Political Humor for the day

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Happy Halloween

This is last year's pumpkin - Gir riding Piggy!

Halloween Costumes for Pets

I know it's torture to put your pet in a halloween costume but I would so force the bulldog into wearing this one!

The Coolest Cake ever!

found on cakewrecks.com by www.letthemeatcake.net

A moment of silence...

For the wives of Wall Street investors that have to use scratchy toilet paper and can't get their nails done anymore. Here's the L.A. Times article.

Obama Vs. McCain - policies in short

My dad asked me to spread the word on the each presidential candidates campaign promises. He said he couldn't stand to see the Republicans in office again- well, neither can I. From Omaha.com, here's a simplified view:
The candidates and their promises
By The Associated Press
The Associated Press

(AP) - Promises and proposals from Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama:

IRAQ-AFGHANISTAN

McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal from Iraq, saying latest strategy is succeeding. Promises to employ same strategy in Afghanistan, with unspecified boost in U.S. forces there. Willing to have permanent U.S. peacekeeping forces in Iraq.

Obama: Promises to complete the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office. But hedges by saying this would require consultations with military commanders and, possibly, flexibility. Says he will use the drawdown to bolster U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan.

FINANCIAL CRISIS

McCain: Proposes $300 billion plan for the government to buy bad mortgages and renegotiate them at a reduced price. Proposes a one-year suspension of requirements that people age 70 1/2 begin cashing in retirement accounts. Would eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits; guarantee 100 percent of all savings for six months; lower the tax rate on retirement funds to the lowest rate, 10 percent, on the first $50,000 withdrawn; cut the tax rate on capital gains in half, down to 7.5 percent for two years.

Obama: Calls for immediate, post-election passage of new stimulus measures including a 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures at some banks, $3,000 tax break to businesses for each new job created, unpenalized withdrawals of up to $10,000 from retirement accounts, cutting capital gains taxes for investment in small businesses, an extension of unemployment benefits, short-term federal loans to keep state and local governments functioning, money for infrastructure construction, and doubled loan guarantees for automakers.

ENERGY

McCain: Advocates increased offshore drilling, and building 45 nuclear power reactors by 2030. Seeks mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 60 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, using a market-based cap-and-trade system the would increase energy costs. Supports $2 billion program to develop carbon capture and other clean coal research and development. $5,000 tax credit for the purchase of zero carbon emission cars; $300 million prize for improved batteries for hybrid vehicles.

Obama: Proposes emergency cost-fighting measures such as a windfall-profits tax on largest oil companies to pay for energy rebates of up to $1,000 per couple and the release of up to 70 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve to boost supplies. Ten-year, $150 billion fund to encourage biofuels, wind, solar, plug-in hybrids, clean-coal technology and other "climate-friendly" alternative supplies, with financing to come from selling pollution allowances in a market-based, cap-and-trade system. Aims for mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. Supports increasing federal fuel economy requirements from 35 mpg to 40 mpg. Now would consider limited expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling, but opposes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

HEALTH CARE

McCain: Promises $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for universal coverage. Would no longer shield from income taxes those payments that businesses and their workers make toward employer-sponsored health insurance. Would let people buy health plans offered by insurers located in other states.

Obama: Proposes mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for adults. Aims for universal coverage by requiring larger employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Proposes spending $50 billion on information technology over five years to reduce health care costs over time.

EDUCATION

McCain: Proposes more money for community college education. Advocates expansion of District of Columbia's voucher program, but not a federal voucher program as he did in 2000. Sees No Child Left Behind law as vehicle for increasing opportunities for parents to choose school.

Obama: Proposes encouraging, but not mandating, universal pre-kindergarten; teacher pay raises tied to, although not based solely on, test scores; an overhaul of No Child Left Behind law to better measure student progress, make room for subjects like music and art, and be less punitive toward failing schools; and a tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year.

TAXES -for more specifics on taxes here is a link to another more detailed article

McCain: Proposes extending all of President Bush's tax cuts and cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent. After initially pledging not to raise taxes, now says nothing can be ruled out in negotiating compromises to keep Social Security solvent.

Obama: Promises immediate tax cuts for households making under $250,000, and increased taxes on families making over $250,000, as well as on corporations and capital gains. Promises to create new tax breaks for lower-income families, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers, giving larger families a higher credit, and eliminating the tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. Also calls for tax incentives for savings, child care and mortgage expenses.

Similarities: Sarah Palin = Peggy Hill

Interesting Reading: Dr. Housing Bubble

The current median income of an American household is $46,326. As you can see from the above chart over the past 40 years the top 10 percent of households have seen steady gains (the chart is based on 2003 dollars) while the other 90 percent of our population has seen virtually stagnant growth. That is why most American families may have more money on a nominal level but are actually poorer. What this graph displays is a disappearing of the middle class.

Stagnant wages are also part of the global market landscape. It is hard for American workers to compete with low wage nations yet our insatiable appetite for consumer goods has also led to this downfall. Look at the stock price of Wal-Mart. While the stock market is tanking they are up 14% on the year.

Although many like to beat on the global drum of keeping jobs here in the country, silently Americans are still voting with their pocketbook and buying foreign goods. It is hard to blame the middle class since they are being pinched from every different angle. The economic condition of many reflects this struggling sense of uncertainty.

link

9 senses?

Who knew? I've always heard of 5 senses with the occasional add in of the mind's eye as the 6th. Here's a list of all the senses: (from yesbutnobutyes)
At least nine. Sure you've got your sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. But there are four others that are commonly agreed to be senses.

* Thermoception, the sense of heat (or absence of) on our skin.
* Equilibrioception, the sense of balance.
* Nociception, the perception of pain from the skin, joints and body organs.
* Proprioception, body awareness. This is the unconscious knowledge of where our body parts are without being able to see or feel them.

Hypocrisy

see Sarah Palin pictures

Wish List: Portable Bar

If we are going to have a club about drinking, it really needs one of these!

Fuck the Mortgage Companies

Here's the situation: The mortgage companies gave loans to people who couldn't necessarily pay them back, then sold the loans to other companies packaged with some other loans that would be paid back. This happens a couple of different times and then the last company tries to collect and there isn't any money. The government has decided to bail these companies out with our money. Fuck that. That isn't capitalism. Anyone who makes poor business choices should not get bailed out. Small businesses don't get bailed out if they don't succeed. Many Americans have failed at their dreams and don't expect someone to just hand them cash and make it all better. Well, one sheriff in Illinois is letting the mortgage companies that don't have correct information on their paperwork do their own dirty work. Here is the story: Link

Tabletop Video Games: Not a thing of the past

My favorite pizza place in my hometown, "The Other Place", had flat top video arcade games. My friend, Tex, and I are supposed to build one eventually. Here's some inspiration for us to get going and get 'ur done!

SELECTIONS FROM H.P. LOVECRAFT'S BRIEF TENURE AS A WHITMAN'S SAMPLER COPYWRITER.

This is my favorite:

Peanut Butter Cup

In 1856, a fisherman from a tiny hamlet on the New England coast made a terrible pact with serpentine beasts from beneath the sea, that he might create the most delicious sweet seen upon the Earth since the days of the great Elder Race. Thus was forged the satanic pact between peanut butter and chocolate that resulted in the mutant offspring you see before you! Link

thanks J!

$49 candle holders

These are cool right? Would you pay $49 for them? I'm gonna make my own and have fun while doing it.

Palin Debate Flowchart