...they seem to come out of the woodwork in groups.
Again, if you're reading from overseas, curious about America, these folks are not practicing any recognizable form of Christianity, and represent the tiniest of minorities in the U.S. Anyone who claims these people are mainstream are profoundly mistaken.
This ain't Christianity, ya'll.
These people are nutters.
And this ain't the American Way.
These people are nutters.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
On The Road For A Few Days
OS is traveling on business. He'll be back, undoubtedly with tales to tell.
In the meantime, anything nasty anybody wants to say about the nutter who thinks it's a good idea to burn the Koran on Saturday, feel free. And, OS would be flattered if you would pass his previous post along.
Keep safe, ya'll.
OS
In the meantime, anything nasty anybody wants to say about the nutter who thinks it's a good idea to burn the Koran on Saturday, feel free. And, OS would be flattered if you would pass his previous post along.
Keep safe, ya'll.
OS
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Burning Books Is Reprehensible, Even If You Think The Books Are Reprehensible
General Petraeus is a sober soul. He makes decisions every day that may determine the life expectancy of many people in his care.
He thinks that the proposed public burning of the Koran by the Rev. Mr. Jones, head of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., is not an act of a sober person.
He's right. His public statement is mild and measured, but unmistakable. And deserves to be republished over and over again in the next few days.
Again, OS is a devoted conservative Christian, and no fan of Islam. But, whatever Mr. Jones may be doing at his 50-member Dove World Outreach Center, he is not, repeat is not, practicing any recognizable form of Christianity. This sort of whack-job nonsense treads all over the Fourth Commandment--the one about not taking the name of the Lord in vain, or as one more modern translation puts it, not misusing the name of the Lord.
Then there is response of our Lord when queried about the Greatest Commandment. His response: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength. And then he said, 'The second is like unto it--love your neighbor as yourself.'
Not a hint anywhere about burning anybody's books, not even remotely about it.
OS could go on and on. Ya'll get the picture, he hopes.
In the meantime, this whack-job hits a bit close to home this week. OS has an unavoidable business trip that involves flying into Yew Nork City on Saturday, September 11. He's never enthusiastic about flying to that place, especially on that date. Now, this nutter decides to tell the world he's decided to burn a Koran on September 11.
Great. Just great. Thanks, Reverend. OS will be thinking of you as he takes his shoes off after waiting in the security line for an hour each direction. And attempting to explain this mess to his business associates from overseas. Thanks for nothing, you utter inexcusable idiot.
If ya'll are reading from overseas, and OldSouth hopes you do, please forward this screed to your friends in places like Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi, the Emirates, and the Moslem neighborhoods of the UK and Europe.
This nutter does not, repeat does not, speak for 99.99 percent of the citizens of the US. He is at the least mentally ill, probably sane and evil. He is no Christian, and burning a Koran for the cameras is one of the most un-Christian acts of the year.
This is not Christianity.
This is not America.
He thinks that the proposed public burning of the Koran by the Rev. Mr. Jones, head of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., is not an act of a sober person.
He's right. His public statement is mild and measured, but unmistakable. And deserves to be republished over and over again in the next few days.
Again, OS is a devoted conservative Christian, and no fan of Islam. But, whatever Mr. Jones may be doing at his 50-member Dove World Outreach Center, he is not, repeat is not, practicing any recognizable form of Christianity. This sort of whack-job nonsense treads all over the Fourth Commandment--the one about not taking the name of the Lord in vain, or as one more modern translation puts it, not misusing the name of the Lord.
Then there is response of our Lord when queried about the Greatest Commandment. His response: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength. And then he said, 'The second is like unto it--love your neighbor as yourself.'
Not a hint anywhere about burning anybody's books, not even remotely about it.
OS could go on and on. Ya'll get the picture, he hopes.
In the meantime, this whack-job hits a bit close to home this week. OS has an unavoidable business trip that involves flying into Yew Nork City on Saturday, September 11. He's never enthusiastic about flying to that place, especially on that date. Now, this nutter decides to tell the world he's decided to burn a Koran on September 11.
Great. Just great. Thanks, Reverend. OS will be thinking of you as he takes his shoes off after waiting in the security line for an hour each direction. And attempting to explain this mess to his business associates from overseas. Thanks for nothing, you utter inexcusable idiot.
