Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Just saw a reminder of a great flick i haven’t seen in a while w/ The Cramps tune to go along with it. Good timing for this tribute with Lux Interior passing away and all…
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 28th, 2009
Archive for February, 2009
Pour the Bailout into the Harbor
both the democratic and republican kings are failing the people. remember the sons of liberty.
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 28th, 2009
The Sun Still Shines in Hard Times
We’re back from spending a couple days in Hawai’i. Yeah, i know, i know…. why spend money in the bad economy? Well, the only way to get the economy moving again is to spend and not fear it. It’s also been raining every day in San Jose, so i needed to make sure the sun still shines in hard times. I figure if the economy monster catches me and we go broke, we’ve got a camper to live in if we need to…
Got back to the Internet and checked in on my ol’ pal Dave Rat’s blog. Not only is Dave the El Gigante of Sound, but he’s also got great insight on things– like our fucked up economy, for example. Be sure to check out his blog– I stole this from it and am cut n’ pasting here because i wanna make sure you read it– i’m not capable of such brilliant insight myself….
-scott noteboom
The Speed of Money
The economy and its financial implosion thereof dominates the news and as with every self fulfilling prophesy, each news report just seems to fuel the flames to torch some more. What better way to put out a fire than to throw money at it? To be realistic, my humble small company and humanly wandering perspective does not adequately position me into a position of experience and credibility to tackle the complexities of the spiral I hear so much about. That said, I have done some pondering about the matter and what I came up with is this:
Imagine three humans, one who cuts lumber, one who builds things and one who grows food. And lets say the food grower has $100. He hires the builder to build him a shed, and the builder buys lumber who in turn buys food who in turn builds a barn and round and round the $100 goes from hand to hand. In fact, in theory, that single $100 could go around so many times that at the end of the year, each human shows that they made $500 a week, $26,000 per human totaling an annual combined income for the three humans of $78,000, from a single $100 bill.
It is not the amount of money that matters, rather it is the speed at which money travels that determines how much each person makes acquires and has. By years end, they all could have more of everything than they know what to do with.
Now lets add in taxes and put a big tax on every transaction and within a fairly short period of time that $100 will dwindle to near nothing. Spending with caution becomes imperative and the three humans will live impoverished unless they switch to an illegal barter system to circumvent the taxes.
Now lets add in deception wherein value is falsely represented. The farmer sells inedible food, the builder never builds on time and the lumber is rotted or perhaps the $100 bill is fake or worth only a fraction. Regardless of the deception, the fundamental is that the product or service is misrepresented and worth less than the amount it is sold for and therefore does not perform as expected. Deception has a similar effect as taxes but is perhaps time delayed. The ripple effect of the faulty construction of the shed allows the crop seeds to be eaten by critters impacting the next harvest and so on.
Taxes and deception both have the impact of adding friction to the flow of money and slowing it down. So from this simple perspective, the key to economic management is to keep money flowing at a reasonable pace. Too fast and things grow out of control, too slow and things grind to a halt.
Hence this is where we find ourselves now. Houses falsely represented in value, perhaps due to the excessive speed of money leading up to the collapse or perhaps due to deceptive loans extended to people lacking the financial position to repay. Regardless, there is no less money here on this planet today than last year, it is the velocity that money travels from one hand to the next that has changed. The speed of money has significantly slowed.
So how does on fix a financial engine bogging down with so much friction? Well, there seem to be two trains of thought:
1) Step on the gas and dump more fuel into the system, as in ‘huge influx of cash’ to overpower the friction
2) Take our foot off the brakes to reduce friction by holding those responsible for misrepresentation accountable while lowering taxation.
What do I think is the best way to get the economy back up to speed? Well, I think a focus on reducing payroll and sales taxes would be the first thing I would do. Clean, simple and immediate. No sales tax, nationwide and cut all payroll withholdings in half for both personal and businesses, effective immediately. This temporary nitro boost to the economy means more money in the pockets and/or everything just got cheaper, depending on where you live. Instantly and easily reducing the friction to the financial system in a way that is controllable. Then, as this money gets spent or saved and things ramp up, just scale the sales taxes and payroll taxes back up. Sure the governments and states take a financial hit in the short term but when the money flows again, it will all be made back up.
