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Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Saturday, November 29. 2008Saturday morning links
Why they hate Mumbai I heard that Lord&Taylor was empty, but somebody got crushed to death by crowds at WalMart. Viking went to WalMart, and they were sold out of TVs. I have never been to WalMart, and I don't go Christmas shopping. Re shopping, Greg Mankiw wants you to buy this book. Kingsley Amis on everyday drinking. It's all about the Credit Default Swaps (h/t, reader) Where to set up a weather station. Nothing like asphalt to keep those temps interesting. But the entire subject is on the back burner now. Or, should I say, in the back of the fridge? Vintage marijuana Targeting our Yankee trains? We've already had enough from those people. Arm the passengers and engineers. Libs: Are they impossible to please? (h/t to I-forget-who) Media bias infects media self-examination.(Also, h/t to I-forgot) Foolish me for not knowing what a Dyson is. Photo: That's the Unsinkable Molly Brown's house in Denver
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I must disagree with Thud, we are more than pleased with our Dyson. We have a cat and a dog, said dog half Husky, half Golden; you can only imagine the hair! We were purchasing a new vacum every year to year and a half as the motors would give out or some other malady would render them useless. Of course they can no longer be repaired, even if you could find a shop, so we would trash them. We have had the Dyson for over a year and a half and it works just as well as the day we bought it. We have the "Animal" model and it was well worth the extra. Functions well, cleans better than anything else I've seen and no bags to fuss with. If you own long haired pets, the Dyson Animal is the best I've found.
My favorite blog and in the Saturday Morning Links, I read: "I have never been to Wal-Mart"..................!!
I am shocked and disappointed that you have never experienced Wal-Mart. It has become and is Americana, forgetting that most of the stock was made in China. Do I sense a bit of "I'm too good for Wal-Mart" snobbery? Good Lord, I hope not, not from my favorite blog. I want my favorite blog to be immersed in all things American from the lovely to the not-so-lovely, from the useful to the useless. Please tell me it ain't so. Peter Conover ... Fascinating to see someone getting sentimental over a Big Box store. I'm sure that Wal-Mart is Thankful for you, just as you are Thankful for them. Frankly, I think that Wal-Mart is useful, and we use it, but mostly I'm thankful for our wonderful, quickly adjusting free enterprise system, which birthed such marvels of quick adaptation and supply as Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart et al. Free enterprise, when not interfered with by the busybody Democrats who want to ever enlarge our already unwieldy government, is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. Don't you agree?
Marianne I get the willies in Wal-Mart because of the high ceilings and huge space, but they're great. You go in for three items and come out with twenty items you didn't know you couldn't live without. I like the greeters the best. I just think that little bit of humanity when you first walk in is just terrific, and I always chat with them. Another great thing is the workers are trained to be polite, and if you ask one where something is, they stop what they're doing and walk you right to the item.... a block away... and they'll be all happy for you. Makes me feel like a dog, so I don't ask if I can help it. And I like their lingerie department because it has good stuff and really tacky, trashy, sleazy stuff that you can hardly wait to put on for your lover. :) Complete seduction outfit: $3.99. You hide that under the Miracle-Gro from the lawn department and look away at check-out as if you have no idea whose buggy they're ringing up.
` ` Forgot to add: Wal-Mart hires handicapped people. That blows me away. The girl who handles the dressing room area in our Wal-Mart has no legs. She sits in her wheelchair and takes care of business. She's been there at least eight years. One guy I asked for help one time cheerfully lead me to what I wanted and when I thanked him, he tried to talk but it was obvious he couldn't. He was mentally handicapped, as well. But he knew the store and he knew his job. Good stuff if you ask me.
I can't stand a haughty salesperson. I went into a Garfinkels once with a girlfriend and we stopped at a jewelry kiosk just inside the store. The woman behind the counter was beautifully dressed, and she was curt to my friend when she asked to see a piece of jewelry in the case. My friend asked a few questions and the woman turned arrogant as hell and it made me really mad. I guess our casual dress meant we had no money or something, but after another curt response to my friend, I said, "Lady, if you had the right to be so arrogant, you'd be on this side of the counter." I hate that. Like snooty maitre d's. Who has use for those snots? I want to clip a clothes pin on their pointy snouts. ` On a more sober note, Krauthammer echoes what I said here a week or so ago: The big gold rush by lobbyists, contractors, rels of congressmen, various and asundry political hacks, hangers on, n'eer-do-wells, et al to cash in on the trillions being thrown around by the Democrats in Congress and their pal Obama down the street will make the Black Friday LI Wal-Mart crush look tame by comparison. And the old S&L scandals of the late 80's? Chump change by comparison.
Big-time larceny is in the air down in Washington, this is the "main chance" with the perfect cover story all those folks have been waiting for. And Charlie, Barney, Chris and the same old gang of thieves doing the oversight. Easy pickins', eh? Better move quickly or be trampled by the marauding hordes rushing in for their cut of the action, it's kiss Congress' and Obama's ass if you expect to see any cash for the next few years as it appears they have the only show in town. Tell me, who is going to keep an eye on the vault????? "(h/t to I-forget-who)"
Whenever this happens just throw the link to me. I'll be "I-forget-who." Here a few more links that discuss the issues surrounding the impact of credit default swaps on financial markets and the real economy.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/10/how-credit-default-swap-settlements-are.html This next article is by Michael Lewis and is both entertaining and informative. http://optionarmageddon.ml-implode.com/2008/11/11/michael-lewis-explains-cds/ http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom |