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Showing posts from January, 2010

The way I see it...

Look, Haiti needs some help. We know this. In the month of January, I was not eating meat, and I had plenty of soups, tuna and other non-perishables in my cabinets that I would not have eaten for AT LEAST 3 weeks at the time. A lot of it was soup that we got when The Katie had a tooth pulled, then again when we both had Swine Flu were a little under the weather after our vacation. The thing I have here is that Haiti has needed help all along. Here is what we know: Haiti was forced to pay France for its freedom from slavery. Let us not forget that they didn't enter this slavery voluntarily, no one does... When they couldn’t afford the ransom, France (and other countries, including the United States) helpfully offered high-interest loans. By 1900, 80% of Haiti’s annual budget went to paying off its “reparation” debt. They didn’t make the last payment until 1947. Just 10 years later, dictator François Duvalier took over the country and promptly bankrupted it, taking out more h

The frozen tundra of... Greensboro NC (?)

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Yeah, this is some ol' bullshit, Illaldo! Last weekend, we were advised that there COULD be some winter weather headed in for the week ahead, which ends today. [ Phlip note - a week is Monday through Sunday, fuckers] As the week progressed, the 'chance' became a 'watch' of a system coming in, which in turn became a warning for actually observed weather, which in turn became a storm that left stores completely void of milk, bread, eggs and beer. Meanwhile, my rear-wheel-drive sportscar driving ass had to continue to go to work as if I didn't JUST have a harrowing drive home under the same circumstances just 6 weeks ago. Fuck my life, I guess. Either way, on Thursday, I went ahead to the Wal Mart for some things, including frozen veggies and other food supplies not including milk, bread, eggs, but DEFINITELY including alcoholic beverage. Around the house: Out front The Katie-mobile. Don't play in the yellow snow, Bruise. The neighbors'/visitors' autom

British(like) Automotive Pr0ns -- Jaguar XJ220

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A few forward-thinking Jaguar employees collaborated on a pet project and envisioned themselves going at the big names at the time, like the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959. Big talk for people working for a company whose cars notoriously hate the 100k mile mark. Somehow, those who put the money behind these things were impressed with what they saw and put some money behind it, and had a concept ready for a 1989 British Auto show. Plans were already stated for the car to go forward, with 220 to be produced initially, 350 total at a cost of about $580k retail (in 1989?!!? FUUUUUCK!!!), with a deposit due up front of about $80k. Deposits taken this early on still-concept cars reeks of epic phail in my mind, but I am a cynical asshole, so there is that. Anyway, damn near, possibly OVER 2 years later, the production version was revealed. The production version belied the lofty "500HP/220MPH" aspirations, instead with a twin turbo V6 instead of the V12 initially promised. I know that