stimulus check to work! Declare your independence from crappy gay novels. Labels: later skater, money
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Wait, people pay for porn?
LOS ANGELES - California state lawmakers are considering an unusual idea to solve the state's huge budget shortfall: Tax pornography. Labels: economic news, government, money, porn
The idea was proposed by a state assemblyman, and would impose a 25 percent tax on the production and sales of pornographic videos -- the vast majority of which are made in southern California.
It is unknown, however, how seriously lawmakers will take the idea or how the porn business would deal with the new tax. It is likely, though, that porm-makers would simply pass the cost along to consumers by making pornographic materials more expensive.
However, many economists believe that pornography is an industry with inelastic demand -- meaning market conditions typically don't affect consumers' desire for the product. In other words, it is believed that most porn consumers would continue to buy regardless of how much it cost.
A potential economic downside to the tax proposal is that porn producers could leave California to manufacture and distribute videos in other states that don't impose the tax.
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1. Buy candy in bulk.
2. Bring candy to school where it is banned.
3. Sell candy to children.
4. ????
5. PROFIT!!!
VICTORVILLE, California — With candy sales banned on school campuses, sugar pushers are the latest trend at local schools. Backpacks are filled with Snickers and Twinkees for all sweet tooths willing to pay the price. Labels: food, money, school news, youth news
“It’s created a little underground economy, with businessmen selling everything from a pack of skittles to an energy drink,” said Jim Nason, principal at Hook Junior High School in Victorville.
This has become a lucrative business, Nason said, and those kids are walking around campus with upwards of $40 in their pockets and disrupting class to make a sale.
Schools have been individually banning junk-food sales for years, and enforcement was increased in 2005 when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger passed legislation to combat childhood obesity, according to the office of the governor.
Since then, schools have slowly adjusted by offering more healthy alternatives, such as baked chips and granola bars.
But Nason said that he sees just as much candy and soda as ever, because students still bring it from home — for lunch, and to turn a profit.
“I think it’s original purpose was pretty good, but it doesn’t seem to be making that big of a difference,” said teacher Rolayne Allen of the junk-food ban.
Teachers are instructed to confiscate candy when kids have it in class, Nason said, and the punishment for making sales can be detention.
But confiscating candy all the time can be challenging, Allen said, especially around the holidays when students bring more of it to school.
Daryl Bell, principal at Apple Valley Middle School, said that he also sees an increase in candy around the holidays, but that for the most part, students steer clear of sodas and buy juice and water from the vending machines.
A few candy sellers are caught each year there, Bell said, but he does not see it as a problem on campus.
Since Hook moved away from junk food years ago, Nason said he has not seen a change in student health.
“I think they get a good nutritional lunch here, but looking at our kids and looking at physical education scores, I don’t see how it’s been a highly effective program,” Nason said.
One way around the problem is the school’s lunch accounts, Nason said. Parents can monitor what their kids are eating by putting money on their lunch cards to buy school meals instead of handing them cash.
But as long as kids can get candy, from the store and at home, they will continue to bring it to school, Nason said.
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Like Spring, I'm sprung.
Today marks the first day of spring and last night at The Heretic's "Boys Night Out" party, there were lots of pretty lean things who were wearing very little but smiles. I cozied with them in the dark room, but sadly they weren't interested in much more than a bit of a caress, a bit of peeping around, and a whole lot of cockteasing. Labels: colin, Elf, fan mail, Heretic, money, shotalicious, yaoi
Still, it was glorious fun and I'm glad to have enjoyed their coming out as the seasons shift from winter to spring.
Speaking of sprung, all this weekend I'll be posting stuff up on the little brother site, shotalicious.org. While it had a bit of a rough time getting started with some less than rosy responses from some (former?) fans, I think I've won the battle if not the war for the hearts and minds -- or should I say, groins and minds -- of those who are willing to give it a chance.
Essentially, I keep saying the only thing that's changed is the domain name. And maybe a more enthusiastic displaying of the shota. Not going to be apologetic about it any longer, my friends. And I do appreciate the compliments, the sending of pics, and even another monetary donation that one anonymous person gave. Thanks very much!
Already I posted one of the AMVs I did. I'm still not in possession of some better video editing software. I don't see my friend Colin until next Saturday when we film another episode of the KIDS Fundcast, so no new AMVs yet. But they're coming.
I don't really have any other plans this Easter weekend. Maybe I can kidnap Elf, tie him up with duct tape, put bunny ears on him, and take some disturbing photos. I dunno. Have a great weekend and Happy Easter.
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Quick news
*** Mitt Romney has suspended his bid for The White House, leaving only Mike Huckabee to legitimately oppose John McCain. Sure, Ron Paul is still in it, but I mean, it's fucking Ron Paul. Labels: boys, celebrity non news, China, controversial, election, health news, holiday news, money, music news, shota
*** A woman who sued a hospital because she was unsatisfied with her son's circumcision was denied her lawsuit. Apparently once you sign the consent forms and they've committed to the snippy snippy, you can can't get mad when it looks like shit. (A second doctor did clean it up a bit though.)
*** Amy Winehouse is unable to get a Visa in order to come to the US to pick up the assumed buttload of Grammy's she'll win. Apparently she's gotten so skanky, border guards won't even fuck her.
*** Today begins the Chinese New Year and The Year of The Rat. I'm not sure what soothsayers predict that means, but I do know that despite all my rage I am still likely going to be a rat in a cage.
