Crime and Punishment ....... div

In this case, maybe they're one in the same.
I remember when things were a whole lot saner in Boulder.
Ya  gotta wonder why the witnessing security guard failed to capture the perp, eh ???
Unconfirmed (and unattributed) accounts state that police reported,  "... the eye-witness descriptions were crappy, but once we caught the scent, we were able to flush him out."
Phew !!!

Saturday Nite Bluegrass ...... div

One of the really great session musicians on the Bluegrass scene.

Enjoy !!

Musta stepped in sumpin' ........ div (Update section)

Looks like one of W. Mitt's staff has screwed up again, eh ??

Its's certainly caused a swelling of the heads (if not an explosion ) within the royalty of wingnuttia.

The fact that the latest ad from an Obama friendly super-pac is a bit over the top  (but remember, the Supremes have ruled that the super-pacs have no contact or coordination with the candidates  - Jesus, what a system) doesn't really lessen the fact that these are many of the same things that Newt said about Mitt  - -  oops, those were super-pacs too, so they didn't coordinate either.

You really think this guy (and the folks around him) are ready to take over the country ???
What's that smell ?
How much of the smell can you stand until November ???

Update : just saw this at Daily Kos  - - - sums it all up with commentary  - -  worth the 12-minute watch.

Maybe ??????? ...... div

Perhaps it's the diet ???????

Crooks .... div

Why don't they simply lock up the offices, shut down all means of communication and simply say "gottcha" ?  Isn't this supporting terrorism ??? (maybe it's ok if you are white, Anglo-Saxon, and rich).

I especially liked this part: “You . . . Americans. Who are you to tell us, the rest of the world, that we’re not going to deal with Iranians.”

Assholes.

Seventy Years ago ........ div

Seventy years ago, Maj Gen Alexander Vandegrifth's  First Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands to commence the first land action by US troops against the Japanese.
Thanks Dad. Semper Fi.

Casino .... div

With all the talk about the impending fall over the "fiscal cliff" (brought to you by the Congress and the US Financial Establishment) I've been thinking about how I was brought up .... you know; thrift, saving, careful purchases, etc. I never recalled the use of the term "fiduciary responsibility for shareholder equity." A company made something, they made a modest profit (5-7 % wasn't unheard of and was considered pretty good), reinvested profit in research and development, paid decent wages and just maybe paid a small dividend to stockholders. Hell, for years GM stock was considered safer than a savings account. Think about it, the US Auto industry began its descent when the finance guys took over from the car guys.

One thing I always believed was that "investment" was just that. It wasn't speculation or gambling. Sure I lost money in some companies, and made some in others; but I wasn't the "in 'n out" investor.

Now, our system of investment is nothing more than a bet  .... and the house always wins (even when they lose).

The portion of our economy that is concerned with making "deals" as opposed to making "things" has grown totally out of proportion with the value it adds to the economy, and many of the "instruments" are totally undecipherable to the average investor.

Now even the banks have entered the fray (with your money). I think this would be a pretty easy way to put a stop to it. Another way would be to eliminate the Capital Gains Tax.  NO, NO, not what you think ......... Make it a graduated repeal  -  50% tax on assets held one year or less, and a 10% reduction for each year thereafter. This is probably too simple, but it would certainly cut down on speculation, Another means would be a minute tax (say .001%) on every transaction.

I certainly don't have the answers, but we need to do something before it becomes a question of running out of rope or lampposts.

Saturday Nite Bluegrass ....... div

In case you didn't recognize these "kids"  - -  Tony Rice - guitar, Bela Fleck - banjo,
Sam Bush - mandolin, Mark O'Connor - fiddle, Jerry Douglas - dobro and Mark Schatz - bass.
Form an early 1990s Merlefest. All Masters in their own right.

I am not !!!!! ....... div

"I don't think the burden should be on me," Reid said. "The burden should be on him. He's the one I've alleged has not paid any taxes. Why didn't he release his tax returns?"

I wonder of Willard will float ????

Happy Birthday .......... div

Today would have been Jerry Garcia's 70th birthday,,,,,,,,,
The music goes on........ ( and the two Davids are still with us ).