FRAUD VICTIM ALERT

Morgan Stanley sells out to China

In some more news from the "we need to be bailed out because we're stupid" column, Morgan Stanley tapped Chinese firm, China Investment Corp., which is - surprise - under the control of the Chinese Finance Ministry and The People's Bank of China, the central bank.

Neat, eh? Well, nothing surprises us anymore and Morgan Stanley is no exception in this case. CEO John Mack took responsibility and is foregoing a bonus this year, which although a nice gesture, certainly will not making up for selling yet another piece of U.S. finance to a foreign concern.

Shitheads...

Read the fun story here - "Write down" the toilet...

Michigan legislature demonstrates just how stupid politicians can be when they really try

Well, just when you think you have seen everything from the State of Michigan and it's band of fools who call themselves "political leaders", well prepare for 12:01AM on Saturday, December 1, 2007. For it is then that the citizens of Michigan are going to see a 6% service tax go into effect that taxes the following services in the State of Michigan -

•  Administrative and management consulting

•  Airline ticket services

•  Copying services

•  Carpet and upholstery cleaning

•  Courier services

•  Downhill skiing

•  Grocery and restaurant delivery

•  Interior, graphic, fashion and industrial design

•  Letter or résumé writing

•  Stenography and transcription services

•  Investigation and detective services

•  Limo services

•  Security and patrol services

•  Mailbox rental

•  Money delivery

•  Investment advice and financial planning

•  Janitorial and other cleaning services

•  Landscape care and design

•  Storage units

•  Contracted office administrative services

•  Manicures and pedicures

•  Facials and make-up application

•  Body piercing and tattoos

•  Hair replacement and weaving

•  Weight loss services

•  Massages, tanning or steam rooms

•  Astrology, palm reading, numerology and fortune-telling

•  House sitting

•  Dating and social escort services

•  Baby shoe bronzing

•  Bail bondsmen

•  Genealogical investigations

•  Personal fitness training and shopping

•  Wedding chapel and planners

•  Singing telegrams

•  Shoeshines

•  Burglar, security and fire alarm installations

•  Tour operators

•  Charter fishing and dinner cruises

•  Hot air balloon, glider and helicopter rides

•  Travel arrangement and reservation services

•  Merchandise warehousing

Now, I know what you're thinking - "the government throws new taxes at us every year, why is this any different?" This is different because of two things - one, it was dumped on the shoulders of Michigan taxpayers to make up for the fiscal irresponsibility of the legislature and the governor; two, preparing for this tax and implementing it into a business like a hair and nail salon or landscaping is going to be a nightmare for the owners of these businesses.

The Michigan legislature has been working to find alternate ways to raise the same amount of money that this new service tax would bring into Michigan's coiffures so that they could then repeal the service tax, but to date, they have not been able to develop an alternate plan.

Surprising? Hardly, these clowns are the only group in the nation who can develop an ill-advised tax, decide that it's stupid only after almost everyone in the state tells them it is, and then backpedal into a desperate search for an alternative funding measure in the eleventh hour so that the citizens don't march on the capitol in Lansing and torch the place.

As is the usual mode of operations in Michigan, Democrats are blaming Republicans and Republicans are blaming Democrats, but at the end of the day both parties and their half-assed representatives have been worthless with regard to this and many other budget debacles that have the state in it's current listing towards complete capsize.

The Detroit Free Press has all of the details here, but we though it'd be fun to point this one out just so you can see how bad things can really get when politicians are left unsupervised.

Citigroup Sells Out To the Middle East!

Look, we already know how stupid a lot of the folks at the top of the corporate chain are when it comes to managing money and running a business. The truth is, a lot of these folks would fail at running a corner grocery store, but they'd be perfect for a government job. Citigroup is one such example, as they decided to hedge their bets on the sub-prime mortgage market and they got their asses handed to them in a big way. We say, good you dumbfucks! You deserve what you're going through now; however, a great many of your shareholders and mid to lower-level employees who didn't have a say in your stupid decisions deserved much better.

Guess what? We aren't financial experts, but we sure as hell know what makes the common person angry when it comes to bullshit like this so we're going to leave the in-depth analysis to folks like CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, and we'll just say "fuck you" to Citigroup and their half-assed management who put them here. Enjoy your 200 lashes and congratulations on selling another small piece of America to a foreign land, in this case, Abu Dhabi.