If ya'll are reading from overseas, and OldSouth hopes you do, please forward this screed to your friends in places like Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi, the Emirates, and the Moslem neighborhoods of the UK and Europe.
This nutter does not, repeat does not, speak for 99.99 percent of the citizens of the US. He is at the least mentally ill, probably sane and evil. He is no Christian, and burning a Koran for the cameras is one of the most un-Christian acts of the year.
This is not Christianity.
This is not America.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
A Touch Of Good News?: G-S To Shut Down It's Proprietary Trading Operation
From Bloomberg:
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is disbanding its principal-strategies business, one of the groups that makes bets with the firm’s own money, to comply with new U.S. rules aimed at curbing risk, two people with knowledge of the decision said.
Wall Street’s most profitable investment bank plans to hold off on announcing the wind-down while the 65 to 70 members of the global unit seek new jobs, the people said, speaking anonymously because the internal discussions about the process are confidential. Some traders and support staff may get roles within the New York-based firm, while a team in Asia may raise money for a new hedge fund, the people said.
“The Dodd-Frank bill caused them to have some damage to the business here and they said it’s done, let’s get rid of it,” Michael Holland, who oversees more than $4 billion as chairman of Holland & Co. in New York, told Bloomberg Television. “They’re saying, ‘We don’t want these people to be worrying about what they’re going to be doing a couple of years from now, we’re just going to get rid of the uncertainty.”
It's a small start, away from the days when G-S seemed to be both promoting and short-selling the same financial instruments, creating an overwhelming incentive to screw anything in its path.
Let's see how long it takes them to reconstitute the operation at arm's length.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is disbanding its principal-strategies business, one of the groups that makes bets with the firm’s own money, to comply with new U.S. rules aimed at curbing risk, two people with knowledge of the decision said.
Wall Street’s most profitable investment bank plans to hold off on announcing the wind-down while the 65 to 70 members of the global unit seek new jobs, the people said, speaking anonymously because the internal discussions about the process are confidential. Some traders and support staff may get roles within the New York-based firm, while a team in Asia may raise money for a new hedge fund, the people said.
“The Dodd-Frank bill caused them to have some damage to the business here and they said it’s done, let’s get rid of it,” Michael Holland, who oversees more than $4 billion as chairman of Holland & Co. in New York, told Bloomberg Television. “They’re saying, ‘We don’t want these people to be worrying about what they’re going to be doing a couple of years from now, we’re just going to get rid of the uncertainty.”
It's a small start, away from the days when G-S seemed to be both promoting and short-selling the same financial instruments, creating an overwhelming incentive to screw anything in its path.
Let's see how long it takes them to reconstitute the operation at arm's length.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
On The Death Of Franklin Brito, A Voice From Venezuela
OS ran across an English-language blog from Venezuela: The Devil's Excrement.
It is a chilling journal of life in Venezuela under Comrade Chavez. Considering how the Obama Administration fawns over Chavez, it should serve as a warning to us. If we don't stand tall now, this could be our future.
Better words than OS could ever conjure to memorialize Franklin Brito's death:
Franklin Brito’s death is a failure not only of Venezuela’s Government, but also of the multilateral organizations which are funded and financed to protect human rights across the region, but are incredibly incompetent and inefficient in achieving these goals. From Orlando Contreras Zapata to Franklin Brito, they are just a simple failure. Money ill spent on paying the salaries of ambitious politicians or beaurocratic bon vivants in the name of the people of the Americas.
There is little to be said that has not been said beyond the internal outrage we all feel inside. But throughout the day, I have been utterly amazed at a single fact: How a revolution that claims to want to create a better, more humane society, has shown no compassion for Mr. Brito.
There is no humanity in the Government or a political system that has spent the day blaming Mr. Brito for his own death. There is no compassion in saying Mr. Brito was not in his right mind and this led to his death, without looking at how he got to the point that he got. There is no compassion in trying to use legalese to say why Mr. Brito was right or wrong in his claims against the Venezuelan State.
And it is totally despicable to suggest that Mr. Brito’s death was planned to occur before the election, some writers in Aporrea even giving it the name the “Britazo” or Government officials suggesting that Mr. Brito was used by the opposition.
Because in the end it was the Government that kidnapped Mr. Brito against his own will and that of his family and held him in a military hospital until he passed away. Supposedly this kidnapping was done to protect his life, a claim that now sounds absolutely empty given his tragic death under the watch and supervision of this heartless Government. It would have been more dignified for him to die when and where he wanted.
