Tanta vive!

Relax, rates will be much lower this time next year! You can bet your mortgage on that! Oh that's right, the mittens factor may F--K up the model ... hmmmm

Ok, I'm on the fence, Mittens may cause yields to go higher as people chase stocks back up from super lows, so we probably will be in the same place --

A reasonable read on McLuhan is Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death... but beware of hardcore McLuahanites; they're ideologues like any other and prone to overstatement and lack of objective observation.

whew... off the lows!

if anyone interested in watching someone polish a turd while sweating bullets ...

...... todays market action all but guarantees Cramer will do the lead tomorrow morning on The Today Show.

mhdoc wrote:

If I can still type

==> The main issue for you will be food and companionship versus enjoying politics and comedy, music and the things that have made your life whole thus far; very few people in retirement homes have any spirit left -- and they sure the F will not be training themselves to play with a new pad from apple or Mr. Softy!

TD halts free banking for seniors |

| Toronto Sun

Nanoo-Nanoo wrote:

CNBC with egg on their faces, priceless.

Like they care.... how many "deals" did they announce in 2008 -> 2009 that never happened?

Doc Holiday wrote:

very few people in retirement homes have any spirit left

WTF?

Bubblisimo Gerkinov wrote:

WTF?

Ipad sales to people over 65 are about 6% -- and as we see 80 million people hit 70, that should tell you something ...

One in Three Online Consumers to Use a Tablet by 2014 - eMarketer

It usually takes around a 50 bps decline from the previous mortgage rate low to get a huge refinance boom

It also takes 20% equity -- oops.

A colleague of mine just failed at a refi because his appraisal was too low.

I guess the rumors that Porsche was going to take a KIA and slap a label on it were untrue:

Porsche Has No Plans to Go Low-End - Yahoo! Finance

Where's Moodys ratings cut?

Yancey Ward wrote:

I guess the rumors that Porsche was going to take a KIA and slap a label on it were untrue:

Porsche Has No Plans to Go Low-End - Yahoo! Finance

KIA is hardly low end anymore. Porsche better worry about the reverse takeover soon.

From the Existing Home Sales post, CR wrote:

This suggests non-distressed sales increased in May, and that is a positive sign for the housing market.

The positive bias about a "bottom" or "recovery" in housing is getting a bit nauseating at this point. Can we try to stick with a more balanced view of reality here? The following post by CHS does an excellent job of getting at the heart of the issue. For any that give credence to the "housing pumper camp", please read with an open mind:

charles hugh smith-The Housing Recovery: Based on What? 

And also, it might be worthwhile to pay special attention to this interesting chart:

http://www.oftwominds.com/photos2012/income-by-age2-12.gif

Nanoo-Nanoo wrote:

Wouldn't it be interesting if Moody's postponed their announcement until tomorrow? heh.

CNBC with egg on their faces, priceless.

The Wall Street Journal ran their Moody's downgrade story on June 8th.
Big U.S. Banks Brace for Moody's Downgrades - WSJ.com

Rob Dawg wrote:

KIA is hardly low end anymore. Porsche better worry about the reverse takeover soon.

The entire high end, from cars to consumer electronics, had better not get too complacent... The ROW is

Regarding the fears of China buying America (and Yerp) in the last thread:

I remember the stories and fears from the late '70s and early '80s when they purchased Rockefeller Center and other assets. Malinvestment can dog even the "Yellow Peril" and the post-Mao Commies.

If you want to be really evil, you can sell the assets, take the money, then later nationalize the assets and say, "too bad." Precedent in Latin America and Mideast.

Back to reading the thread...

"KIA is hardly low end anymore. Porsche better worry about the reverse takeover soon. "

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the average Porsche buyer isn't exactly vacillating between whether to buy a Kia or a Porsche.

ResistanceIsFeudal wrote:

The ROW is ...

... not in on the plutoCONomy.

Times, they are a-channnnnnginnnn (back)
Vancouver Condo Info » No more 30 year mortgages. » Vancouver Condo Info

time to refi, yet?

"Honey I want to get a new 911 Cabriolet.
Okay but may be should check out the new Kia's first.
Good idea sweetie, I never thought about that!"

Bubblisimo Gerkinov wrote:

... not in on the plutoCONomy.

I suppose we can just ban our citizens from purchasing finished goods from non-Aryan Western nations.

Editing error: "they" being the Japanese. Then there were the Russkies. And now the Chinese.

