A Diamond and a Tether

Death Cab For Cutie just released their EP follow up to "Narrow Stairs" titled "The Open Door." It's quite enjoyable and nicely unpretentious. And since I've recently become a huge fan of lala.com you can get the web version of the EP for like 50 cents. Seriously, go to lala and register. Or ask me and I'll invite you. It's great. You can preview an entire album before deciding to purchase as opposed to the iTunes 30 second clips of songs. You can actually decide if you want to buy the entire album.

Check it out. I dare you. Seriously. It's a dare.

Let me count the ways

Last night the Senate Committee on Finance met to discuss the long term financial business going on in out country right now. I actually found myself glued to CSPAN (not normal).

All I could hear over the chatter of, "we'll be at less than 3% of GDP by 2011," is Joe Biden's voice ringing loudly on the night of his announcement to run with Obama, "That's not change! That's more of the same."

And team Obama/Biden did have lofty goals and promises of change. But our jacked up political system is worse than ever. Promises of abolishing Bush's Patriot Act (Obama signed to re-instate it). Promises to close Guantanimo (still operating and with more facilities now open over seas). Promises to stop wasting money overseas (now spending $18 Billion on the middle east war efforts). Promises for more transparency in the White House (still empowering the Fed to run this country and resisting pushes for the a Senate audit of the Fed).

And then last night, Obama's left-hand man, Timbo Geitner asks to give Federal Power the the "Federal" reserve.

In addition, the administration proposed the creation of a systemic risk regulator to monitor the biggest institutions. Geithner did not designate where such authority should reside, but the administration is expected to support awarding this power to the Federal Reserve.

I need not remind you that the Federal Reserve is no a Federal division of our government. They are a privately owned organization under the control of domestic and foreign banks with too much jurisdiction in our political system and zero regulation.

Luckily, there is some pushing going on to have the Fed officially audited. You can actually sign the petition here and encourage your representative to take action. I encourage you to do so. When the country is able to see how we've allowed the FR to screw with our money, so much will change for the better or our economy and for the better of our dollar's value.


*Sorry for the completely long-winded and rambling post, but it needed to be let out.

Sounded like an alarm of impending doom

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I stepped into an IMAX theater this weekend to view Watchmen. I had not read the graphic novel and I knew very little of the overall plot of the story, but I was optimistic that I would enjoy it. And I did.

Director, Zack Snyder did a great job and all of the rolls were really well cast. And the visuals...simply amazing. It was all great. And the most amazing thing was how, even though the original novel was written over a decade ago, the social and political symbolism still hold up. Maybe, even more so today than when it was originally written.

And Warner Bros. has a great website with tons of interactive goodies on it. Check it out at the link above.

Now, I can't compare it to the book, but it's definitely a film I enjoyed and one I will see again down the road.

Come Down From That Tower

I was lucky enough to watch The Wrestler this weekend. It completely deserves every bit of hype it received. Mickey Rourke did a phenomenal job as lead in this film and director, Darren Aronofsky was point on in his direction of the film. Even Marisa Tomei - although naked most of the movie. We get it, Marisa. You're getting older and mostly in shape. That is not a license to be naked for hours on end - was great in her supporting role. Despite her aforementioned, over-nakedness, she really is a great actress and was perfect for the part.

The story is so well played out and the music (mostly 80's hair metal) and the ominous score added greatly to the film.

This is definitely a must-see. Not like Must-See-TV, though. Frasier wasn't really that great.

Believe in the resolute urgency of now

Do not trust Timothy Geitner. Do not trust the Federal Reserve and if possible, know that the Executive Branch of the government is actually succeeding in creating a non-democratic, unconstitutional, socialist (yeah I said it) state.

Educate yourself and know that every bit of it is wrong and affects you in unprecedented ways:

Read This - Geitner should never be allowed this power. We should have never made this move under the Bush administration

We are swimming in a socialist pool. It's happening.

And Where Will We Go?

One of my favorite songs of last year was Death Cab For Cutie's "Grapevine Fires." Lyrically, one of the most amazing songs and with the dark and droning Fender Rhodes being played behind it all, the song is sure to shake you to the core. Really, Ben Gibbard paints such an amazing picture with his words and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Well, they recently released their video for the song. Not quite what I would have imagined, but, of course, it ended up being perfectly fitting for the band and the song. Check it out here.

Am I Dreaming?

The folks over at Mint Blog have a pretty cool post that visually puts one trillion dollars into perspective. The above image is only one example of the many, but the best example is that one trillion dollars can only cover one-tenth of the spending for the current bailout. Awesome!

You Have Been Given Much.

Finally some people are making some damn sense. It just so happens that it's a guy from Alabama and Sen. John McCain.

Actually, Sen. Shelby (R. AL) has opposed any government intervention in free market practices since this time last year. He opposed it when Bush put it on the table and is finally (and very bluntly) saying, "Let them fail."

It's just that no one really trusts GOP voices these days and those people will be part of the reason that the value of the US Dollar will drop 25% in two years. If certain banks fail, however, we'd see an equally tough recession, but would have a few less bad decision makers around. Then, and only then, would we have something resembling stability. But, by keeping them around we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Their oh-so-publicly-well-received bonus cuts just won't be enough.

I've never been on the gold bandwagon, but it might make sense if our paper dollar holds as much worth as Angel Soft toilet tissue.