It’s still SEPTEMBER, for goodness sake!
I just got back from a trip to Lowe’s, and I have some bad news. Since there’s no way to sugarcoat it, I’m just going to say it bluntly:
They have Christmas trees out.
And snowmen. And wreaths. And lights.
And oh yeah, Santa.
At least they weren’t playing Christmas carols.
Yet.
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84 comments Add your comment
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
2:38 pm
Enter your comments here
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
2:40 pm
Awwww I didn’t mean to be first. Sorry! The first shall be last (but I don’t think I will last that long.) Merry Christmas!
happy chakachan
September 26th, 2009
2:49 pm
how lowes can they goes?
Cherokee
September 26th, 2009
2:53 pm
Ahhhhhh, Lowes, my favorite store…
Merry Christmas to you too, Dusty.
Mrs. Godzilla
September 26th, 2009
3:10 pm
You mean everybody else isn’t already planning the outdoor display?
We’ve cut back substanially. I got some guff from the family about the driveway looking like a runway.
35 years of holiday finery stacked in plastic tubs. Some of it so dear to me……
Traditions and heirlooms, all the polar bears and red ribbon, the bubble lights and italian lights ……
Every year I say not again. Every year I do it anyway.
Are the Queen Anne cherries in the grocery stores yet?
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
3:17 pm
“At least they weren’t playing Christmas carols”
Oh yeah?! I heard a commercial on the TV last night that WAS.
TW
September 26th, 2009
3:21 pm
Call O’Reilly!
The war on Christmas is on!!!
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
3:24 pm
I’ve GOT to try to stay out of those birther “discussions” – that’s all there is to it! The amount of concentrated idiocy just makes my blood BOIL!
Ok, end of rant! Has anyone SEEN the weather headed our way!?
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
3:24 pm
Well, thanks, Cherokee, I shall have a fine Christmas. The thought makes me all warm and fuzzy just like Mrs. G. In fact, maybe I should mail those Christmas cards I have all ready to go. (Forgot to mail them last year but the thought is still there !)
But, as I mentioned in the last blog, do you get the feeling that Bookman has definitely joined up with the GRINCH!! I think he’s gone “birtherclaus” and will next demand to see poor Santa’s birth certificate..
BOOKMAN, why do you hate Santa Claus????
AmVet
September 26th, 2009
3:31 pm
It’s already time to put the X back in Xmas???
Wow, I smell desperation in the retail air.
OK, I’m heading back out into my other/real life.
How can I change the world, when I can’t change myself…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dFIatCrYs4
and one last tasty TR gem, where everybody acts like sister and brother…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSShHKifqlY
Later peeps…
Taxpayer
September 26th, 2009
3:34 pm
You’ve made me lose the Christmas spirit before it was even time, Jay. I feel as though I can ho no mo. Not today. And, to think I was considering going out to Lowes and Home Depot today in search of parts for my mower. I can’t do it now. The sight of Christmas trees would simply be too much of a distraction. In no time, I would be looking at inflatable snowmen and snowblowers and I’d come home with pretty things and powerful tools that were not in the budget and then my wife would just give me that look, you know the one, of what were you thinking and, it just goes down hill from there. I need a beer. I’m depressed. hehehe.
Cherokee
September 26th, 2009
3:37 pm
“birtherclaus”
clever, have to admit
@@
September 26th, 2009
3:41 pm
A painful reminder that summer’s over.
Oh well, I could use some new sunflowers for my formal Christmas tree. The turkey feathers are holding up just fine. I’ll let you know if Michael’s has their holiday stuff out.
Origami parrots encircle the den tree. I’ve got plenty of those.
Normal
September 26th, 2009
3:45 pm
Anybody remember the anti Soviet ad on TV back in the early ‘70 of a Soviet anti air missile system tracking a blip over Russia and they fire their missile. It shows the missile hitting Santa’s sleigh…BOOOM!!!
Then an announcer comes on and says, “The Soviets Don’t believe in Christmas…” It was so traumatic to the children that saw it that they had to put it on late night and eventually took it off air. Good old propaganda…
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
3:50 pm
@@,
Did you say you have organic parrots?
Well, I better get to the store to buy Manischevitz and fruit cake. Santa Claus and I love that stuff. Santa always falls down the next chimney after he leaves my place. Rudolph too. He didn’t get that red nose for nothing!!
Normal
September 26th, 2009
3:51 pm
Thinking about it, Lowes might actually have a good idea. With the resession and all, it might be wise to combine Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all into one holiday.. Call it Merryhallowthankfulmas
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
4:09 pm
A public option is a comin’ for Christmas. If passed by Reconciliation it will be available for actual use sooner.