Here is the story at Yahoo! Finance - "Can I have my name on my tunic?"

***FraudMoney***/***FraudEngland*** - England isn't any smarter than everyone else after all.

Has anyone else been following this little data breach in the U.K. that impacts families with at least one child under the age of 16? Apparently, two computer discs that hold the personal details of these families - including names, addresses, dates of birth, National insurance numbers, and in some cases - bank account numbers of 25 million people just went "missing". Reports say that the country is going bat-shit crazy with people resigning, banks being flooded with folks wanting to change their account numbers, and lots and lots of finger pointing! Wow! Sounds like fun! Wish we had a foreign bureau.

Wow! You mean to tell me that the country who constantly criticizes the United States for, well, everything, did something stupid? No way? I mean, you folks over there in jolly old England knew so much more than we did over here in the U.S. when it came to electing our political leaders (you "push-polled" Ohio residents), evaluating the intelligence of our voters (I believe you called us "stupid"), and just society in general. What went wrong with you guys? I mean, you have your hands and minds on the pulse of what's right and wrong, I figured that your little island is the last place that something so stupid as this could happen.

Well, hell, I won't rub it in any further. Here is England's other contribution to genius, the BBC's version of events - "Hey lad, you bring those discs with ya?"

***FraudDetroit***/***FraudBigOil*** The price of gas gets serious in Detroit!

Detroit, MI - Well, we haven't even reached Thanksgiving yet and the rising gas prices have turned in their first casualty - a BP station owner, and the father of 5 children was shot and killed by a rival Marathon station owner in southwestern Detroit over gas prices.

According to a new report from Detroit's WXYZ television (ABC affiliate), the owner of the BP station went to meet with the owner of the Marathon station to discuss why the Marathon owner dropped prices to $2.93 for unleaded, which were also $0.03 less than the BP. Things got ugly, and then a brawl erupted  with 2 more BP station employees joining in the fight and one man being struck with a baseball bat. The owner of the Marathon pulled a gun and shot the BP station owner. The shooter was a 51 year old man.

WXYZ also reports that with police still on the scene of the shooting, the BP station raised it's prices to $3.09 after the body of the station owner was taken away!

This is definitely a sad story, but it sure as hell isn't surprising with things getting fairly desperate in the Detroit area - loss of jobs, a housing market in the toilet, and crappy government at the city and state level. What is surprising is the desperation over a difference of $0.03. Are margins really so thin that we are going to see these station owners going to war over these kind of price differences from station to station and region to region?

Until all of the facts come out with regard to this incident, we won't know if this was an ongoing rivalry and tensions just erupted into tragedy, but if this is the kind of desperation that we can expect as gas prices start to rise then we ought to buy our body armor now. Sad folks, very sad.

Here is the link to the story at WXYZ TV in Detroit -  The price of gas just got a whole lot more serious...

***FraudHollywood***/***FraudPolitic*** Hollywood continues it's status as a political vacuum.

We ought to be used to this, but The Washington Times has a story about campaign contributions and support to and for Republicans in Hollywood. We say, "who cares?", Hollywood hasn't been relevant when it comes to electing a president (or dog catcher) for some time, but they throw some great parties and every 4 years a few of these clowns become experts on all things domestic and foreign policy, as well as what is best for we little people.

Yes, there are conservatives in Hollywood and a few of them are high profile celebrities. The same could be said for Texas, where there are liberals, with some of them also being high profile celebrities. Hollywood gets a lot of attention because it is the film capital of the world and there is this little not-so-secret society of self-important types who think that they can sway the voting public towards whatever wealth distributing liberal is running for office. Really? Do you think that Ted Danson has the same problems that you do, or that Cameron Diaz (who makes Drew Barrymore look like Jean Kirkpatrick when it comes to thinking) is up at 6AM to head for the train for a day at the assembly plant? Of course not, so let's stop giving these clowns any more than a glance of credibility when it comes to who is best for the United States. This goes for both sides of the aisle - Republican and Democrat - who cares? Just vote for the person who best reflects your positions and values and don't worry about what Barbara Streisand babbles on about on her hideous blog.

Here is the story from The Washington Times - Blah, blah, blah...

