Newt, Fannie And Freddie

The NY Times says that Netw was tied uo with Fannie Mae and freddie MAc during his time in Congress.  Highlights include the early revolving door:

Mr. Gingrich’s senior advisers were important as well, with a handful of his aides and confidants going on to work for Freddie and Fannie or for lobbying groups that represented them. Of particular significance, several officials said, was Fannie’s hiring of Arne L. Christenson, Mr. Gingrich’s chief of staff, as a top executive and lobbyist in 1999.

And support for their agenda:

In a showdown critical to the companies’ fortunes, Mr. Gingrich played an important behind-the-scenes role in helping block a proposal in 1995 that would have forced Fannie and Freddie — rather than taxpayers — to pay potentially billions of dollars in increased fees, according to interviews and press accounts at the time.

At the time, Representative Jim Leach, a senior Republican from Iowa who led the House banking committee and was a fierce critic of Fannie and Freddie, wanted the companies to pay the bulk of about $4.8 billion to finance a reserve for ailing savings and loan institutions.

Through their lobbyists, Freddie and Fannie fought hard against the plan, and Mr. Gingrich made his opposition to it clear in a meeting with Mr. Leach on Capitol Hill. By the time the two men emerged, the proposal was dead.

“Newt was quite a pragmatist,” said a Republican official who was involved in the fee increase debate and spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid becoming embroiled in the current Republican race. In coming to the defense of Freddie and Fannie, Mr. Gingrich “was going with the consensus of his party — of both parties, really,” the official said.

A separate attempt within the House budget committee in 1995 to raise fees on Freddie and Fannie by hundreds of millions of dollars also died without a vote after Mr. Gingrich rejected it. The speaker asserted that raising fees would violate the Republicans’ oft-cited no new tax pledge.

The Jim Leach plan is described in this 1995 news account; I infer that opposition was widespread and hardly limiited to Newt.  This report of the plan's demise three days later includes this:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25-— The prospects for broad financial deregulation this year dimmed considerably today as House Republic leaders abandoned a proposal for a $4.8 billion fee on three Government-sponsored businesses that assist the housing industry.

Representative Jim Leach, the Iowa Republican who is chairman of the House Banking Committee, emerged tonight from a meeting with Speaker Newt Gingrich to say that his proposal was "no longer an optism."

...

Bankers' anger at the prospect of bailing out savings institutions has spilled over into the debate on Glass-Steagall. Mr. Leach, whose top priority is to repeal Glass-Steagall, tried to make the banks happy by proposing instead that the three Government-sponsored enterprises put up the money instead.

But the plan quickly backfired. Real estate agents and mortgage banks furiously objected that this would represent a tax on home ownership. Bankers welcomed the possibility that they would not have to pay the interest, but refused to commit themselves to support Glass-Steagall.

When Mr. Leach met behind closed doors on Tuesday evening with his House Banking Committee colleagues, he found them nearly united in hostility. "There was a consensus that nobody supported it really, there was no strong support," said Representative Marge Roukema of New Jersey, the Republican chairwoman of the House Banking subcommittee on financial institutions.

It appears that Newt was the herald for political reality rather than its architect.

Comments

[Jack is Back!]

Another lab experiment by Roosevelt first and NIxon later goes awry

[narciso]

I found out some interesting things about Lichtblau's main source;

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_May_1/ai_85367311/

[squaredance]

By all means, let the NYT inform us on who the GOP should nominate for the elections.

After all, they were so truthful, decent and fair about Cain and Palin. It sure worked out well the last time, didn't it?

What are you folks going to do when, after all your oh so positively nuanced "reflections" and all your "fairness", the NYT really come out swinging against your crypto-liberal Romney after the convention?

Heave a sigh, I suppose, and get back to your food.

Seriously.

(there is that word again...)

We have seen the media and the Democrat machine demolish most reasonable, conservative and actually normal candidates. They literally drove one of them out of office.

You are going to sit around here and seriously meditate on "revaluations" from the NYT?

You all need a little reality check. You need to grasp what is going on, how weak the nation is in the face of it, and that the enemy is paying for all the marbles. IF they win, the nation will not surive.

If this is the best you can do, you'd be better off getting used to the idea another 4 year of Obama, which means, of course, the complete and total entrenchment of the Democrat Party in power in this nation.

Seriously.

Try chitchatting about recipes then. Try amusing yourself with political trivia and gossip then.

Stop doing the enemy's work for him.

I do not think that I have seen a sadder thing than so-called "Conservatives" and the GOP tossing this election away because of a simple lack of courage to see the Cold Civil War we are now in. Hint: We are losing.

If you do not think so, have a look at the contemptuous (and contemptible) performance of Holder during the Fast and Furious hearings on the Hill.

Why are these people so arrogant? WHy do they think they can get away with these things? Because they know you better than you know yourselves.

[narciso]

And you would think this would weight in their calculations;

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/william-maloni.asp?cycle=08

[Jack is Back!]

OT: Spengler hits the nail on the head about Iran.

Like Hitler in 1939, they are running out of time to save themselves.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Interesting bit of homeworkm narciso,

Now I'm going to go practice my Al Green impression in the enhanced recording studio of my house (aka shower, where all recordings are pitch perfect).

[narciso]

I would say, Ahmadinejad is more in the Stalinist vein, where the Revolution curdled itself, but the areas of revanchist focus, in the oil rich Hasa province of Arabia, the e mirates of the Gulf region, (that was where the Da'wa prisoners, who were at the Heart of Iran Contra,) came from) Azerbaijan
to the North, seem likely,

[Gmax]

Lets remember that Jim Leach was a very liberal Republican. In fact I believe Jim Leach is serving in the Obama administration today. Jim Leach screwed up lots of things as House Banking Committee Chairman, a Democrat could have been less damaging. If you want some laughs at Leach's expense, go to Powerline and search their site for articles on Jim Leach. It will make you laugh outloud.

[Clarice]

Yes, he did, Jack. Here's more from Spengler:

"Just like Hitler, Iran has nothing to lose. Hitler was convinced that the Aryan race was doomed to corruption and extinction unless he restored its preeminence by force; Ahmadinejad knows with certainty that Persian will become an extinct language in a few generations given the present fertility trend. The UN’s “medium variant” forecast for Iran puts the present fertility rate at just 1.59 (which means about 1.35 for Persian-speakers given the higher fertility of Iran’s minorities), and the “low variant” at just 1.34. That’s as low as the baby-bust European countries. Iran is dying a slow death. In my book (How Civilizations Die) I report the horror and panic among Iran’s rulers over its prospective extinction.

What Hitler imagined in his nightmares, Ahmadinejad fears in the full light of day. Hitler told his commanders in August 1939 that they had nothing to lose; Ahmadinejad knows with certainty that he has nothing to lose.

[narciso]

Yes a nice guy, but certainly a clean toga sort,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Leach

[Danube of Thought]

Minus 14 at Raz today.

[Rocco]

In a showdown critical to the companies’ fortunes, Mr. Gingrich played an important behind-the-scenes role in helping block a proposal in 1995 that would have forced Fannie and Freddie — rather than taxpayers — to pay potentially billions of dollars in increased fees, according to interviews and press accounts at the time.

I guess it's OK to fleece the hardworking taxpayers of billions as long as you build a house for humanity! The house that Newt built...Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac.

[Captain Hate]

Is squaredance back in his fallout shelter?

[narciso]

No, that was Frank Raines and Jim Johnson, try to keep up.

[narciso]

What a tangled web, we had in the 90s, no matter which way we chose, there was a lion behind every door, whether the individual or business mandate, the beginnings of the tale
of the SkyDragon, the rise of AQ, while our forces were galavanting in Haiti and Bosnia,
the tech bubble that would be replaced by the property bubble,

[narciso]

THey're on to us, sarc;

http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2012/02/04/excitable-andy-revkin-and-ny-times-you-tea-partiers-see-un-black-helicopters-in-green-projects/

[Danube of Thought]

I well remember how that prissy RINO Leach used to get my blood noiling. Over and over again.

[Porchlight]

In a showdown critical to the companies’ fortunes, Mr. Gingrich played an important behind-the-scenes role in helping block a proposal in 1995 that would have forced Fannie and Freddie — rather than taxpayers — to pay potentially billions of dollars in increased fees, according to interviews and press accounts at the time.

Funny, the account linked by the Times (and copied by TM above) doesn't provide much evidence for this "important behind-the-scenes role" except inasmuch as a Speaker would normally be meeting privately with key legislators to give them a sense of how things would go on the floor. As TM noted, opposition among House memebers was widespread. It sounded like Newt was telling Leach it was a no-go. That doesn't mean he was personally responsible for it being a no-go. According to the Times he "'was going with the consensus of his party — of both parties, really,' the official said."

[narciso]

Well he was a Fnork in good standing, now he's part of the combine.

[narciso]

Lictblau get the story wrong, the deuce you say;

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/us/17kagan.html

[narciso]

Besides sliming Ashcroft, this is his m.o.

http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/08/eric-lichtblau-most-reliable-lefty.html

[Cecil Turner]

This non-story is ridiculous. The non-passage of bills creating a reserve slush fund had little or nothing to do with the crisis.

There was one bill with potential to avert the catastrophe (Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005: S190), it passed out of committee on a 11-9 party-line vote, and the Republican leadership neglected to bring it to a vote (which would have been futile, because the GOP lacked the 60 votes for cloture, but at least you'd have the Dems on record filibustering it).

The pretense that Republicans, or GOP lobbyists, had some major role in blocking reform is risible.

[narciso]

Well it was the other nut, that 'blind squirrel' Hagel had in his record, the first
being blocking the Kyoto Protocol,

[centralcal]

Why the MFM continues to deserve and earn being called the MFM:

ByronYork
WaPo is researching Mormon archives, looking into Mitt Romney's family. Has found anti-Mormon eccentric who is Romney's second cousin…

ByronYork
Campaign says Romney 'has never heard of this person, and he doesn't know him.' Preview of journalism to come…

[narciso]

In retrospect, you can almost understand why
McCain gave up,

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/17/mccains-attempt-to-fix-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-in-2005/

[Porchlight]

So interesting that WaPo is suddenly interested in a candidate's family background.

[MarkO]

They can find Romney's cousin and not find Obama's girlfriend? Well, maybe the cousin is an actual person.

[narciso]

It's not such 'a small country' after all:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/290162/was-then-now-iran-victor-davis-hanson#comment-bar

[matt]

until the 1920's the phenomenon of revivals was a common thread in American culture. Today we are faced with an overwhelming leftist/nihilist tide. The Obama decision this week and the PP rage a thon were two more examples.

Iran, to me, is more of a catalyst than a direct threat. What is set off there has the potential to create the circumstances for the caliphate. The Mahgreb, Egypt, Syria, and even Turkey are ripe. Throw in Iraq and Iran.

Then with the US about to stage its Saigon 1975 moment in Afghanistan and the trend towards batshit craziness in Pakistan, it's a mega molotov cocktail.

Throw in the moral and economic bankruptcy of the West and there ya go.

Over the past 3-4 days there has been outrage in the moralistic sector of our society here in California at events at a school in an unincorporated area of the LA Unified School District. The local talk show hosts are going nuts.

Not one, but two grade school teachers are behind bars for sexual abuse of their students. The details are disgusting. One of them was investigated in the mid-90's and somehow kept his job.

The school, because it was in an extremely poor, Latino area outside of city limits was an almost perfect dumping ground for the scum of the earth. Most of the parents are illegal aliens, so not many complaints, and most of them don't understand the system.

How this fits in is within the context of the complete breakdown of morality and common sense in the class that calls itself "responsible society". A society that tolerates this is doomed to collapse.

[narciso]

We have crossed the streams, headed to total protonic reversal, 'Winning the Future' seriously:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/meet-mitt-romneys-cousin-park-romney/2012/02/02/gIQAYLvclQ_story.html

[OldTimer]

Lions and tigers and Whitewater, oh my, ...lots of wild and crazy things were happening in '95, regarding shady loans, investigations and the financial industry. - Newt and GOPAC were under fire as well:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/whitewater/stories/wwtr950828.htm

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-03-04/news/9603010389_1_whitewater-hearings-gopac-republican-gingrich

[MarkO]

narc, because Mitt has no ex-wife, the best they could do is the second cousin. We need to remember who the enemy is.

