Another life tilt moment

Some things just tend to put me over the edge (Life Tilt) if you will. I came across the following article out on CNN:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/20/news/blind_money.ap/index.htm?eref=rss_topstories

Read first... develop your own opinion and hope for your sake that you share mine, because otherwise I might be calling you some very unsavory things. Are you done yet? Okay, I'll wait? Good... Now, do you find this a well written article about a hot topic about a legitimate problem facing America that must be stamped out immediately regardless of the cost? If so, perhaps you should leave now, and I'll merely thank you for stopping by. Have a nice day.

Okay, now that those Whack-Jobs are gone... are you friggin' kidding me!!!

A Federal appeals court rules that the Treasury Department is violating the law by keeping all money the same size and feel, because it discriminates against blind people. Can any of the rest of you hear the sound of the founding fathers rolling over in their graves, trying to claw their way to the surface to lay hands on the attorney's who brought this atrocity before the courts. Okay, look I get it. Blind people can't see money... It's always been that way, but to make statement that it is a violation of law is absurd an in my mind offensive. I get that the Constitution and the Bill of Rightsis are living, breathing documents but the courts have twisted and mangled a lot of the original intents over the years and most often at the hands of unscrupulous hacks to whom the world somehow handed over a law degree. To those of you who think the value of the US dollar is down, lookout now your government will be spending precious tax dollars to develop money for the blind. I don't mean to trounce anyone's civil liberties and all, but at some point in time and in life, common sense has to take over, the inmates stop running the asylum and the liberals shut the hell up and take a seat!

I'd have to think that Dennis Miller would be "gettin' off on a rant here," and perhaps Earl Pitts (American) would dust off a "you know what makes me sick..." tirade. Then again, maybe it's just me, and I should just shut up and fade back into my blog obscurity.

Nope, I can't do it. Next this same legal team will undoubtedly be launching an attack on the television manufacturers and programming, since the blind cannot take part in the joys of the "boob tube" either. How could we have all been so insensitive, so uncaring. I for one am ashamed of myself and my sight.

I just know that this is somehow going to affect poker in the long run. : ) (There, happy I tied it back in to the blog's overall theme?) The poker chip must change, the deck of cards... and shucks even the visual tells that I give off at the table are criminal offenses when weighed in the same manner. (I started to say viewed in the same light,) but figured my analogy would be suspect as well.)

But I've beaten this dead horse long enough. But to honor the great legal minds behind this idiocy, I offer up a top ten list for your amusement:

Top Ten Lawyer Jokes:

1. What do you call 5,000 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? ~A good start!
2. What's the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? ~One is a slimy, bottom dwelling, scum sucker. The other is a fish.
3. What is a criminal lawyer? ~Redundant.
4. How many personal injury attorneys does it take to change a light bulb? ~Three--one to turn the bulb, one to shake him off the ladder, and the third to sue the ladder company.
5. Did you hear about the lawyer hurt in an accident? ~An ambulance stopped suddenly.
6. Do you know how to save a drowning lawyer? ~Take your foot off his head.
7. How can you tell if a lawyer is well hung? ~You can't get a finger between the rope and his neck!
8. How can you tell when a lawyer is lying? ~His lips are moving.
9. What do you have when a lawyer is buried up to his neck in sand? ~Not enough sand.
10. Why won't sharks attack lawyers? ~Professional courtesy.

And with that I bid you farewell.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Treasury and Federal Reserve officials have been warned!

I stumbled across this remarkable article over at TheHill.com, which told a story I had not yet heard from the front lines of the fight against the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.) According to the author, Susan Crabtree (as of 04/22/08 03:45 PM EST,)

"A bipartisan group of House Financial Services Committee members have warned U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve officials not to waste any more time trying to implement a ban on online gambling."

Yes, I recognize that is a direct quote (hopefully cited sufficiently)but what an opening line for an article! I don't want to have to quote the whole article, but it's really tough because it's just chock full of facts that I'd like to re-iterate. But suffice it to say that Representatives Barney Frank, Luis Gutierrez, Ron Paul, and Pete King sent a letter putting the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve on notice NOT to proceed with developing regulations which would be used to enforce the provisions of the much debated UIGEA. They didn't pull punches with the letter sent Tuesday and the recipients were Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke!

I acknowledge the fight that Rep. Barney Frank has put up in his efforts against the UIGEA, but this move seems quite bold. I think it demonstrates his commitment to the effort and I for one applaud him for it! I'm currently trolling around looking for the letter that was sent in its entirety. As soon as I find it...I'm posting it or at least the link. Basically what I gather from the article is that the lawmakers involved believe there are much more pressing issues with which to deal than waste time and effort on establishing policy for enforcement of the UIGEA, which Frank and his colleagues plan to actively oppose.

Sorry blog dwellers, I'm struggling for words to write here, without plagiarizing the whole article. Just go read all about it RIGHT NOW! Right HERE! Hopefully you'll be as excited about it as I am.

I'll stop rambling and head out looking for the elusive letter now!

***REVISION***
Ha, armed with an internet connection and the forces of Google on my side I found the smoking gun (errr letter) that was sent to Bernanke and Paulson... Here you go: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/financialsvcs_dem/press042108.shtml

Make sure to read BOTH of the letters that were sent out, which are for the most part identical except for the following passage in the letter sent to Chairman Bernanke:

"We realize this is not a task you requested. We also appreciate the candor with which your representative answered our questions. In fact, her honest answers and the testimony of the other witnesses confirmed our view that this is an impossible task."

This is the good stuff folks... : )

Regards,

cheer_dad