Oh, and as far as the huge cash dump into the banks that screwed us? Take that $ and loan it to the states and to cover budget shortfalls from the reduce tax income. At least that way the fed will be able to get paid back at some point.
Anyway, I have been rocking the old records at home and the first Run-DMC album has been making me smile with the old school beats. I find it particularly interesting that this 1984 song so perfectly seems to describe today as well.
Add comment February 24th, 2009
Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho
I’m obviously an emo fag or something because clouds, rain and cold get me down.
Off to the islands for a couple days of attitude adjustment with my lady. I’m stoked.
The pic above is supposedly 1920′s. As you can see, “Diamond Head” still didn’t look like a diamond. Sea crazy British sailors named it that back in the day because they thought the calcite crystals they found there were diamonds.
The Hawaiians named this volcanic cone le’ahi– which basically means a tuna’s dorsal fin. I can see that much better…
Oh, and if a ten ton Airbus kills the both of us, to die by her side is such a wonderful way to die. Yep, emo fag definitely…
Aloha bitches.
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 18th, 2009
Two Jacks, one James, one Jess and a Jack Ass
Jack Johnson was the world heavyweight champion at a time when White America couldn’t stand the fact that the greatest fighter could be a black dude. Especially a black dude who loved white women. While never admitting it, the average redneck must have really feared that black guys were going to take over, beat them up–because, hell, the toughest was black– and then steal all their white women because…… well, i bet that the rumor of black dude have bigger cocks started back in these days when white guys were intimidated by Jack Johnson.
In 1908, Johnson won that belt by absolutely dominating former champ Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia. Police stopped the fight in the 14th round so that the world wouldn’t have to see a white man knocked out by the black.
White America felt beat up and cock blocked by a rich, flamboyant, gold toothed Nigger who wore a better suit and had THE big gold belt strapped around his waist.
Thus began the era of and search for the Great White Hope– a mythical figure that white america needed to get it’s balls back.
The former great champ James Jeffries came out of retirement only because “I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro.” He got his ass handed to him in this 1910 Reno, NV spectacle. After the fight Jeffries had the truth beat out of him and acknowledged that he could have never beat Johnson, even in his prime.
Over the next several years, Great Hope after Great Hope was knocked out. Johnson trained less, with no good challenges, and partied more. He also went through several white women. Whitey America was pissed, and created the Mann Act (a law against white slavery.) Being that Johnson tended to bed with white whores, he quickly was brought up on charges, violating the Mann Act. He fled the country.
While Jack could now only fight outside the US to avoid prison, since his victory against Jeffries it took five years of falling White Hopes , and five years of Johnson growing older, partying and not training, for Whitey to find it’s Great one.
On April 15, 1915, after dominating the early rounds of the fight, an out of shape Jack Johnson had his championship beat away by Jess Willard. Jess was a 6’6″ 245lb embodiment of White Hope, and he won.
Jack would eventually return to the US and serve a year sentence at Leavenworth for his crime of white women.
Another Jack (Dempsey,) this time a white one, would take back the championship from Jess in a fierce one round knockout in 1919….
Willard was knocked down 7 times in that first round and suffered a broken jaw, cheekbone, ribs, as well as losing several teeth. I’ve always wondered how Jack vs Jack (both in their prime) would have gone…
In 1946 Jack Johnson was hungry and visited a diner in North Carolina. He was refused service because he was black. Pissed off, he sped off out of town, spun out of control, crashed and was killed. He’s buried in Chigaco, along two of his white women.
Fast forward to 2008-2009…..
In 2008, the US Congress passed a resolution to recommend the President pardon Jack Johnson.
In 2009, George W. Bush had the opportunity to pay due respect to one of the greatest American champions in history by approving the pardon of Jack Johnson that was presented on his desk. In yet another failure, he didn’t do it.
We need to reclaim our championships on a number of different levels…
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 16th, 2009
The Frayer Wire Wheel
Whenever i get the chance, being that i both love hot rods and love history, i try to put in some more research on an original hot rodder relative of mine– Lee Frayer.