It is a chilling journal of life in Venezuela under Comrade Chavez. Considering how the Obama Administration fawns over Chavez, it should serve as a warning to us. If we don't stand tall now, this could be our future.
Better words than OS could ever conjure to memorialize Franklin Brito's death:
Franklin Brito’s death is a failure not only of Venezuela’s Government, but also of the multilateral organizations which are funded and financed to protect human rights across the region, but are incredibly incompetent and inefficient in achieving these goals. From Orlando Contreras Zapata to Franklin Brito, they are just a simple failure. Money ill spent on paying the salaries of ambitious politicians or beaurocratic bon vivants in the name of the people of the Americas.
There is little to be said that has not been said beyond the internal outrage we all feel inside. But throughout the day, I have been utterly amazed at a single fact: How a revolution that claims to want to create a better, more humane society, has shown no compassion for Mr. Brito.
There is no humanity in the Government or a political system that has spent the day blaming Mr. Brito for his own death. There is no compassion in saying Mr. Brito was not in his right mind and this led to his death, without looking at how he got to the point that he got. There is no compassion in trying to use legalese to say why Mr. Brito was right or wrong in his claims against the Venezuelan State.
And it is totally despicable to suggest that Mr. Brito’s death was planned to occur before the election, some writers in Aporrea even giving it the name the “Britazo” or Government officials suggesting that Mr. Brito was used by the opposition.
Because in the end it was the Government that kidnapped Mr. Brito against his own will and that of his family and held him in a military hospital until he passed away. Supposedly this kidnapping was done to protect his life, a claim that now sounds absolutely empty given his tragic death under the watch and supervision of this heartless Government. It would have been more dignified for him to die when and where he wanted.
Thoughts On Labor Day From The Acton Institute
In celebration of Labor Day, thoughts from the Acton Institute on the meaning of our labor.
...God has also given our work a spiritual meaning. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in this way: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” That is, we are accountable to God for the opportunities he gives us to be productive, as well as for the energy and talents that we apply in our work. The first great commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” We are to love God in all we do. This includes that portion of our day which we spend at work. We are, quite simply, to show our love of God in our work.
That final sentence--a revolutionary idea in our day. What if, what if, what if we were able to embrace the idea in our culture? The old term often used is 'vocation', or 'calling'.
OS knows people who live this idea out, in several different professions. They are genuinely happy, and their work shines and endures. One in particular, now a semi-retired restaurant owner, comes to memory. One hot August evening, twenty years ago, he made and exhausted and stressed Mr. and Mrs. OS welcome, the final customers of his evening, and became a lifelong friend. His hospitality changed our lives, and his good influence reaches around the world. Many of his happiest moments were spent with that long apron on, moving table to table to table in his establishment, serving up home-cooking, greeting everyone by name, asking about every cousin and in-law. He understood what his work was, and still does, by the way, at a more modest pace. He'll never 'retire', and OS suspects he'll be buried in that apron. Love of God, love of neighbor, a joyful life. A vocation. A calling.
And, to state much the same idea from another point of view, Jimmy Buffett offers us a song:
Happy Labor Day.
...God has also given our work a spiritual meaning. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in this way: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” That is, we are accountable to God for the opportunities he gives us to be productive, as well as for the energy and talents that we apply in our work. The first great commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” We are to love God in all we do. This includes that portion of our day which we spend at work. We are, quite simply, to show our love of God in our work.
That final sentence--a revolutionary idea in our day. What if, what if, what if we were able to embrace the idea in our culture? The old term often used is 'vocation', or 'calling'.
OS knows people who live this idea out, in several different professions. They are genuinely happy, and their work shines and endures. One in particular, now a semi-retired restaurant owner, comes to memory. One hot August evening, twenty years ago, he made and exhausted and stressed Mr. and Mrs. OS welcome, the final customers of his evening, and became a lifelong friend. His hospitality changed our lives, and his good influence reaches around the world. Many of his happiest moments were spent with that long apron on, moving table to table to table in his establishment, serving up home-cooking, greeting everyone by name, asking about every cousin and in-law. He understood what his work was, and still does, by the way, at a more modest pace. He'll never 'retire', and OS suspects he'll be buried in that apron. Love of God, love of neighbor, a joyful life. A vocation. A calling.
