I decided to play a bit of a trick today.  As of about 10:30 last night, my domain was scooped up by Domain0ffers.com and held for a ransom of $1299.  I got a anxious call from my wife saying our site, e-mail, pictures had been stolen.  So I got the desired affect. 

I tried to build a page that looked "cheap" with bad, inconsistent HTML & stuff. It must have worked because she said "Don't click on those links! They don't look right," or something to that affect.  Take a gander and tell me if you'd be fooled.  :^)

Credit card companies are stupid.  I don't know why these idiots aren't being shutdown one by one instead of getting tons of taxpayer money. 

We have this huge "economic crisis" and I've had two out of three credit cards send me a "change of terms" notice.  Either I allow them to increase my fixed interest rate by 5-10% (dumb) and make it variable (dumber) or they shut off my card.  I've had these cards for years, never missed a payment and the best thing they can do is shove all that up my ass.  Instead, I tell them (Citi & Captial One) to shove their new rate and close the card. 

If that's not stupid enough, new companies, and those we've canceled cards from before, send us wonderful offers in the mail all the flipping time.  Before the "crisis", we would get 5.99-8.99% fixed rate offers and now all we get is 11.99-20.99% variable offers!!!  Are they really stupid enough to think, with interest rates lower than ever before, that we're going to sign up for a 14% variable rate just so it goes up to 19-24% when things start getting better???  I know not everyone is smart, like me (which is debatable), but this is more evil than stupid on their part.  These offers are aimed at people who don't understand credit cards and the horrors that will come (hopefully) in the next year or so when things are fixed. 

If this post pisses you off (like it does me), please watch Maxed Out to see why we should all fear credit cards.

From Reuters: Republicans upset as House panels move on stimulus

U.S. House of Representatives committees on Thursday backed a raft of tax cuts and spending programs as part of the $825 billion package to boost the ailing economy, despite Republican complaints that their proposals were not getting a fair hearing. 

... 

Republicans made clear they were unhappy that their ideas were not gaining any traction in the various committees considering the stimulus package, and plan to raise them with Obama next week when some House Republicans meet with him. 

... 

Republicans were looking to the Obama meeting next week to force some changes. 

... 

...said Rep. Dave Camp, the top Republican on the Ways and Means panel. "The American people know we cannot spend our way to prosperity."

I figured the whining would start early on into the President's term but this is day #2!  After 6 years of total Republican rule and 2 years of vetoes, I think the Red side of the aisle could knock off the complaining and get happy with the fact their ideas have amounted to the largest financial crisis since the Great Depression.  We might dig ourselves out of this a whole lot faster if they'd just sit down, shut up and stop crying.

by Kool & The Gang via imeem.com:

We have to get to hear from him one more time.  Quite a legacy, huh? 

Foreclosure Filings Up 81% In 2008

I wish golden parachutes caused some sort of horrible ass cancer.

Bank Of America To Get Billions More In Bailout Funds From Treasury

I hope they don't get it.  Almost 10 years with an MBNA Mastercard, zero problems.  BOA buys them, tells me they won't lower my interest rate, told me they'd rather lose my business than lower my 14.99% interest rate even a point...and I have a 700+ credit score.

Citigroup Breaks Up, "Financial Supermarket" Model Dead

If only Citi would completely crumble, I would dance a jig.  They wanted to raise our 9.99% fixed MasterCard to a 16% variable.  Card closed, customer lost.  Anyone still not sure how these idiots are all broke???  As Mom says, "Don't let the door hit you on your way out. 'Cause I don't want ass prints on my new door!"

Obama Would Spend Bailout Funds On Housing Crisis

The other $350,000,000,000 was thrown away on banks buying other banks, firing workers, putting the rest in their vaults, and going bankrupt anyway.  Screw the banks.

JP Morgan Profit Down 76%

My employer switched health insurance companies this year.  Guess where my HSA money's being transfered?  JP Morgan Chase.  Awesome.

It may be true that a lot of the financial problems are not directly the (current) President's fault, but the environment he and his buddies put into place pretty much guaranteed it.  Put the fox in the hen house, close the door, think happy thoughts?  You're not going to be having eggs for breakfast tomorrow...