- I’ve written about his auto company and racing antics, such as in the first Indy 500, here.
- Explained an adventure with his young apprentice, Eddie Rickenbacker, here. As a matter of fact, the story of Lee giving Rickenbacker his first big break is told time and time again, as one of the most popular sermans in modern history.
As i try to find information in the later years, it seems that ol’ Lee ran into tougher and tougher times:
- His own company went bankrupt, he jumped between a couple others.
- While he was in all the biggest early races he was never able to make it to the top of the podiums.
- While Lee gave him his first shot, Rickenbacker excelled after he left Lee’s side.
Between 1915 and his death in 1938, the only thing i’ve been able to find about Lee is his involvement making the Frayer Wire Wheel.
The Frayer Wire Wheel were designed and marketed by Lee. It appears that they were first manufactured by his own company, named Frayer Demountable Wheel Company in Columbus, Ohio,) and subsequently manufactured by F&H Wire Wheel and Phelps Manufacturing Co., also both in Ohio.)
Most notably, in 1917-1919 the Frayer Wire Wheel rolled as part of the Silver-Apperson car. Apperson’s were build from 1902-1926 out of a factory in Kokomo, Indiana and the company was founded by Edgar and Elmer Apperson after they left Haynes-Apperson. The Silver edition that featured Lee’s wheels was designed by Conover T. Silver, a coachwork builder who also ran Overland Sales, Manhattan NY’s most prestigious auto dealership.
Unfortunately, Frayer’s business failed (again, sigh) after being sued by the Wire Wheel Corporation of America for patent infringement. In addition, any firm found using the Frayer Wire Wheel products (including C.T. Silver and Apperson) were included in the legal action.
Currently this is where i lose track of Lee’s life. While i have suspicions, I have no real idea of what occurred during the last 18 years from 1920 until his 1938 death.
Any anyone has more info on Frayer Wire Wheels (i’d love to own a set) or more info for my research, please contact me via email at: notebooms at yahoo . com
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 15th, 2009
Are we Bailing Out or Sinking?
The kazillion dollar bailout gets signed into law next week. Where is this money coming from, and what will the cost be in the long run? Perhaps it’ll drive de-valuation & bankruptcy of the US dollar, and then subsequent integration into a more international currency? Oh joy.
The Titanic was a grand old ship. Larger and more powerful then any other ship. Unsinkable she was.
All the power’s in the hands
Of people rich enough to buy it
While we walk the street
Too chicken to even try it
Everybody’s doing
Just what they’re told to
Nobody wants
To go to jail!
Are you taking over
or are you taking orders?
Are you going backwards
Or are you going forwards?
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 14th, 2009
Supercross Saturday
Yesterday we went to the Supercross up at “AT&T (formerly SBC, formerly PacBell) stadium in San Francisco. Awesome day, as you rarely get clear skies in the city. It reminds me how nice this stadium is.
James Stewart dominated the race, and rode with such beauty and smoothness. Only bummer on that point was that there really wasn’t any good tangling, or exchanges. It almost didn’t seem like a race– almost a demonstration. He hauled through his laps keeping an easy 5-10 second gap on second place (who was the #1 rider (last years champ,) an Aussie, Chad Reed. This is the forth win in a row for Stewart.
Being a guy who hasn’t been to Supercross in 10 years, a couple things served ironic:
1) An Aussie (Reed) is the current champion in a sport typically American;
2) The Aussie is getting crushed by a black kid (Stewart) in a sport typically white;
3) Years ago people laughed at the lone dude riding 4 stroke, now they dominate;
4) Have never seen so many jacked up American pickup trucks in San Francisco before;
and 5) My wife amused me with her quote as we (uh, I) checked out the Monster Energy Drink Girls: “Hoochies Don’t Get Cold……..”
Yeah they do, i thought. huh huh.
The only Superbowl I know about this weekend is the one that the kid in front of us walking to the stadium was smoking. Supercross rules.
-scott noteboom
Add comment February 1st, 2009