***FraudChicago***/***FraudPolitic*** CTA's transit union chief threatens strike!

Chicago, IL - In an effort to completely ruin the reputation of unions in the United States - particularly the Midwest - some nutpouch by the name of Rick Harris has threatened to initiate a transit strike in Chicago if the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago do not figure out a bailout plan to avoid a "Doomsday Scenario", scheduled for January 20, 2008. Mr. Harris is the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, and he foolishly thinks that CTA riders need a reminder of "exactly what a doomsday looks like".

Wrong assclown, what we need is people like you to be constructive during these negotiations, which we know is hard for a grade A moron to understand, but give it your best effort. Riders are already at odds with the CTA and the City of Chicago for their gross mismanagement of the organization, and now you want us to look at you as yet another blockade to obtaining responsible and truly managed service? Well congrats dumbass, you have now placed you and your organization on the "shitlists" of riders who use the CTA. Feel better? Jesus, where do people like you come from and who put you in a position of power??? The CTA is a joke. Plain and simply put, they cannot manage the money that they make or are given by the State of Illinois, and when the well runs dry they'll run back to state for another handout. However, when a union threatens to strike an already hobbled organization, you incite our anger first and our deep belly laughs second. You come off as a fraud.

We say bullshit! Learn to manage your money idiots, and then you won't have to cry about "doomsday" or any other financial issues. Fire the people who aren't on board with fiscal responsibility and show us (the public) that you're serious about fixing the root of the problem - financial irresponsibility. Oh, and Mr. Mayor (Daley), this falls at your feet as well, so don't think that by walking out of transit summits that you're removing yourself from accountability here. Get back to the negotiating table and get a win for Chicago and the people who rely on (and pay for) the CTA for their transportation needs.

This whole thing is a massive moron convention and riders need to demand a lot of rolling heads and extreme fiscal oversight going forward. The CTA doesn't need a bailout, it needs real fiscal management and a commitment to the riders that they will dismantle the culture of corruption that has dug in at the CTA.

Here is the story from the Chicago Sun Times - "Me, Me, Me!!!"

***FraudPolitic*** Ron Paul is climbing in $$$ and popularity.

Early on in this wide batch of potential nominees for the Republican presidential contender, Ron Paul was basically ignored and laughed at by the "big boys" and their supporters, and unfortunately, a lot of media types who are smarter than us all.

Well, laugh no more because Mr. Paul is raising some serious money and his profile. His status as a candidate has also been elevated because of his ability to raise money and a dedicated grass roots effort to get Paul's name into the bloodstream of American politics. Folks, he isn't going to win the nomination, but not since Perot have we seen a candidate who has generated the type of buzz for an independent candidate or party.

Some folks will claim that you are throwing away your vote if you support and vote for Ron Paul, but I look at it a different way. You are exercising your right to vote for the candidate who you think best represents your views and ideals, and if that candidate is Ron Paul then pull the lever and walk out of the polling place knowing that you did it your way. If anyone tells you different, just smile and know that they probably bought the usual bullshit - hook, line, and sinker.

Here's the deal on Ron Paul, courtesy of Breitbart - "Run, Ronny, run!"

Harry Reid rattles the sabres again.

Harry Reid is carrying on again regarding war funds before the end of the year. The senator is claiming that he will withhold $50 billion should the president veto the Democrat's war funding measure, which asks for immediate troop withdrawl in exchange for continued war funding. Senator Reid wants to have an end to combat by December 2008 and forcing the President's hand on this will guarantee that either the troops start coming home or that the Pentagon will become an accountant's worst nightmare.

All of this said, what do you want to bet that Harry and Nancy end being Bush's bitches again because they lost their collective spine when they were elected to office? Yes, I know that all of you liberals will accuse me of picking on the Dems, but I am actually just pointing out the facts - those being that the Democratic leadership has been largely a failure and they have no spines. The war sucks, but by not being able to stand up to the President early on in their leadership tenure, the Dems have set the tone for their collective future. Possibly a short one.

Here is the story from Breitbart.

"Mr. Bigshot" Romney spendin' da monneeeeyyyy!

According to CNN, Mitt Romney is kickin' out the cash for television ads, leading all of the candidates with a total of $10.2 million this year alone, and $85K a day! Sheesh!

That said, he will probably lose the nomination to Giuliani, or even Huckabee (you know how those folks from Arkansas can come back, dontcha?). Still, that is some sick money for a primary season.

Here is the low down on Mitt's ad spending - Show us the money!