I've been listening to Economists today state that with this most recent $600 billion bail out, we are now more PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. than China.

As with a sinking ship, it may be time to consider other options besides bailing out fools, idiots and greedy SOBs, and maybe either let the chips fall where they may, or maybe send a few of them to the rockpile.

I know this sounds like a political rant, but golly, I am getting tired of watching what little money I have in my pocket get thinner and thinner daily. It is making survival that much harder. Pretty soon everyone's going to have their hand out expecting the govt to come to their rescue for their sins as well. Where will it end?

I call to attention the wonderful folks on this forum from the Houston area, who managed to get through the storm without having to be rescued, evacuated, supplied, or otherwise cared for by taxpayer funded emergency services. That they were able to do so is an indication that it shouldv'e been that way for a great many more.

My Texas/Lousiana friends, I applaud and salute you for your actions.

I'm just waiting for my share of the bail-out money.

What? oh.

sigh.

I'm at Trader Joe's this morning ( for our overseas members, TJ's is a grocer selling liquor, upscale cheese,bread and 'goodies' vs staples.)Today is 'Pirate Day' yet another new holiday when people dress like pirates.I'm at the complimentary coffee stand flirting with this cute pirate when we heard shouting.
Two Trophy Brides got into it over our two candidates ( somehow I am voting for a third?) and starting beating on each other with their purses.
Managers broke it up and called the police. I'm standing there, looking at the scattered cultural artifacts of 'the good life' and realise a $100 is at my feet.The yuppies around here like to buy latte's with $100 bills and then pay the minimum on their credit cards with the balance.
My Pavlovian reflex was to turn it over. I heard Johnny Depp whisper in my ear " Chris, this is PIRATE DAY."
I put my foot over the bill and retrieved it at an opportune moment.
I had turned in my recyclables previously and was getting rotational items for my BOB; dark organic chocolate, Earl Grey Tea, summer sausage; stuff those Red Cross Bags don't include.
I augmented my purchase with a bottle of Laphraiog single malt, filled my gas tank for the first time in months and had cash left over.
I saw my homeless friend playing his clarinet on the freeway offramp. I stopped ahead, walked back and slipped him a $20 bill.
It was the christian thing to do. It was the pirate thing to do. It was the Christian Pirate thing to do.
I think we all know who the REAL pirates are. I'll let this thread remain, just don't be so indelicate as to name the specific pirates.
Everybody say ARGGGGGGG!!!!!!

If only the pirates in question were The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
I don't want the government to "fix the economy", I want it to leave it the freak alone!

ARGGGGGGG!!!!!!! Chris (beats saying Boo-yah, anyways).

This reminds me of the pirate scenes from "Meaning of Life". Perhaps we need something like that cruising down White St. in the Financial district. Gives a pleasantly different meaning to the term "Corporate Raider", don't it?

Hoist the Colors, for we shall ne'er die, yo ho!...

Now it is money market funds.

Looks like the Guberment is playing "whack a rat" with our
money.

Yup, it sure does. And since you didn't get deleted, I'm going to assume I can add a political reply without getting deleted.

On Monday morning, as the financial system absorbed one of its biggest shocks in generations, Senator Pirate said, as he had many times before, that he believed the fundamentals of the economy were “strong.”

Hours later he backpedaled, explaining that he had meant that American workers, whom he described as the backbone of the economy, were productive and resilient. By Tuesday he was calling the economic situation “a total crisis” and denouncing “greed” on Wall Street and in Washington.

Good leadership involves seeing the sh-t before it hits the fan. Senator Pirate didn't see it until it hit us in the face.

I think if you had bothered to read CK's post above, you would have seen this line at the end, and spared us your political BS and naming names.
"I think we all know who the REAL pirates are. I'll let this thread remain, just don't be so indelicate as to name the specific pirates."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJmTCYmo9g&feature=related

Happy Days are Here Again especially if your a *anker...

CityBoyGoneCountry,
Bad assumption, Chris specifically said to not name the pirates. . .

Chris,
TJ's has staples, you just need to tweak your definition of staples.

As for the pirates, I've yet to meet one that could resist the urge to pillage a passing defenseless ship of opportunity. This time in the pirate season they are even more opportunistic and cut-throat. One pirate band wants to see a meltdown real soon for opportunistic reasons and the other wants for the meltdown to wait until after November so they can deal with this at a slower more orderly pace -- or not.

Regardless, the meltdown is coming, interesting times, PIRATE DAY or not