Hope and change is now nearly a bargain.....

News story on safety in South Africa during the upcoming World Cup games...

Government warns World Cup stab vests useless against taxi fenders

JOHANNESBURG . A knife-proof vest being marketed to British tourists as a must-have item at the 2010 World Cup has been slammed by the South African government, which says it is completely pointless as most tourists killed will either be shot or run over by taxis. However the country has recommitted itself to killing as few tourists as possible.

According to the BBC, the so-called stab vests are being marketed in the United Kingdom as essential security wear for the 2010 World Cup and cost up to $70.

However, this morning the South African government condemned the armoured items, describing them as alarmist, reactionary and discriminatory against people who earn a living through knife crime.

But, said spokesman Whiplash Mahlangu, the real outrage was how ineffective the vests would be in keeping tourists alive.

"We urge our visitors to remember that of the 1,500 South Africans who are murdered and the 1,100 who are killed on our roads every month, only a tiny minority succumb to knife wounds," said Mahlangu.

He added that while the usual 2,600 locals would be killed during the World Cup, South Africa was committed to killing as few international visitors as possible.

"If we can keep it down to around one percent of the South African average, that is, 26 tourists, we'll consider that a job well done," said Mahlangu.

But, he said, visitors would have to accept that stab vests would "not be of optimum utility in an average hail of gunfire from an average assault rifle, or against the earnest advances of a Toyota Hilux's front fender".

He asked both South Africans and foreign tourists to remain positive about the World Cup.

"The world is coming," he said. "The important thing to remember is that of the 500,000 guests coming to our shores, 499,974 will be going home alive.

"Ultimately football will be the winner."

So only 26 tourist death is a big victory!!

Quote of the day.....

"This one's for you, Mary Jo."

--Rush Limbaugh--

Quote of the day.....

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction; it's not something we pass along in our bloodstream. It must be fought-for, protected, and passed-along for them to do the same

-Ronald Reagan-

Nasty accident.....

VH1 Reality Show Bus Crashes In California Causing Major Slut Spill

Washington vs. New York.....

Just a little note on how the shift from a market based economy to one based on government communism is the price office rents in Washington DC vs. the rent levels in New York. The demand for offices in Washington have been rising relative to New york since many companies have to be close to be where the goodies are being dispensed and therefore relative rents are adjusting....

The office market in Washington, D.C., is poised to topple New York as the nation's most expensive, reflecting the declining fortunes of the nation's financial center and the government expansion under way in the U.S. capital.

Rents declined in almost all of the 79 American cities tracked by Reis Inc., a New York based-research firm, in the fourth quarter of 2009. The largest fall was in New York, where average effective rents -- or the net amount tenants pay after landlord concessions -- fell nearly 20% to $44.69 per square foot annually. It was the sharpest decline in rents ever recorded by Reis since it began compiling data in 1981.

By contrast, average rents in Washington were $41.77 per square foot, down 3.3% annually. Reis estimates that by the end of this year, rents in New York will come down to around $41.07, slightly below their estimates for Washington of $41.27.

From here.

China economic miracle will face speed bumps......

There is an over-reliance on real-estate for economic growth in China that is increasing the long-term risks for the nation. Much of the real-estate depends upon loans from banks. Over-exposure to this sector will eventually become a drag on growth as the inevitable need to recycle these assets into more productive uses will force prices lower and cause large losses at these institutions. An excerpt from the South China Morning Post....

Bank exposure to the real estate sector has been at the root of previous financial crises worldwide including the savings and loan crisis in the United States, Japan’s bubble economy, the Asian financial crisis, and now Dubai World. All these crises share in common aggressive and exuberant real estate lending, an abundance of liquidity and the false belief that real estate can only rise in value. If total exposure to real estate secured loans was transparent within the Chinese banking sector, it would approach 40 per cent of total lending – the same level of total loan exposure reached in Japan in 1989, when it was believed Japan would dominate the economic landscape for decades.

It is important to recognize, that the problem assets will constrict lending and this will impact even those enterprises that are economically viable.

From this blog.

We are coming for you!!!!!!!!

Your tax dollars at work.....

Producing or promoting videos using homosexual sex act lingo to denigrate Republicans for the benefit of Democrats.....

Make her happy......

For thousands of years, men have tried to understand the rules when dealing with women. Finally, this merit/demerit guide will help you to understand just how it works.

Remember, in the world of romance, one single rule applies:
Make the woman happy.

Do something she likes, and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are subtracted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played. Here is a guide to the points system:


SIMPLE DUTIES
You make the bed ............................................+1
You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows.... 0
You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets...................-1
You leave the toilet seat up..................................-5
You replace the toilet paper roll when it is empty............ 0
When the toilet paper roll is barren, you resort to Kleenex...-1
When the Kleenex runs out you use the next bathroom...........-2
You go out to buy her breakfast to be served in bed.....+5
In the snow...................................................+8
But return with a six pack of beer............................-5
And forget the breakfast.............................................-25
You check out a suspicious noise at night..................... 0
You check out a suspicious noise and it is nothing............ 0
You check out a suspicious noise and it is something..........+5
You whack it with a six iron................................+10
It's her cat.................................................-40

AT THE PARTY
You stay by her side the entire party............ 0
You leave her to chat with a college drinking buddy......-2
Named Tiffany....................................-4
Tiffany is a dancer..............................-10
With breast implants.............................-18

HER BIRTHDAY
You remember her birthday................................0
You buy a card and flowers...............................0
You take her out to dinner.............................. 0
You take her out to dinner and it's not a sports bar....+1
Okay, it is a sports bar................................-2
And it's all-you-can-eat night..........................-3
And your face is painted the colors of your best team........-10

A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS
Go with a pal.......................................0
The pal is happily married..........................+1
The pal is single...................................-7
He drives a Ferrari.................................-10
With a personalized license plate (GR8 NBED)........-15

A NIGHT OUT WITH HER
You take her to a movie...............+2
You take her to a movie she likes.....+4
You take her to a movie you hate......+6
You take her to a movie you like......-2
It's called Death Cop 3...............-3
Which features Cyborgs that eat humans....-9
You told her it was a foreign film about orphans.....-15

YOUR PHYSIQUE
You develop a noticeable pot belly................-15
You exercise to get rid of it...+10
You resort to loose jeans and baggy Hawaiian shirts......-30
You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too."..........-800

THE BIG QUESTION
She asks, "Does this dress make me look fat?"
You hesitate in responding......................-10
You reply, "Where?".............................-35
You reply, "No, I think it's your butt".........-100
Any other response..............................-20

COMMUNICATION
When she wants to talk about a problem: You listen, displaying a concerned expression...........0
You listen, for over 30 minutes...............+5
You relate to her problem and share a similar experience....+50
You're mind wanders to sports and you suddenly hear her saying "well, what do you think I should do"...............-50
You listen for 30 minutes without looking at the TV..+100
She realizes this is because you have fallen asleep............-200