The National Journal is reporting that the CBO determined the robust public option favored by progressives would save the government $110 billion. A weaker “level playing field” public option would only save $25 billion.
Some of the bills will mandate that all of you kvetching about keeping your insrance will do just that. Until they drop you or you lsoe your job or both. Then you would be eligible for the public option. Others give a choice.
This means removing the robust public option from the House bill would require a corresponding $110 billion reduction in affordablity tax credits. Depending on the final shape of the bill that would be somewhere between a 14%-23% reduction in the amount of tax credits to working class Americans. From different CBO reports (1,2) we know that in 2019 the average tax credit for an enrollee in the exchange, who needs help with affording health insurance, will be between $5,000-$6,000. Eliminating the robust public option would reduce the amount of tax credits to an individual by roughly $1,000.
The CBO also reported that, “on average the [robust] public plan would be about 10 percent cheaper than a typical private plan.”
For a family the robust public option would be roughly $1,300 cheaper in yearly premiums. (This year the average premiums for a family coverage is $13,375)
Not having a robust public option as part of health care reform would make health care dramatically less affordable (or lower quality) for millions of Americans. It would mean denying American families a health insurance option that would be roughly $1,300 cheaper and reducing the size of the average tax credit for an individual by nearly $1,000.
Progressives are fight hard for a strong public option, because they are fighting hard for working class people. A robust public option is critical to making this current health care reform bill affordable for middle income Americans. Not having a robust public option would cost millions of American families thousands of dollars a year.
getalife
September 26th, 2009
4:12 pm
Enter your comments here:
Whew, LSU football is stressful.
Beck will blame Obama for changing xmas to boost the economy.
@@
September 26th, 2009
4:13 pm
That’s ori-ga-mi parrots, Dusty.
I saw a Christmas tree at an old mission out in southern California. White origami cranes glued to the end of wires made it appear as though hundreds of cranes were encircling the tree. All white was a little bland for my taste so I did the same thing with parrots.
It looked kinda like this minus the color. It was very pretty in its simplicity.
Bruno
September 26th, 2009
4:18 pm
“A robust public option is critical to making this current health care reform bill affordable for middle income Americans.”
And exactly what does a public option do to reduce the more than 50% of wasted health care dollars?
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/10/news/economy/healthcare_money_wasters/index.htm/
Expanding the pool of suckers via the mandated purchase of insurance isn’t the answer.
RW-(the original)
September 26th, 2009
4:26 pm
Enter your comments here–
Lowe’s is certainly a good place for a new Festivus pole if you’re in need.
Didn’t Lowe’s get in a pickle a few years back for not sufficiently acknowledging Christmas? I guess they’re just evening things out.
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
4:32 pm
Well, ring the bells and get the lil’ drummer boy leading the parade!! THE BRAVES WON 11/5….Whoopee!! Who said it wasn’t Christmas?? Jingle bells, jingle bells, lala la lala ……
@@
September 26th, 2009
4:32 pm
Enter your comments
->here?<-
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
4:42 pm
“And exactly what does a public option do to reduce the more than 50% of wasted health care dollars?”
The problem with your constant complaint is that they are not mutually exclusive. There’s no reason that wasted costs can’t be approached at the same time as the public option is implemented.
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
4:43 pm
“Didn’t Lowe’s get in a pickle a few years back for not sufficiently acknowledging Christmas?”
Wasn’t it Target? For refusing to allow the “Santas” to take donations outside their doors?
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
4:44 pm
Bruno–
I can point you to a lot of sources of waste in health care. I can point you to sources of fraud in health care and I can use a lot more sophisticated tools than CNN money. And I can point you to the main source of screwing and bankruptcy of Middle America from health care (#2 in bankruptcy causes) and it’s the insurance companies. I’m aimed at saving Medicare by revising Part D (the way Nelson tried to do Thursday but the hookers voted him down–one Dem Hooker Bob Menendez whose been a pharmaceutica hooker for years–New Joisey–home of 90% of the pharms.
The CNN Money article didn’t say 50% of health care dollars are wasted, because they aren’t.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10553/09-10-Response_to_Enzi_for_Web.pdf
Some of the bills and one of the SF amendments don’t mandate anything bubby. If you have your insurance, you can’t even get into the public option market in one of the amendments. No one is mandating you buy public option–any mandates are that you have insurance so I assume you have it and you’ll keep buying yours–of course under the Bruno plan the premium will double soon.
This is the letter the CBO sent Senate Finance and the other 4 committees at the beginning of the week as they consider the Public Option. We know it’s not going to pass in Senate Finance on Tuesday, but I for one will enjoy seeing Schumner and Rockerfeller say to the Insurance Hookers–aside from closing down your hooker business, what objection do you have to competition for the insurance companies that are dropping 14000 a day, jacking up premiums by a factor of 2 -3 for pre-existing, and doubling premiums over the next 10 years after they’ve been doubled the last ten.