*** Apparently in New York City there are places that are now accepting Euros as opposed to old fashioned American dollars. Considering how poorly the dollar is doing vs the European Union's currency, it's not surprising.
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He's getting a lump of coal for sure.
BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) - Art Conrad has an issue with the commercialism of Christmas, and his protest has gone way beyond just shunning the malls or turning off his television. The Bremerton resident nailed Santa Claus to a 15-foot crucifix in front of his house. Labels: bizzare news, holiday news, money
"Santa has been perverted from who he started out to be," Conrad said. "Now he's the person being used by corporations to get us to buy more stuff."
A photo of the crucified Santa adorns his Christmas cards, with the message "Santa died for your MasterCard."
The display is also Conrad's way of poking fun at political correctness. He believes people don't express their feelings because they're afraid of what other people might think.
His neighbors found the will to express their feelings this past week. Some were offended but many were just curious.
Jake Tally walked by on Friday and chuckled, but didn't pretend to understand the message.
"I don't really know what to think. I know it's about God but Santa has nothing to do with it," he told the Kitsap Sun newspaper.
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Chicks merges with Dicks.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. and Chick's Sporting Goods, a privately held corporation, have entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement whereby Dick's will acquire Chick's Sporting Goods. Under the terms of the agreement, Dick's has agreed to pay approximately $40 million in cash for the outstanding equity of Chick's. Including the assumption of approximately $31 million of indebtedness, the transaction values Chick's at approximately $71 million, and will be financed using Dick's existing credit facility. Chick's shareholders have the opportunity to earn up to $5 million in additional consideration, upon satisfaction by Chick's of certain specified performance criteria through June, 2008. Labels: economic news, money, trap
Completion of the transaction is contingent upon various customary conditions. The transaction is anticipated to be completed on or before December 31, 2007.
Chick's currently operates 15 specialty sporting goods stores in Southern California averaging ~50,000 square feet, and generated over $120 million in sales during the year ended June 30, 2007. Two additional store leases have been signed and those stores will open as Dick's stores in 2008 and 2009.
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Burning money in Iraq sure isn't helping.
WASHINGTON - Like a ticking time bomb, the national debt is an explosion waiting to happen. It's expanding by about $1.4 billion a day — or nearly $1 million a minute. Labels: bush administration, China, democrats, economic news, epic, government, iraq war, money, republicans
What's that mean to you?
It means almost $30,000 in debt for each man, woman, child and infant in the United States.
Even if you've escaped the recent housing and credit crunches and are coping with rising fuel prices, you may still be headed for economic misery, along with the rest of the country. That's because the government is fast straining resources needed to meet interest payments on the national debt, which stands at a mind-numbing $9.13 trillion.
And like homeowners who took out adjustable-rate mortgages, the government faces the prospect of seeing this debt — now at relatively low interest rates — rolling over to higher rates, multiplying the financial pain.
So long as somebody is willing to keep loaning the U.S. government money, the debt is largely out of sight, out of mind.
But the interest payments keep compounding, and could in time squeeze out most other government spending — leading to sharply higher taxes or a cut in basic services like Social Security and other government benefit programs. Or all of the above.
A major economic slowdown, as some economists suggest may be looming, could hasten the day of reckoning.
The national debt — the total accumulation of annual budget deficits — is up from $5.7 trillion when President Bush took office in January 2001 and it will top $10 trillion sometime right before or right after he leaves in January 2009.
That's $10,000,000,000,000.00, or one digit more than an odometer-style "national debt clock" near New York's Times Square can handle. When the privately owned automated clock was activated in 1989, the national debt was $2.7 trillion.
It only gets worse.
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A very sincere word of thanks...
I got a notice today that someone donated 50 bucks to the site via the Amazon Honor System which is what you get when you click on the DONATE button. I am very thankful. This website is a very awesome hobby of mine and I am grateful that someone wanted to reward me for my efforts to being the yaoi and the blogging nonsense to the masses on the internet. Labels: money, pixiesticks
Thank you again.
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Visit with Elf delayed.
I got a letter from my insurance company yesterday that discussed the doctor's visit I had back in mid-October. This was when I couldn't breathe, despite my quitting smoking? Well I was diagnosed with bronchitus. And so I had a doctor's visit, x-ray, and two medications. I paid 20 copay for the visit and 30 for the medications. Labels:
It looks like my insurance won't cover completely the rest of the money so I'm probably expecting a bill soon from the doctor's office for 82 bucks.
Which kind of sucks.
Especially when people are not tipping as much during the holidays (completely backwards) and some of my bills like car insurance and webhosting pop up again.
So the plan to go across town to spend the day with Elf, whom I haven't seen since my birthday back in early October, have been postponed to next Sunday.
Though this probably is for the best considering I've been writing the adventures of a 16 and 14 year old pair of horny boys trapped inside the ex-gay residency camp in my NaNoWriMo. I've become quite echi lately. Outrageously so. Who knows what I would have done to the poor elfling. (Hint: Rape is like saying Hello in Japan.)
PS: You know since I'm talking about money. There is a shiney donate button on the left hand side. Webhosting bill is coming up on December 8th. A few bucks from each of you who are older and have credit cards will sure make the shota who aren't really supposed to go to the Yaoi Page mighty mighty happy. People can also email me for my address so they can donate some cash too. Help me continue to soil the interweb with the largest collection of yaoi and my nonsense!