[hit and run]

The Romney family thing is so not "unexpected" as to be yawn inducing on the outrage-meter. McCain the MSM darling had the NYT piece alleging an affair as soon as he wrapped up the nomination in 2008.

What might be mildly surprising is that Wapo thinks it safe to assume Romney's the nominee such that they'd get this out now.

[Janet]

I so agree with you, Matt.

[MarkO]

UNC @ MD today. Could be trouble.

[narciso]

Yes, I know, Mark, then it excitable Dana, who really thought he had something, an earlier offering was cheering Bernanke's genius

[MarkO]

Frauds.

[Ranger]

Hit,

I think they are hoping it may ding Romney enough to keep the fight going. Obama's approval numbers only go up when the R's are duking it out. Now that a some calm has returned to the primary fight, Barry's numbers are dropping again.

Oh, and then there is this (via RCP):

Rasmussen Reports

1/31 - 2/2

1500 LV

Obama 45

Romney 45

Tie

USA Today/Gallup

1/27 - 1/28

907 RV

Obama 48

Romney 48

Tie

And given the historic trend of a 2 to 1 voter split towards the challenger, Obama is in deep trouble at this point.

[narciso]

My local fishwrap irritates even the carp, at this point;

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/03/2623630/economy-kicking-into-gear-as-jobless.html#disqus_thread

[Porchlight]

This also from Rasmussen:

In a potential Election 2012 matchup, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is at 45% while President Obama earns 44%.

[Ranger]

That should read undecided voter split...

[Porchlight]

The second cousin is just the appetizer. It's nothing and everyone knows it. They have much more cooking in the kitchen for the Muddle to feast on. Likely all BS, but if released bit by bit, will create a "narrative" over time.

[narciso]

Even the pixels stick with this one;

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/03/2623100/2512.html

[hit and run]

For squaredance:

We're having the first installment (for us) with a supper club group at our house tonight.

We're going with a Mardi Gras theme.

I made the gumbo last night and will be putting it back on the stove here in a few minutes to let it slow cook for a few hours. You may have seen the recipe in an old thread (scroll down to 12:28pm).

And also on tonight's menu is crawfish etouffee,which I will begin making in a couple of hours. Very,very fortunately I found a bag of shrimp in our garage freezer. mrs hit and run had bought shrimp for my dish,but the shrimp was already peeled. I need heads and shells and tails to make a shrimp stock for the etouffee.

And mrs hit and run is making bread pudding for dessert. Complete with a bourbon sauce to top it off. Did I mention it had a bourbon sauce? I generally eschew all desserts (except lemon bars and pumpkin pie),but I make an exception for anything with a bourbon sauce.

Mmmmmmm.

[hit and run]

Sorry, that's 12:28pm on Jan 17. That page spans multiple days.

[OldTimer]

Lord have mercy, Narciso, that cartoon exemplifies the dead souls of the artiste and his applauding audience more precisely than we could ever portray them..

[Old Lurker]

For Old Timer,

LUN is a link to Wiki showing Islam is growing faster than the other religions (1.8% vs 1.3% for Christianity; Islam #1, Christianity #6).

Wiki also has a breakdown by country.

[Porchlight]

Hit,

Way to go with the shrimp stock. I usually just make shrimp etouffee for that reason and save crawfish for gumbo or crawfish pie.

[OldTimer]

Very interesting, Old Lurker. If these figures are correct, the evil carcinogen of Islam is spreading (regardless of a decline in its progeny according to Goldman).

Spengler, call your statisticians!

[Neo]

The Obama administration is working to attract more private funding for mortgage markets while winding down government-backed housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told reporters that administration officials are exploring legislative options for overhauling the nation’s housing finance system with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, as well as with academics and other non-government agencies and advocacy groups.
I guess that Fannie and Freddie just don't work any more as "piggy banks" for the Democrats. Expect them all to flock to the CFPB ... why else would they use a tactic that ignores centuries of precedent to appoint a new head ?

