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September 20, 2007

Derailleur failure

Filed under: Financial, Me — by nullp0inter @ 2:46 am

My Durace derailleur hangar just snapped this morning on the way to work.  I was moving briskly at 25 MPH when it happened. The end result? It took out my brand new mavic rear wheel, melted my $60 Vittoria’s Open Korsa’s from the skid, obliterated my cabling, and almost through me into traffic during rush hour.

Expected cost of repairs:

$250 derailleur
$150 cheap rear wheel.
$60 Vittoria Open Korsa KS
$7 LunarLight innertube
Labor

The good news?  I finally convinced myself to buy this baby:

That is one damn sexy bike. If only equally attractive females where available for 6500 MSRP. This is the Nicole Kidman of bikes regal, elegant, beautiful, and angular.

What else can $6500 get you?

This is the Jessica Alba/Jennifer Connelly of bikes. Gorgeous, slim, but curvy in all the right places.

September 12, 2007

Spoiled

Filed under: Fashion, Financial — by nullp0inter @ 10:54 pm

Apparently, I’m quite spoiled and never knew it. 

My mom has been buying me BCBG and Rockport shoes and Ermenegildo Zegna suits my entire life. I kind of just took it for granted, until I just went out and tried to buy one and it cost 2000 dollars… for the coat alone. DAMN.

I settled for a 1K Hugo Boss suit, that was identical and looks quite nice tailored :-/

August 31, 2007

Speeding Tickets

Filed under: Asshattery, Financial, The Man — by nullp0inter @ 6:03 am

GEICO gives police departments money earmarked specifically for new LIDAR and RADAR devices.

What the hell?  The more you know you realize the Man is out there and beating you down at every opportunity. You must become one with the man.  Resistance is futile.

 

July 27, 2007

VA Speeding Fines

Filed under: Asshattery, Elitism, Financial, Pirates and Ninjas — by nullp0inter @ 7:08 pm

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1818.asp

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.  This makes me glad I’m riding my bike to work everyday. Get the lube out, Falls Church City is going to be pounding drivers up the ass hardcore.   2500 + 6 demerit points?  Resulting in a yearly fine?  Please raise the speed limit!  55 MPH when most places have 65 and some even have  75 MPH. 

Plus judges are prevented from reducing or suspending fines… jeez.  Bend over, VA!

“It’s outrageous,” says traffic court attorney Thaddeus Furlong of Springfield, Va. “When Mr. and Mrs. Middle Class find out what they have to pay, there’s going to be a backlash like you’ve never seen.” 

Nope, they’re just going to have to use more lube.

 Oh and I like this part:

Virginia motorists convicted of minor traffic violations will face a new, multi-year tax beginning July 1. Led by state Delegate David B. Albo (R-Springfield), lawmakers slipped a driver responsibility tax into a larger transportation funding bill signed by Governor Tim Kaine (D) in April. Albo, a senior partner in the Albo & Oblon, LLP traffic law firm, can expect to see a significant increase in business as motorists seek to protect their wallet from traffic tickets that come with assessments of up to $3000 in addition to an annual point tax that tops out at $700 a year for as long as the points remain.

Talk about conflict of interest.  I’m sorry, I must be a liberal whining about how Republicans are working to undermine the middle class.  I am completely wrong.  If you’re not successful and rich in America it’s just because you’re not doing what it takes.

I guess it’s going to take being unscrupulous, opportunistic, and unethical.

July 26, 2007

Gas

Filed under: Financial, Obvious, Politics — by nullp0inter @ 5:31 pm

Stop commuting 25+ miles in your V8 hemi SUV/Truck to work and maybe Exxon won’t laugh at people claiming that the oil industry is making a killing on the back of motorists.  Yes, Exxon is making alot of money but you are buying the gas.