And, to state much the same idea from another point of view, Jimmy Buffett offers us a song:
Happy Labor Day.
Ladeeezzzz And Gendlemun! Drum-Roll, Pleeze, For The Chart Of The Week!
Doug Ross shares it with us--a chart of the balance sheet of The Federal Reserve.
It states its figures in millions, so that means it holds about 1.2 trillion dollars in mortgage-backed securities. What could possibly go wrong?
OS drove through a very posh neighborhood of Nashville this afternoon on an errand. He's driven through that part of town for about forty years now. The 'for sale' signs are beginning to blossom, and one huge house, as yet unoccupied, goes to auction on September 10.
This in conservative Nashville, in the staidest neighborhood of the city.
Holy shit! Houses at auction? On Tyne Boulevard? This sort of event makes 1.2 trillion of residential real estate securities look like a really bad bet. Betcha the neighbors are crossing their fingers that bidders show up and bid it up to the five million the auctioneer is trying to flog it for.
Betcha he won't come close.
Ross links to a most erudite article, with its own series of sobering charts, well worth reading.
Hussman, the author, makes a cogent summation:
Good policy is not rocket science. It begins with the refusal to make people pay for mistakes that are not their own. This economy continues to struggle with a fundamental problem, which is that debt obligations exceed the ability to service them. While policy makers have done everything to preserve the patterns of spending and consumption that created the problem in the first place, we have done nothing to restructure those obligations.
It states its figures in millions, so that means it holds about 1.2 trillion dollars in mortgage-backed securities. What could possibly go wrong?
OS drove through a very posh neighborhood of Nashville this afternoon on an errand. He's driven through that part of town for about forty years now. The 'for sale' signs are beginning to blossom, and one huge house, as yet unoccupied, goes to auction on September 10.
This in conservative Nashville, in the staidest neighborhood of the city.
Holy shit! Houses at auction? On Tyne Boulevard? This sort of event makes 1.2 trillion of residential real estate securities look like a really bad bet. Betcha the neighbors are crossing their fingers that bidders show up and bid it up to the five million the auctioneer is trying to flog it for.
Betcha he won't come close.
Ross links to a most erudite article, with its own series of sobering charts, well worth reading.
Hussman, the author, makes a cogent summation:
Good policy is not rocket science. It begins with the refusal to make people pay for mistakes that are not their own. This economy continues to struggle with a fundamental problem, which is that debt obligations exceed the ability to service them. While policy makers have done everything to preserve the patterns of spending and consumption that created the problem in the first place, we have done nothing to restructure those obligations.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Kabul Bank, As In Kabul Afghanistan, Our Next Bank To Bail Out
Of course, we'll have to fit the FDIC staff with flak jackets before we send them in next Friday. What could possibly go wrong?
Maybe ShoreBank should be handed the job of taking it over.
Or, maybe the gubbermint will just do another 'ShoreBank' rescue. Bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it first time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it the second time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it third time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it the fourth time, and will do it again...
What could possibly go wrong when the President's brother is handed the keys to the safe of the largest bank in the country?
What do we say to the American, Canadian, British, German, and other allied forces families who have lost children, husbands and fathers to this war?
It would all be laughable, if it weren't so terribly tragic.
Maybe ShoreBank should be handed the job of taking it over.
Or, maybe the gubbermint will just do another 'ShoreBank' rescue. Bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it first time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it the second time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it third time, and will do it again; whereupon we'll bail it out and hand it back to the corrupt players who destroyed it the fourth time, and will do it again...
What could possibly go wrong when the President's brother is handed the keys to the safe of the largest bank in the country?
What do we say to the American, Canadian, British, German, and other allied forces families who have lost children, husbands and fathers to this war?
It would all be laughable, if it weren't so terribly tragic.
Another Oil Rig Explodes In The Gulf
All workers accounted for and in process of being rescued, with only one injured, blessedly. A shallow-water rig, thankfully.
Coast Guard rescuers are en route to the scene of the fire, 90 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough said. Twelve of the workers are in immersion suits, designed to protect them from hypothermia. One is reported injured.
Please, please, please, let's not have a repeat performance from this spring...
Coast Guard rescuers are en route to the scene of the fire, 90 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough said. Twelve of the workers are in immersion suits, designed to protect them from hypothermia. One is reported injured.
Please, please, please, let's not have a repeat performance from this spring...
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