[Neo]

Yet another video game related death LUN

[OldTimer]

Here's another article from a Catholic publication describing Goldman's belief in a 'dying' Islam:

David Goldman, who writes online under the pseudonym Spengler, has a new book out: How Civilizations Die: (And Why Islam Is Dying Too). While I haven’t yet read the book, I recently happened across Goldman’s preface, and it’s brilliant. It’s a longish piece, and not always easy going, but his insights are more than enough to reward the patient reader.

http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=891

[Jack is Back!]

Yummy:)

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo

For tonight, I'm a-gonna see my my-my cher a mi-o

Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o

Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou

[Old Lurker]

Neo, if someone would just figure out how to create a security backed by mortgages on houses and enhanced by the balance sheets of other institutional guarantors, then I'll bet they could attract lots of investors.

After that they can tell the car companies they can raise private capital by creating things called "bonds" that will have very low interest costs because they can promise the bondholders seniority in any bankruptcy proceedings.

What do you think?

[Ignatz]

--LUN is a link to Wiki showing Islam is growing faster than the other religions (1.8% vs 1.3% for Christianity; Islam #1, Christianity #6).--

Those numbers are extremely suspect, OL.
They have little way of knowing who is muslim or Christian nominally, culturally or by actual faith.
Moreover, faiths which are oppressed, such as all faiths in muslim and communist countries, particularly Christianity in muslim countries and in China are always under-counted while dominating and coercive faiths like Islam are usually over-counted. There may already be over 100 million Christians in China, but most are in the unofficial underground church.
Moreover oppressed religions tend to be made up of actual believers rather than nominal adherents and are stronger and more cohesive than those that grow fat and corrupt in power, again like Islam.
Most importantly the numbers do not take into account the cultural implications of conversions vs faith bestowed by birth and the cultural implications of a suffocating religion such as Islam compared to a liberating one like Christianity. The fact that Islam's major means of growth is by birth rather than voluntary conversion, points to its backwardness and dismal prospects in the long term.

[OldTimer]

The mad men of Iran are quite aware of their expiring society, and therefore have become reckless and bloodthirsty. They are more than eager to take the entire planet down with them in a cataclysmic ball of fire--just ask Ahmadinejad and his evil plotters. As for Islam surviving their prophesied 12th Imam, well, only the Shadow knows....

[Neo]

"because they can promise the bondholders seniority in any bankruptcy proceedings"

Now after the bondholders in the car companies got screwed by this administration, exactly who would be stupid enough to believe that they would have senority in a bankruptcy proceeding involving any enterprise that the government may have an interest ?

[Old Lurker]

Thanks Iggy and Old Timer.

Would be nice to know the real facts, though on an anectodal basis we do know that western European populations are dying out demographically while their Muslim populations are growing and getting more political power.

Regardless, two worries come to mind: Even if the long term trends show Islam losing steam, that does us no good if we do not survive the short term; and as one of the links above pointed out (was it also Spengler?), an Iran cornered by a demographic time bomb and other external pressures is indeed similar to Hitler in the 30's in a "what do we have to lose" sense.

[Old Lurker]

Aww Neo, they can just wish it and make it so, right?

[Old Lurker]

Iggy: "Moreover oppressed religions tend to be made up of actual believers rather than nominal adherents"

Hey! You picking on Episcoplians?

[MarkO]

It makes sense that one would have to fully believe to be part of an oppressed religion, group or cult. That's why I'm a conservative.

[Jack is Back!]

OT: Is there anyone here at JOM who is a Civil War expert or semi-expert? Or do you know someone who is or a good resource?

I have this photo of 4 uniformed musicians (fife and drum) standing in front of a tent - all civil war era. It is probably too big to post since it is landscape format. But will try anyway. May get the last guy cut off.

Tracking down which New York Regiments the men of Southampton would have joined I found the 127th Regiment. But I contacted some Long Island re-enactors who believe the uniforms are those of Marines. So, I am trying to find out from the Marine and Navy History Project if they can identify the uniforms and if they have rosters from back then. I have the roster for the 127th but none of my qualifying relatives (Phillips, Paynes and Wines) are on the roster.

Any information or points in the right direction will be appreciated.

[Gmax]

This will amplify Ranger's point and currently the approve/disapprove numbers on the undecided voters is 4/1 disapprove. Listen to Scott Rasmussen himself, and know that Zero is burnt toast. He gets at most mid 40s % and probably drags down a whole bunch of downticket Democrats with him.

