The Credit Crisis and the Bailout in Plain English
1 week, 4 days ago
This is an explanation of economics. There's no way to avoid some boring details and glazed eyes when talking about such things. However, I promise to avoid some of the jargon which will send you running to wikipedia, if you in turn forgive me for some oversimplification. The purpose of this article is to explain specific jargon. It will explain the role of FNMA ... [read]
The Meat Hooker: Steak
1 week, 6 days ago
Humans are omnivorous. Probably the reason we are is that we started out as scavengers before we were hunter/gatherers. Eating ancient and primeval 'road kill' must have been nasty enough that some bright ancestor found a pointed stick and jabbed something to death and we tasted fresh meat. That must have gotten old too and so someone else came along and figured out how ... [read]
To bail or not to bail, that is the question
2 weeks, 2 days ago
So King George got on the TV tonight to let everyone know that yes, the sky will indeed fall if those pesky congress persons don't agree to effectively nationalize a handful of companies that may or may not have been poorly managed.So the question is, would a bailout have the desired effect? Given that I am not an economist and the extreme complexity surrounding ... [read]
The 700 Billion Dollar Question
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Those who spend their weekends doing things other than watching the news woke up Monday morning to a proposed 700 billion dollar bailout of the broader US financial system. The response to the most devastating financial crisis in modern history is surely a complex web of legal and technical intricacy, tied together with thick ropes of incomprehensible financial jargon and heavy-laden with the legislative ... [read]
Delicious, delicious irony
2 weeks, 6 days ago
One of our more prolific users, localroger, recently posted a diary about how this online community of ours has failed.  In and of itself, this is not ironic or even remarkable; the perennial breast-beating that our community is dying is perhaps one of the more notable signature memes of our community. No, the irony is in the fact that he based his claim around ... [read]
''ASCII art'' in the 1950s
1 month ago
According to History of ASCII Art, a Korean gentleman named Gwang Hyuk Lee (or Gwank Hyuk Lee?), around the time of the Korean war, drew a picture of Jesus Christ (entirely by hand) using the entire text of the Book of John. He used varying pen colors to form the image. If this is true, I am extremely impressed. [read]
Sun Tzu for the new millenium: How-to E-Maul localroger
1 month ago
I'm going to present to you tips, tricks, and techniques for e-mauling localroger. In theory many of these will work well against anyone, but I am writing this diary in the hopes that this will help give people that push to let localroger know he's a slimy douchebag, or if they're already doing that to help them spruce up their game. Inside: I show ... [read]
HOWTO: Avoid your civic duties, write a self-indulgent missive about the experience
1 month ago
I didn't understand. Every time I've ever been asked to contribute to society, I simply wrote some bullshit excuse to weasel out of it. Contributing is for other people, not a precious important snowflake such as myself.  So I'd pen some dishonest and dishonorable excuse and whine my way out of it.  They'd always let me know that I was excused because, let's face ... [read]
HOWTO: Not Get Seated on a Death Penalty Jury
1 month ago
I didn't understand. Every time I got the subpoena before I submitted a written letter stating that I was paid by the hour and sole breadwinner of my household. I'd get a message on my answering machine about a week before my due date advising me that I was excused. This time, the message said "The judge needs to talk to everybody." [read]
If thy blog post offend thee, pluck it out
1 month ago
Hide Palin under a Bush?OH NO!I'm going to let her shine. [read]