Plus, elections are coming up.  You’ll get a price break, that you can thank Republicans :-)

You Have to Be Kidding

Filed under: Financial, Politics — by nullp0inter @ 3:25 am

Let’s encouraged these people who clearly can’t handle their finances to get in more debt funded by the US government, thus indirectly by the rest of American taxpayers.  It isn’t broken, don’t break it.

July 25, 2007

Lindsay Lohan

Filed under: Financial, Obvious, With a Whimper — by nullp0inter @ 3:57 am

Nothing lasts forever, not even cold November Rain.

Of course the number one story on CNN is about Lindsay, a most accurate representation of the American generation born in the mid to late eighties. 

When I was younger, I looked with such eager eyes to the future.  Towards the chance to work, create, and improve lives in whatever way I could. Now I feel uncertainty about whether the money I earn today will be worth anything a few years down the road.

July 19, 2007

Bill of Rights, wwaaah?

Filed under: Awesomeness, Elitism, Financial, Politics — by nullp0inter @ 8:58 pm

We can take your property whenever we feel like it, forever what ever reasons we determine and we don’t even have to tell you. 

Section 1. (a) Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(1), (3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3), and (4)), or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the date of this order, all property and interests in property of the following persons, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported,

withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense,

 Sec. 5. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets

instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13303 and expanded in Executive Order 13315, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1(a) of this order.

Oh yeah, and we can give this power to whomever we want.

Sec. 6. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government, consistent with applicable law. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order and, where appropriate, to advise the Secretary of the Treasury in a timely manner of the measures taken.

But you can’t touch us, because we’re that good. BOO YAH!

Sec. 8. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

More Sadness

Filed under: Elitism, Financial, Obvious, Pirates and Ninjas, Politics — by nullp0inter @ 8:11 pm

Great work Jim. America is eating its own. The lies from the Iron Triangle are at a fevor pitch. Paulson says this is the greatest economy he has ever seen. Bush says we will have victory in Iraq. The NPC says there is nothing to worry about. Dick Cheney says he is not part of the Executive branch. The occupation of Iraq is not about oil. Conrad black swears he is innocent. War criminal Scooter Libby is spared from the big house. Lies, lies, lies. We are a nation of liars, thieves and warmongers. America is completely fucked. I saw a two year old child last night, and I wept.

-Xer

http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2007/07/psychotic-break.html#comments

Reading that made me sad for 0.68 seconds, the same amount of time Data was tempted by the Borg queen’s offer.  Yeah it’s shitty, that’s why you shouldn’t be on the losing side.  Buffet can safely complain about only paying 17% tax rate, with 45+ billion in assets.  Things need to get much worse than they are right now before anything will change.  Dividends = 15% tax rate, ftw.

July 18, 2007

Sadness

Filed under: Elitism, Financial, Obvious, With a Whimper — by nullp0inter @ 9:08 pm

I read the The Great Gatsby along time ago in high school and even though I got a good grade on the reports, I’d forgotten the real point of the book.  For some reason today I read the plot summary and instantly got depressed.   However, I have a new found respect for F. Scott Fitzgerald.  It seems he was ahead of his time of his time.

Daisy and Jordan are not worth it (on the left) .  The more I think about the more I realize that I don’t want to end up like Jay.  I’m just nice and honest guy, who after a bunch of assholes is like some fresh air.  People can change.  People like her cannot and even try to justify it through feminism and other bullshit.

“No guy is worth changing for. “
“People should like me for who I am.”
“If you don’t  like it, find someone else, because I’m not going to change.”

You know what I’ll take your advice, because unlike you I’ve got until I’m 35+.  Pax.

There are people who are worth changing for, especially when it’s a change for the better.  Usually, when those phrases are used it’s to prevent morally compromising yourself.  When you ask for small simple things, which usually involve a higher level of ethical integrity to implement and you refuse it shows how much you really care.  Can you imagine a raging alcoholic saying that to a potential mate?  Yeah… right.

I now understand why we’re heading towards a below replacement level TFR.

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