Here

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/most_recent_videos/2012_02/video_among_uncommitted_voters_obama_job_approval_at_20

[JeanD]

OT for daddy from a prior thread:

You might want to look into an organization called truethevote.org which was started by a Texas Tea Party. I think they are working to get groups and seminars going in every state, and have been very active in the effort to promote free and fair elections.

My local talk radio guy had a rep on last fall, and I was impressed with the group's focus and motivation.

[MarkO]

Is daddy up yet? I had an OT for him, too. I was watching something on the History Channel about UFO's and the amazing record of sightings in Alaska. I admit to having seen one, fully sober, in the company of my dad and two friends.

Speak to me, daddy.

[Ignatz]

--Regardless, two worries come to mind: Even if the long term trends show Islam losing steam, that does us no good if we do not survive the short term--

I don't know if Europe can survive the short or long run. I tend to suspect the flaccid white European might rediscover his Viking and Teutonic heritage if and when Islam bids to dominate the continent.
I have no doubt Islam can make a large mess of things as it has for centuries, but can't see it prevailing.

And I would never pick on an Episcopalian...
unless I was sure no one was looking.

[Gmax]

JiB I have found that the State Library in most states have a historian/genealogist/researcher on staff. If you can find him at the NY State library and get him the photo, I am certain it will yield a bunch of useful info.

For example, when I contact the Tennessee State library and inquired about Capt Samuel Maxwell who was a Tennessee Vol in the War of 1812, I was pointed to regiment and posting at a Fort in Alabama. Even learned that the Ft was responsible for building and supplying the troops in the field with wagons.

Good luck

[Jane]

GMAX,

We need to get to the point where the election is unstealable.

[OldTimer]

Well said, Ignatz. Spengler makes the case for religious faith in life everlasting, which imparts great hope and security for believers, while at the same time motivating one to live life according to spiritual/scriptural teachings. All very healthy, inspiring and family oriented--and with all the ingredients present to preserve civilizations.

Islam? Not so much. :(

[Gmax]

Jane

As Hugh Hewitt famously said, "if it aint close they cant cheat."

I will add this, it aint close. We are very close to 350 EV landslide.

An incumbent is a known quantity. The incumbent loses most undecided, as they either stay home or vote NOT INCUMBENT. And those RASMUSSEN numbers are eye popping in the revulsion of ZERO among what some of us would sometimes call the "muddle".

But the proper half time speech is keep playing like we are two touchdowns behind. We might get to 60 Senators and be in control of every issue.

[Rick Ballard]

"I admit to having seen one, fully sober"

Of course he was fully sober. Everyone knows that it's impossible to get an alien drunk.

[Janet]

Hey snowy JeanD! Good to see ya. How is the foundation leak situation going? Your note made me laugh.

[MarkO]

Sure, but can Panetta predict a winner to the Super Bowl?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Of course he was fully sober. Everyone knows that it's impossible to get an alien drunk.

Nonsense. Watch ET.

[MarkO]

Well, she was from Uruguay.

I shot an elephant in my pajamas.

[Ignatz]

--Nonsense. Watch ET.--

I refuse to voluntarily watch a Spielberg movie post Jaws, although I am tempted to draw the line at Duel.

[Porchlight]

Hi, JeanD!

[OldTimer]

LOL, MarkO. Well, okay..as long as the UFO was fully sober, we're probably safe.

Seriously though, my parents saw "something" when they were leaving Lake Mead many years ago, heading beck to their home in Las Vegas. My dad was an engineer (electrical-nuke plants) not taken by conspiracies or nonsense, so whatever they saw left a big impression.

[Porchlight]

E.T. is a great movie, despite the somewhat PETA-like message, Iggy. Just don't watch the wussy re-do version where the FBI guys have walkie-talkies and flashlights instead of guns. Weak.

[Porchlight]

And I would never pick on an Episcopalian...
unless I was sure no one was looking.

As long as you restrict it to ECUSA and not my splinter conservative Anglican church. :)

[JeanD]

Janet, the foundation is still leaking, but we are starting to get the upper hand. We will have to take stronger measures in the spring, but for now the shopvac is on break. Older homes are great, right up until they get cranky!