Test phone

Charles Hugh Smith:

charles hugh smith-The Master Narrative Nobody Dares Admit: Centralization Has Failed

Starving Artist wrote:

Vancouver Condo Info » No more 30 year mortgages.

Re: "The moves are designed to cool the housing market and limit the record levels of personal debt Canadians have amassed in recent years."

==> I hope the entire Canadian tar bubble pops along with their housing market and all their push to partner with Red China! I liked the old Canadians much better than the new red ones...

"China! I liked the old Canadians much better than the new red ones..."

They were a lot nicer before they started acting like Americans.

I lost all my money trying short-term trading so I'm loving in my Mother's basement.

eewwww

poic wrote:

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the average Porsche buyer isn't exactly vacillating between whether to buy a Kia or a Porsche.

They should. I'd take a Genesis over a Panamera.

Stocks Post Worst Drop in 3 Weeks ...(today)

Stocks Post Best Week of Year - The Daily Beast [June 9, 2012 7:43 AM]

This is F'ing retarded as it gets .... shut the banks and the derivatives markets down and nationalize banks and toss the insiders in prison ... simple start -- then boot out Obama and F'ing find someone other than Mittens to change America ....

josap wrote:

It worked!!!!!
I am now one of the cool kids

The bird pooped on my laptop keyboard

You are cool because a bird pooped on your laptop?

I must be so not "with it."

KP just tried to skype me.

when you get a hold of him ... tell him i've reconsidered and agree with what he told me yesterday ... the stock market is indeed a good indicator of the economy ...

Let's recap. har.

8 June 2012, "temporary capital buffer"

"The immediate priorities are to strengthen capital buffers and formulate a strategy to deal with banks' legacy assets, guided by an in-depth due diligence of banks' loan portfolios."

IMF: EUR 40B
REUTERS -FITCH: EUR 60 - 100B 
BdE: EUR 100B 
ROUBINI WORLD: EUR 100B - 250B 
BIDERMAN UNIVERSE: USD 350B - ∞

14 June 2012
Spanish banks need between €60-70bn, say audit firms | classic agency dilemma

21 June 2012

One of the audits, carried out by US company Oliver Wyman, found that if the economy does not fare well then it could need between 51 and 62 billion euros [base case, worst case respectively]. Though the firm found that if the economy performs as expected, it would require between 16 and 25 billion euros. A different auditing firm, Roland Berger, put the figure at 25.6 billion euros in a “normal” scenario and 51.8 billion euros in the worst-case-scenario.

Spain's banks could need 62 bn euros

(BRD) Berger: EUR 16B - 52B
(US) Wyman: EUR 51 - 62B

"They should. I'd take a Genesis over a Panamera. "

Personally I think the Panamera is but ugly, but otoh like I said two totally different types of buyers that will never meet in the middle.

My laptop is dying out
Thought I would try the phone. Got it to work.

Bird poop is not cool

Rob Dawg wrote:

Not hardly. I drove the Packard to the prom.

Gramps, that shouldn't surprise me.

Yancey Ward wrote:

See, the Germans really should loan the periphery more money to buy their goods.

..If you don't start using that thingy the basement dweller is gonna agree with you...

I think stocks and commodities will close red today.

When he was in high school, Dawg proudly showed off his AMC Pacer.

Gremlin was way cooler. Only surpassed by the Pinto.

Lurking Lawyer wrote:

I think stocks and commodities will close red today.

poic wrote:

Bird craps on his head.
He goes into the wash-room to wipe it off.
Comes outside and a little later another bird crapped on his head.

Was probably a foo bird.

Bruce in Tennessee wrote:

.If you don't start using that thingy the basement dweller is gonna agree with you...

I use the new and improved Invisi

Mike in Long Island wrote:

Only surpassed by the Pinto.

Sky blue 1979 Pinto was my first car. My parents had won it in a raffle.

Porsche. That's the Volkswagen sports car isn't it?

Sky blue 1979 Pinto was my first car. My parents had won it in a raffle.

My grandfather had a gold or orangish brown one. Manual transmission.

This week in Local Politics Even in Germany

German goverment strikes deal with opposition on fiscal treaty

A front consisting of the governments of Germany's 16 states has formed against the federal government over the ratification of the fiscal pact -- including states governed by Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union [CDU]. During negotiations last Thursday between the federal government and the states, the conservative-run states signed up to the demands of the opposition center-left Social Democratic Party [SPD] and Greens. Now, the states are demanding more financial assistance from the federal government in return for supporting the fiscal pact in an upcoming vote in the Bundesrat, Germany's second legislative chamber which represents the interests of the states....

