I'm used to those silly credit card offers that come in the mail about every three weeks. Today, I got a new type of credit offer. Amusingly enough....from my credit union. I barely use these guys and it's strictly as a local spot to pick up cash at work when I need it (at the Pentagon).
Here was the envelope.....with a fresh new offer of a pre-approved $35k car loan. I didn't ask for it and I would never go through these guys (they are typically 1 percent higher than most others). They went to a fair amount of trouble....to think that I might be interested.
I actually stood there for twenty seconds....contemplating what kind of car I could get for $35k (there are eight various choices). Then reality hit me....I just wasn't into the market for a car.
It's kinda sad.....this momentary enticement....like some gal at the bar with a tube top on and asking you with a thick New Orleans accent if you want a double gin and tonic this time around. Somehow, I found enough strength to just shred the offer. Sadly, now I stand and gaze out and stare at the star-studded Arlington evening sky and wonder what kind of car I would have bought....if I had just been weak enough.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
The VP Game
Most folks have kinda figured out that Joe Biden will not be the 2012-nominee for VP. The question is....who follows him to help float the ticket. Last year, I was mostly leaning toward Hillary. I figured this would be a helpful ticket if she was the VP.....and maybe giving her the chance to run in 2016.
I've come to think differently, and will offer up what I think will occur in July of next year....retired Indiana governor....Evan Bayh. He stood down in the last election and simply elected to leave office. He'll be 56 next year and probably is the least problematic political figure that the Democrats currently have. In the midwest, he is fairly popular and could help in several states. Toss in the fact that he gives good speeches....and I think he's the odds on guy to be VP after Joe.
I've come to think differently, and will offer up what I think will occur in July of next year....retired Indiana governor....Evan Bayh. He stood down in the last election and simply elected to leave office. He'll be 56 next year and probably is the least problematic political figure that the Democrats currently have. In the midwest, he is fairly popular and could help in several states. Toss in the fact that he gives good speeches....and I think he's the odds on guy to be VP after Joe.
The State of Things
There's an odd story that I picked up yesterday....that oddly relates to the status of the nation.
I have an associate who knew a number of ladies when he was in the Air Force about twenty years ago. Amongst them.....this one gal who was into malls and socializing. At some point, she and another young gal (both in their early 20's) made a Saturday bet at a mall....who could acquire the most credit cards in a space of a couple of hours. Naturally, this meant applying for credit and buying items. The friend of hers picked up around nine credit cards....but that wasn't enough to win.....against eleven credit cards picked up in one day.
This ended up being a fateful day that started a spending trend over just a couple of years. This young gal friend of my associate....eventually picked up over $80k of debt, and spent over a dozen years trying to pay this off. It triggered a divorce eventually from a guy.
Oddly, when you look at the US government....we function more or less in the same fashion as the naive young lady. We spent and spent, and we owe debt that is mostly unimaginable. We have various financial analysts who talk about this on a daily basis on TV shows.....and we still see this as mostly unimaginable. We have people elected to office who have one claim to fame.....they actually think we have spent too much. Sadly, we have other folks who have been elected to office....who'd like more to spend more money, and folks are fairly entertained by his promises.
In a way, it's like some tragic Greek opera. We don't have a fat lady, and there's some doubt over this coming to an end. It just might linger for years and decades. That's not the kind of opera that you'd pay to see.
I have an associate who knew a number of ladies when he was in the Air Force about twenty years ago. Amongst them.....this one gal who was into malls and socializing. At some point, she and another young gal (both in their early 20's) made a Saturday bet at a mall....who could acquire the most credit cards in a space of a couple of hours. Naturally, this meant applying for credit and buying items. The friend of hers picked up around nine credit cards....but that wasn't enough to win.....against eleven credit cards picked up in one day.
This ended up being a fateful day that started a spending trend over just a couple of years. This young gal friend of my associate....eventually picked up over $80k of debt, and spent over a dozen years trying to pay this off. It triggered a divorce eventually from a guy.
Oddly, when you look at the US government....we function more or less in the same fashion as the naive young lady. We spent and spent, and we owe debt that is mostly unimaginable. We have various financial analysts who talk about this on a daily basis on TV shows.....and we still see this as mostly unimaginable. We have people elected to office who have one claim to fame.....they actually think we have spent too much. Sadly, we have other folks who have been elected to office....who'd like more to spend more money, and folks are fairly entertained by his promises.
In a way, it's like some tragic Greek opera. We don't have a fat lady, and there's some doubt over this coming to an end. It just might linger for years and decades. That's not the kind of opera that you'd pay to see.
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