[JeanD]

Hi, Porch!

I hope you got/liked the Rubber Knife Gang CDs. Sadly, they have broken up the band, and we're not sure if they will reunite.

I blame Yoko, or Kyoto, or Bush...

[Porchlight]

I did, JeanD! I liked them very much - thank you. I thought I'd written you - apologies if it's still in my gmail drafts waiting to send. I was going to include some other Gourds-related stuff. Sorry to hear about the breakup. I blame Yoko too. :)

[Janet]

Older homes are great, right up until they get cranky!

I totally relate. We've got a 1917 one. Cute, but a lot of trouble when it comes to home repair....so we mostly learn to live with the problems.

[Old Lurker]

Dunno Porch. The Archbishop gets nuttier and nuttier. You guys might have to avail yourselves of the Pope's offer to accept Anglican's back under modified rules.

[Clarice]

You know seeing far into the future is impossible.Could you have imagined a billionaire Russian capitalist who owns a US basketball team running for president of Russia? I certainly couldn't.

[Old Lurker]

Where did that apostrophe come from? Mother would not be pleased.

[Old Lurker]

Does that mean there is hope of getting rid of Snyder from the Skins Clarice?

[Porchlight]

My splinter church doesn't recognize the Archbishop as its leader, OL. He is a whackjob. We are more in line with the conservative African congregations.

One of my Catholic friends keeps poking me goodnaturedly about getting our church to "go over." No way. I am high church, it's true, but Protestant to the core.

[Clarice]

OL, you are a joker..SMOOCHES>

[JeanD]

Porch, no worries! Glad you enjoyed them while they lasted.

Gotta run. Company coming and this cranky house is not going to clean itself. Which kinda makes me cranky, but that's another story.

[Clarice]

In case you missed this Steyn gem posted at Instapundit:

MARK STEYN: So Obama wants to be his “brother’s keeper”? I have an idea for him! “For a start, when he says, ‘I am my brother’s keeper,’ his brother is back in Kenya living on $12 a year. That’s what he was living on at the time of the 2008 election. So all the president has to do in terms of shared responsibility is put a $10 bill in an envelope and mail it to Nairobi or Mombasa or wherever and he will double his brother’s salary.”

[Ignatz]

--As long as you restrict it to ECUSA and not my splinter conservative Anglican church. :)--

Sorry, Porch, but when no one's looking the most efficacious policy is a good swift kick and let God sort em out.
Besides if you kick everyone regardless of race, sex or creed when they're down no one can call you discriminatory and we all know there can't possibly be anything worse than that.

[Captain Hate]

Porch, back when the pony-tailed bike riding ukulele player hadn't completely lost his tiny mind, one Pittsburgh area poster, GoddessoftheClassroom (who sometimes makes an appearance @ AoS) invited me to a traditional Anglican service after I said the next time I'm going into an Episcopal church will be with Rowan the Idiot's head on a pike. Your congregation sounds nice but that's waaaaayyyyy too far of a commute.

[Janet]

This is a new trick you can teach your dog...it is called the Obama.

[Clarice]

HEH, Janet!

[Porchlight]

Fair enough, Iggy!

Cap'n, yeah, in my church directory of parishes, State College and Columbus are the closest to you. Worth a try if you ever do get the chance, though.

[Stephanie]

JiB

Contact John McKay at "The History Addict dot com" (no spaces). He is an excellent source for historical info especially Civil War stuff. Tell him Stephanie from Snellville sent ya. He's a great guy and can get you the info jiffy quick. If you really want to pick his brain sometime, he vacations in St Augustine every year and loves to give and take on historical stories and I'm sure your stories/museum would be of interest. He's quite a hoot.

[Jane]

So Obama wants to be his “brother’s keeper

Don't forget Auntee Zutini, thriving in Boston on welfare and paid for housing and her drunk driving brother. Come one O, it would be so cool to help them out.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

Another two hints, JIB:

In the background of the photo is a stand with the letter D and number 9 underneath. There is another letter to the right of the D, but it is hidden. It may be insignificant, but it could be a unit designation of some sort.

I subscribe to Ancestry.com which has an extensive military database including info from the Civil War. I would be glad to check the names above and any other names you might have.