The states are also strongly resisting pressure to swiftly consolidate their finances. According to their calculations, many of the state-level finance ministries will not be able to fulfill the provisions of the fiscal pact, which is expected to come into force in January 2013. The treaty requires that Germany limits its structural deficit to 0.5 percent of gross domestic product from 2014 onwards. The German government has already committed itself to reducing its budget deficit to 0.35 percent of GDP as early as 2014 to comply with the provisions of the German "debt brake," a 2009 constitutional amendment that was a model for the European fiscal pact. Under the debt brake rules, German states -- which are responsible for their own finances -- have to completely balance their budgets by 2020.

German States Blackmail Berlin over Fiscal Pact

To finance the measures to boost growth, Germany will push for the implementation of a European financial transaction tax - a demand the opposition had put forward as a condition for their support.

German government, opposition join forces to save euro

The Thursday edition of the daily Frankfurter Rundschau reported that the Left party [Die Linke] wants to take its case before Germany's highest court as soon as the two measures have been approved [PYRRHIC!] by parliament as expected. The Bundestag votes on the ESM and fiscal pact next Friday.

German Left party seeks court order against euro measures

poic wrote:

"Porsche. That's the Volkswagen sports car isn't it?"

Yep

They are now. That naked short squeeze will go down in history.

Mary wrote:

(BRD) Berger: EUR 16B - 52B
(US) Wyman: EUR 51 - 62B

(US) Slippery: EUR 250B
Rationale: every stress test is a slobbering pack of lies, real stress tests are coming, and the liars will break.

Did you see the Telegraph comment Pavel posted earlier? A few more weeks and they'll be solvent.

all just a gross misunderstanding

a low level clerk put the decimals in the wrong column ...

I prefer record low cut blouses.

Back in business.
Wireless keyboard & mouse.

Hubby said wait till in the morning to see if my laptop works.

Another Sandals

Sandals on the Sidewalk in Thessaloniki: The New Mayor

This is a profile of the mayor here, who has been in office for 18 months. He is a very interesting fellow: THE SATURDAY PROFILE; Thessaloniki Tackles Greece’s Problems in Miniature - NY Times

This is a must read for folks that might hope to understand this little part of the world.

Doc Holiday wrote:

I hope the entire Canadian tar bubble pops along with their housing market and all their push to partner with Red China

Is this a joke? I can't tell.

Paradigm Lost wrote:

Regarding collapse...It's not complexity, or centralization, or ....

No, it is centralization. Corruption is to be expected since we are dealing with human beings. Controlling corruption requires that power be distributed more widely. We are fated, I believe, to never actually learning this lesson for more than a generation or two. I view political collapse as probably the destruction necessary before new creation of a new political system that is less corrupt. This doesn't mean that society need collapse, but the centralized governments will.

Doc Holiday wrote:

I hope the entire Canadian tar bubble pops along with their housing market and all their push to partner with Red China

What "partnering?" It is all Chinese asset acquisition/control. There will be no benefits accruing to Canada. Didn't the Canucks learn anything from the South American debacles?

Paradigm Lost wrote:

Corruption equals a failed nation-state, if not sooner, then later.

Short and to the Point,

but we have always had corruption in our system, the question is " Have TPTB gone to far this time?"

" Have The Wealthy picked Main Street, too Clean this time?"

And they show no sign of letting up. Personnally I think they are going for a MAJOR Social Take over of J6P's Basic Rights and Freedoms.

Power and Control over Everyone they can Get. I'll take my off now.

what do I have a dumas bullseye on my forehead?

Actually, TTYTT, years ago I bought and held ISRG. Lets just say, despite making a wee bit, I sold it WAYYYY too early.

Taibbi Is Back With The Scam Wall Street Learned From the Mafia | ZeroHedge

1st glance notable: "The defendants in the case – Dominick Carollo, Steven Goldberg and Peter Grimm – worked for GE Capital, the finance arm of General Electric."

Convictions on municipal bond bid rigging.

"Porsche is the Corvette of sports cars. "

Not even near. The 911 sounds like a jet engine. Vets and BMW like to ride bumpers. True story. My SO (I was the navigator-witness) in the 911 left 'em eating dust. Many times. Vroooooooom, vrooooom!

do your dilegence and you'll see why I jumped on board earlier...I still have a big core after 100% runup..the stuff their doing is amazing....

