Bailouts, jail-ins, and other trashy news items

January 23, 2009

Bailouts, jail-ins, and other trashy news items

Filed under: Random Rumblings — Christa Allan @ 1:05 am

I’m no economist, but I’m clearly not understanding how those who don’t pay taxes receive a tax break check. That’s like giving baby furniture to a family with no children.

“On the key vote of the day, Democrats closed ranks to preserve a tax break for this year and 2010 that would mean $500 for many workers and $1,000 for millions of couples, including those whose earnings are so low that they pay no federal income tax.” from MSN

Former Merrill Lynch exec John Thain spent $1.22 million redesigning his office when he became CEO of Merrill Lynch a year ago.

According to msnbc.com news services, the following is a list of the items in his suite:

— Area Rug: $87,784

— Mahogany Pedestal Table: $25,713

— 19th Century Credenza: $68,179

— Pendant Light Furniture: $19,751

— 4 Pairs of Curtains: $28,091

THIS IS A SIMILAR ITEM AS THE WASTE CAN LISTED BELOW

— Pair of Guest Chairs: $87,784

— George IV Chair: $18,468

— 6 Wall Sconces: $2,741

— Parchment Waste Can: $1,405

— Roman Shade Fabric: $10,967

— Roman Shades: $7,315

— Coffee Table: $5,852

— Commode on Legs: $35,115 [The commode on legs is not, one would hope, the night commode which typically stored a chamber pot. ]

Michael Smith, the decorator, was paid over $800, 000 for redecorating. I suppose the $100,000 he’s charging Michelle Obama for the White House is charity work.

Here’s more of the story from msnbc.com:

Thain paid his driver $230,000 for one year’s work, which included the driver’s $85,000 salary and bonus of $18,000, and another $128,000 in over-time pay, documents show. Drivers of top executives are often paid about half that amount.

Bank of America last week struck a deal with the government to receive an additional $20 billion in funds as part of the Treasury Department’s bank investment program. Bank of America already received an initial $25 billion as part of the program.

The Neo-Nazis adopted a half-mile segment of road in Kansas. It took a four-year court fight for them to win the rights to pick up trash. I’m not sure why. It seems like a job for which they should be well-equipped.
From local news: “Using a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap and a soiled pair of boxers, authorities said they were able to connect a pair of Franklinton men to a string of robberies at Sonic Drive-Ins from Livingston Parish to Pearl River County, Miss. “ I have no other comments about this that would be fit for a G-rated blog. Well, except the issue of whether the boxers were soiled before or after the arrest.
The classical music played at the inauguration was pre-recorded because, according to an AP news story, it was too cold for the instruments to stay in tune.
One industry that’s thriving in this otherwise depressed economy?Marijuana. It’s the major cash crop in Mendoceno, CA. Check the story out here.

Comments (1)

1 Comment »

The stimulus checks are such a great idea — everyone gets a thousand bucks and heads out to buy a new flat screen TV, thereby stimulating the economy of CHINA.

Comment by Rachelle — January 23, 2009 @ 5:09 pm