Monday, September 28, 2009

Massachusetts Casinos Are "Inevitable."

Is it too late to say I told you so? Yes….a casino(s) are “inevitable” in Massachusetts as the revenues are just so attractive to a state that needs money to feed hack-a-rama. As they say “The fix is in“ and it certainly is as the Congress will have to make any attempt to avoid discrimination of one tribe over another. Massachusetts will also be on the fast track as DeLeo wants it and wants it now! Acting like a petulant child or a deranged poster on the BB site he will get his way. What about Middleboro?

The land has been set aside and the tribe certainly wants to build. Will the state be willing to cooperate? Hand out a precious license? Put this on the fast track? Do all that crossing and dotting of letters? IMO they will. Makes no difference if it is the right place to build just go back to that petulant stuff. Oh…they’ll be recognized as a tribe or nation or whatever. A 300 year old make up call? Probably. Nothing like a cleaning of the soul and washing of the hands for guilt eradication for the White man. Let bygones be bygones. Take the recognition, license, money and everything else as long as we - the state - gets its cut. Meanwhile the tracks will toss in their slots to get the build first going. As they say in the world of gambling “It’s a lock.”

CFO and Casino Free Massachusetts put up the good fight. I was originally a member of CFO and made a contribution but soon tired of the direction they were going in and some of the conversations that I overheard just turned me off. They were anti-gaming in my opinion and I am not. I have no problems with casinos and actually welcome them but I am a NIMBY but one with a price tag. I’ll sell out for the right price. The battle is with the culture of Massachusetts and that culture is one of gambling. The lottery is among if not the most successful in the country. Illegal gambling is firmly entrenched and when I first moved to town I could easily find a card or craps game if I wanted. I had no trouble purchasing a football card. If casinos are not here this year they will be next year for what killed them - the economy - will also speed them up as the state seeks revenue sources. The fat lady is warming up.

Suo did what Hal did and wadded into the pestilent waters of the self professed “greatest blog in Middleboro.” Naturally an “anonymous” poster who certainly had all the revisionist insights of Jessie Powell decided to attempt to do intellectual battle with Suo. Slam dunk for Suo. Amazing that some of the local lunatic fringe still is hanging around. Maybe Suo will get hit with a mountain of quotes from a DOR report.

My wife got a wonderful present from me. She has two house cats that was once three until a coyote snack took place and still feeds several feral cats that have slowly multiplied. I found her a box of Crazy Cat Lady action figures. Perfect gift.

The Red Sox are slowly going into the back door for the playoffs. Makes no difference how you get to the dance as long as you get to dance. Right now they have what appears to be four solid starters that should bode well for any seven game series down the road.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Meanderings Before Heading To KC

I seem to like the Republicans a lot more when they are out of office. Maybe it’s just seeing absolutely the two most divisive political hacks I can remember - Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid - both are examples of two members who would never be able to get elected in 90% of the districts in this country. How bad is it? I long for the good old days of Newt Gingrich!

They are coming out of the woodwork with hard times upon us. Exactly who? The scam artist. Notice that many radio and TV stations ad revenues seem to consist of buying your gold, getting out of debt in a few years, buying a renovated foreclosed home, how to make money in a down market and a variety of other schemes that just leave me cold. I’d say millions are getting plundered and the government does little to protect us.

I’m out to Kansas City for the Red Sox series and as I write this things are looking good for getting into the playoffs. I will also finally have a chance to visit the Negro League Baseball Museum which for anyone who follows and loves baseball is a must. I have always felt that the Pittsburgh Crawford’s of 1935 were one of the five best baseball teams of all time and maybe the best.

Where has Jessie been with her energy posts? Some may agree and some may not but they were interesting and at times informative. JP still has the links out there and I have no idea if she has again applied for that Energy Committee that was formed.

Obama put the old kibosh on Wilson controversy via no racial intent. Good for WOW to put - I hope - an end to linkage of criticism of his regime to subtle racism being the root cause. That racism exists towards him is a given but IMO it is solidly in the domain of a handful of “crackers” and “peckerwoods.”

Hal and I have had an interesting email exchange on the above and have diametrically opposite views but the interesting thing is we can understand how each of us can view it thus giving a level of legitimacy to the exchange. Thanks, Hal.

MCAS requirements have been raised from 220 to 240 for a passing grade. This will be very difficult for some students to obtain and IMO it should have been taken to the 230 level.

Someone had a letter in one of the advice columns and made the statement “I don’t do well in a classroom setting. I catch on quickly, get bored and lose interest in the task in front of me.” How true that is for me to this very day. When I taught I always tried to think of myself sitting in that seat listening to me with that itty bitty attention span.

Senator Dukakis. Now that is really funny! Never met a tax he didn’t like.

Resort Casinos are on the way in Massachusetts. Next session has it front and center and IMHO they will be a done deal but probably (thankfully) not for Middleboro.

BB and I have started a running or in our case a waddling blog. Link is on the sidebar and we will add places of interest for walking, running and biking.

Kill all the lawyers? Was that Shakespeare? I get at least ten times a year litigation on companies I own or have owned stock in. Most are frivolous but some such as World Com have a real legitimacy to them. Here is the problem. I just received a settlement that entitles me to $500 and change. After lawyer fees I get a grand total of $14.34! As they say the first day in law school: “It’s not if you win or lose the case but how many hours you can bill.”

Post away on any of the above or anything else that may "educate" the rest of us.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Just Some Mindless Thoughts

The lineup continues for Kennedy’s seat - senator for life I don’t think the intent of the Founding Fathers had that in mind. Curt Shilling will possibly give it a try and that is great since we’ve already had a frustrated jock from Alaska in the national picture. I’d vote for either Andrew Card or Scott Brown.

Why do politicians always say they will “fight” for me? I’m all for it as just toss them in the ring for a UFC battle. Maybe they can battle each other? That Coakley looks like she could take out the guys with ease.

Why do car dealers put those stupid flags on the antenna’s of the crap they are trying to unload? Totally dumb looking.

And along those lines I love it when a dealer says “If we don’t beat their price you get the car free!” Other businesses use this same ploy and it is beyond dumb as far as a marketing scheme. Car dealers that do this usually double sticker.

Be aware if you are using air miles that airlines now you a tier system for awards. Try to book several months ahead of time or a trip can really cost some miles.

I had an economic professor who said if there was confusing economic data then there is no recovery. How true right now.

WOW has disappointed me in the nine short months he has “Been the man.” I see confusion, mixed messages and an inability to get back the charisma. Right now if an election was held the Democrats would lose a considerable number of seats in Congress but that is a long way away. Also - Mr. President - get the __________ (fill in blank) out of Afghanistan!

I just love the garbage that is being handed out to WOW over his speech to the kiddos. To listen to some of the assorted wing nuts you would think this is Joseph Goebbels. Give it a rest.

I imagine there are certain people in Middleboro that consider the movie “Ghost Busters” a true story.

Affordable health care for those uninsured means taking more of my tax dollars to supplement that campaign promise. Will it also potentially weaken my health care? Based on past government performance I’ll get hosed.

Americans are reducing debt at a record pace and that is good personal news but lousy economic news. Need to spend…spend…spend on all those things we could easily do without to pump up the retail outlook.