Paradigm Lost wrote:

"The German government Wednesday evening reached a compromise with the opposition on the EU’s fiscal treaty, conservative MP Norbert Barthle told Reuters. In return for accepting the treaty, **the opposition will be offered a growth and job plan and a financial transaction tax. **"

Not so fast.

Antipodes wrote:

Where's nova?

Have wondered the same thing. Did I miss a farewell?

Starving Artist wrote:

Rob Dawg wrote:

What "partnering?" It is all Chinese asset acquisition/control.

Uhh no, it's minority positions and JVs

PetroChina buys control of Canada oil sands project
| Reuters

Regardless of loan product name, BdE and ECB, are de jure guarantors of Spain 5 debt. Neither would want to exaggerate commercial borrowers' creditability, contrary to bond brokers' demand for LdTs. Therefore, the EC will appear over the next two weeks to perform a forensic audit and the write-offs will begin before staging disbursements to BdE.

I've commented in detail about the EBA stress test (summer 2011) and recommendation a few times over the past few weeks --ECB reserve requirement (9%), valuation formula, etc. I suppose, now, I should have emphasised that the banks' financial statements were self-reported. (That is, not independently audited by EC or ECB) -- if that's what you mean be "liars." In that sense, Spain's problem is similar to that of Greece. BdE's "advantage" by comparison is establishment of ESM facility, which will offer more favorable terms than Mr Market in any case.

Retaining a couple management consulting firms to appraise assets of the big 5 is a bid to cover, or overstate, shareholders' equity. "Pavel Chichicov" is confused about which interested party will pwn the losses when all the books are audited.

The hammer's coming down. 50% or nothing. More or less.

Rob Dawg wrote:

PetroChina buys control of Canada oil sands project

PetroChina (601857.SS) became the first Chinese state-owned company to wholly own a Canadian oil sands development

Yup, you proved the Chinese takeover of Canada, congratulations

His last comment was May 26th.

I sent him an email but never got a response. No updates to his website either in quite some time.

Antipodes wrote:

Where's nova?

Wasn't he going to FL for a vacation?

seems like he is getting the job done...someone has to hit the light switch to brighten the room.

picosec wrote:

Wasn't he going to FL for a vacation?

A month would be one nice vacation!

No, no, the Florida travelors has already checked in and he saw a Florida panther!

Germany ratifies EU fiscal pact

Published: 21 Jun 12 12:30 CET
Updated: 21 Jun 12 17:10 CET

::

Anglo-merican counter-intel.... developing

Nova was a tad down about book sales, I think. Hope he's ok.

lawyerliz wrote:

...he saw a Florida panther!

That is so cool. North American mammals are just the bomb. I am pretty sure I once saw a Fisher Cat in the wild. A Florida Panther would be equivalent.

"Berlin has argued that such a tax should be introduced at EU level but has run into fierce opposition, notably from Britain, which fears it would hurt London's status as a financial hub."

Translate "financial hub" as casino/money laundering operation.

Petrol dropped in price again...

91 octane (regular) petrol: NZ$1.999/litre = NZ$7.57/US Gallon = US$6.02/US Gallon

Moody's downgrades are out.

I'm at the point with Dade County, where I think bribery would be an improvement. I can understand perfectly how it comes about. Actually and for real. There are electrical examiners who were cut from 8 to 2. Working free overtime at Dade County. My client would pay for a day or 2 of work by a laid off one to catch up, not only with her project, but some of the other ones waiting. Everyone would be happier, but no there are too many obstacles to even bother to suggest it.

"And they show no sign of letting up. Personnally I think they are going for a MAJOR Social Take over of J6P's Basic Rights and Freedoms."

I agree. They have come out of the shadows and are now "in your face." In the past, America has reined them in.

But there's always the question...will we do so again?

and MS is up on the news

Mr Slippery wrote:

Marketwatch: Bank of America shares up 1.2% after downgrade (no joke)

Saw this too,

Morgan Stanley Shares Up 3.9% After Hours After Moody's Downgrade; MS Downgraded 2 Notches, Some In Mkt Had Expected 3-Notch Cut

RATM wrote:

Morgan Stanley Shares Up 3.9% After Hours After Moody's Downgrade; MS Downgraded 2 Notches, Some In Mkt Had Expected 3-Notch Cut

Point shaving.

"Tainter argued it was complexity..." I'm not saying we don't have complexity in the system.

But go to the core. Power breeds complexity.

I think it is complexity PLUS inflexibility.

Ok, what were 15 year rates?

5 Housing Markets Where Renting Beats Owning - Real-Time Advice - SmartMoney

The homeownership rate in the U.S. fell slightly from 66% to 65% during the first quarter of 2012 — the lowest in 15 years, according to the latest data by the U.S. Census. (It peaked at just over 69% in 2004.)

Rise of the Rentier Class

OT: Ya gotta love an ETF called PWND.

PowerShares Global Wind Energy PortfoETF: NASDAQ:PWND quotes & news - Google Finance

OT: Ya gotta love an ETF called PWND.

name meme

It was thought that Citi, MS, JPM, and GS were going to be declared "Big Steaming Piles of Dog Shit." However, after hours, Moodys only declared them "Big Piles of Dog Shit." Rally on.

15 Major Investment Banks See Ratings Cut by Moody's - US Business News - CNBC

Does that mean we'll be seeing them on BFF?

I guess they believe their own lies.

And besides,they must be destroyed.

5lb bags of organic material sell for $5 at Home Depot. 10lb burst bags trigger a multi-thousand dollar hazardous toxic waste clean up. Keep pushing it out the door in contained bags and it is all good.

Exactly.

I'd love to see someone do a chemical analysis on several different brands of bagged/commercial organic material/compost.

And your bathroom sir?

Son is gonna start on my half bath tomorrow. The hub is gonna freak out when he sees the other other we chose for one wall.

1 currency now -yogi wrote:

BAC Major Holders | Bank of America Corporation Com Stock - Yahoo! Finance

Well, at least they can console one another.

BAC Options | Bank of America Corporation Com Stock - Yahoo! Finance

Look at those volumes.

lawyerliz wrote:

The hub is gonna freak out when he sees the other other we chose for one wall.

Eh?

lawyerliz wrote:

And your bathroom sir?

Son is gonna start on my half bath tomorrow. The hub is gonna freak out when he sees the other other we chose for one wall.

Moving along smartly. Bottlenecks removed. Next up is a quote for commercial wallboard. There's no margin in doing that yourself.

From story, Germany ratifies EU fiscal pact:

"The accord says that faced with resistance from some EU member states, Germany would back a tax on financial transactions based on a core of "at least nine" countries taking part.

Berlin has argued that such a tax should be introduced at EU level but has run into fierce opposition, notably from Britain, which fears it would hurt London's status as a financial hub."

But Britain isn't a member, so, tell 'em to git stuffed.

lawyerliz wrote:

The hub is gonna freak out when he sees the other other we chose for one wall.

Transparent glass?

I keep getting the impression that the levels increase in numbers so that junk doesn't ever have to be reached no matter how many cuts they give.

This is so awesome:

"They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the problem of the uninsured is no exception. The Houston metropolitan area has one of the highest rates of uninsured people in America, and a health safety net that’s imploding under the demands of too many people and too few resources. Almost one in three residents – more than a million people -- lack health insurance, and about 400 are turned away from the county hospital district’s call center every day because they can’t be accommodated at any of its 23 community or school-based centers."

"Opponents of the federal health-care law see the problem of the uninsured very differently: They object not just to the price tag of expanding coverage to millions more people, but also to the philosophy behind it.

Texans are individualistic and value their freedoms and responsibilities, said Lucy Nashed, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, noting that Medicaid spending is a big part of Texas’ budget.

"Individual responsibility is about making healthy choices and taking ownership of your lifestyle, not just about buying health insurance,” Nashed said. “And you can’t legislate a healthy lifestyle.”

60 percent of Texas are overweight or obese......what possibly could happen?

In Houston, high rates of uninsured burden public system | McClatchy

Outsider wrote:

The 4 words that send shivers down every wife's spine:

"I can do that."

I doesn't have walls?

A bit of a Winter Holiday's theme in the bathroom?

"I'm at the point with Dade County, where I think bribery would be an improvement. I can understand perfectly how it comes about. Actually and for real. "

Yep. Just try and get a driver's license or plates in the Virgin Islands.

So, by "other other" you mean red tile? :fogged:

Will we survive until LL masters her new iPhone?

Ok, ha-ha, I did.

or, alternatively

Hey everybody, watch this!

No, a red wall, and perhaps ceiling.

You can always paint over it.

Why are banks allowed to own shares of 'competitor' banks?

Weren't you at that stage 6 months ago?

KarmaPolice wrote:

Rob Dawg wrote:

Moving along smartly.

In other words, ran out of money.

No, sidetracked by an employment bump, a kitchen back splash and health setback.

Weren't you at that stage 6 months ago?

Long-Term California Port Traffic Stagnation

Calculated Risk posted charts of this last week but I just now got around to updating my versions (with seasonal adjustments using the government's seasonal adjustment tools).

Oy. I'm just going to STFU now.

I hear white/off white/various shades of gray are in now - universally.

lawyerliz wrote:

Weren't you at that stage 6 months ago?

Was it that long? The new structure is in replacing the bad structure that had been exposed. No excuses, still taking too long but there are reasons. A formal contractor would have gone for full permit demolition and 8x the projected costs.

Recognized losses.
Approaching junk.
Isn't that for what you've all been hankering?

Outsider wrote:

I hear white/off white/various shades of gray are in now - universally.

Yep. I mean, anything is better than .

"YA, and in this economic/political environment........CAN WE? "

Sure we can. They have the money, the pull, the power. But we have the numbers. Elites have always had the high-tech of their historical period on their side. But angry people have the numbers. The more complex a society, the more vulnerable they are.

LL: Inflexibility goes with the program. They are, after all, the status quo.

In the end, the masses will say "enough of this shit" and they'll tear down whatever's in their way. Money and power won't keep you safe. In fact, it puts a great, big bull's eye on your back.

State Street owns 428 million shares of BAC. JPM owns 228 million shares of BAC. JPM owns 8 million shares of State Street. State Street owns 155 million shares of JPM.

Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. producing no value.

These are regular interior wall walls.

lawyerliz wrote:

You ok?

Not totally. Crawling around in the rafters brought on a knee problem that the heart medicines aggravate.

Kinda like the unintended consequences of ZIRP.

Waiting for the trees to grow to the appropriate size for the timber.

Wife has her own bathroom. Got done much faster.

Rob Dawg wrote:

and health setback.

Let me guess.....stress related.

ResistanceIsFeudal wrote:

Transparent aluminum, laddie! That's the ticket!

Expanded metal?

Different Views on QE3 Timing

So, does News "Preparation H" boy think he's a member of the savvy club? I don't think so.

Hahahahaha!

Embrace his mediocrity, y'all. Celebrate the system's awesomeness.

Liquidation of the Rentier is coming, muppets.

Sheeples will inherit what's left of the Earth.

Outsider wrote:

I must've gotten 10 lbs. of 3 of this company's catalogs in the mail one day and don't know why. They were beautiful tho. I hated to throw them out.

Go ahead. The prices are ridiculous, the quality so-so for what you get, and the designs are generally vulgar. The proportions and scale are particularly bad. It's McMansion idiot furniture porn. if you need furniture, get American made hardwoods. You can find excellent stuff in the better thrifts or on line. Then you can paint it or re-upholster it, which supports a local business. Most of the RH/Pottery Barn stuff is made in Asia. Sadly, most electrical fixtures are made in Asia, it's hard to get American made. And textiles are even harder.

Rob Dawg wrote:

It's just knee. Still got a spare.

Your knee... besides I'm too young to say "I told you so"

josap wrote:

Rob Dawg wrote:

air compressor in the garage

nope, just have to wait.

Do you have any canned air (for cleaning keyboards)? I used some when I spilled a few drops of tea on my keyboard -- right at the power button -- and I think it helped.

"The Houston metropolitan area has one of the highest rates of uninsured people in America, and a health safety net that’s imploding under the demands of too many people and too few resources."

Karma: Think about this. Houston took in the lion's share of distressed and homeless from NOLA after Katrina. One bayou people extending a hand to another bayou people. Houston and other gulf towns have a historical connection, along with devastating hurricanes they can all relate to. But the Nawlins refugees never went back home, like Houstonians thought they would.

I've been expecting something like this.

Blackhalo:

"Why should they pay, when they don't need it to play."

I'd tell the crybabies, if'n you wants ta play in my backyard and blow up economies, pay up. Otherwise, go somewhere else to do your dirty dealin'. I don't blame the Germans one little bit. London City's been playing fast 'n' loose for years and gettin' away with it. They started the whole tax haven BS.

The German states have nailed it. If you want to stop the shenanigans, tax the spice flow. There's a reason why AIG and the London whale were stationed in the City.