How often do you get to watch unabashed hookers defend their whoring on national TV? And don’t forget hooker Kyle reminded everyone that he can’t get pregnant. I think we could do the surgery on Kyle to get him pregnant though, and I’d like to help.
You’re really showing your total lack of understanding of health care costs, insurance companies, and the public option.
I don’t recall using the figure 50%. That came from you. I don’t know what your source is that 50% of health care dollars are wasted. I haven’t seen that figure or that discussion. I’m sure you’re champin’ at the bit to reach into Bruno’s clinical medical economic bag and share it with us.
I do know that 5 insurance companies raised heir rates from 22% (Michiga)n to 30% in the last 3 weeks to get in their screwin’ incase their booty is jerked away from them in the coming law.
Insurance companies use their money to lobby basically and they take it out of your pocket. Apparently you didn’t realize the CBO zeroed in on this. Pharmaceutical companies use their money mainly to market–much more than for R& D and lobby. I can pick up a handful of journals, toss them on the floor and most of ‘em will open up to the same ads I saw years ago for the same stuff.
RW-(the original)
September 26th, 2009
4:48 pm
Enter your comments here–
Wasn’t it Target?
DoggoneGA
Target got into trouble when they banned the Salvation Army bell ringers. The Lowe’s thing was for their ads.
Dusty
September 26th, 2009
4:49 pm
Well, I’m off to make Christmas chili. So good. Maybe I will see you later, after I finish wrapping the gifts. Happy New Year!
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
4:54 pm
“The Lowe’s thing was for their ads.”
Oh, Ok. I just don’t remember the Lowe’s problem…only Target’s/
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
5:08 pm
More on CBO recommending public option to save billions:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/cda_20090925_6347.php
“The Congressional Budget Office dealt Blue Dogs a blow Thursday by notifying House Democrats that tethering a public option to Medicare reimbursement rates would save the government $110 billion more than a public option in which the government has to negotiate rates with doctors and other health care providers.
The public plan saves money because it pushes down premium prices. Lower premium prices across the country would mean the government would have to pay less in subsidies to low-income people who buy insurance through the exchange, according to CBO. Medicare rates are typically lower than those paid by private insurers, so using that formula would allow the public plan to charge considerably lower premiums to stay solvent. If the government has to negotiate the same way insurance companies do, public plan premiums likely won’t be as low — hence less savings.”
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
5:13 pm
Jonnah Issackson says in his radio address he wants you to keep paying high insurance premiums. And if you don’t have a multimillion dollar real estate business–that’s tough.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
5:17 pm
Repubo Pollster Strategic Visions has been accused of faking their polls and in the days that foolow has had, of course NO COMMENT.
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/09/23/a-strategic-vision-poll-and-a-letter-of-censure/
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
5:27 pm
Doggone said it exaactly right. And lowering insurance costs will also impact overall healthcare costs in a number of ways. When people are insured they have ways to get care on a chronic basis rather than show up at the ER with a crisis where they are admitted and the taxpayers will ultimately foot that bill.
There is a lot of conrusion that spawns the belief that competition for insurance companies is somehow going to raise the price for taxpayers. It’s just the opposite.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
September 26th, 2009
5:57 pm
Well, I see Bookman just can’t keep away from his War on Christmas. Nothing wrong with putting the tree and trimmings out a little early. The sooner we get to Christmas, the sooner my buddies will bring little Sonny Zell George a 12 pack of PBR and we can all share it. I think the boy might could keep up with us this year. He’s already 87 lbs. and he’s just 3. Some people say he takes after his Grandma.
Have a good weekend everybody.
DoggoneGA
September 26th, 2009
6:15 pm
“Well, I’m off to make Christmas chili”
Chrismas isn’t chili enough already? GG
I Report/ Vast White Wing Conspirator (-: You Whine )-:
September 26th, 2009
6:34 pm
They had them up early last week and I thought the same thing. It’s like not time yet.
~~~~~
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats are considering a tax on high-cost insurance plans to help pay for health care overhaul that tops President Barack Obama’s domestic agenda.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Friday the tax is “under consideration” as Democrats search for consensus within their ranks before taking a bill to the House floor later this fall.
Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) — A so-called consumption tax would “create a balance” with European and Japanese economies and “could potentially have a substantial effect on competitiveness,” said John Podesta. Value- added taxes in Europe and Japan encourage savings by taxing consumption.
Podesta said such a tax may be regressive, but can be balanced by exempting some products and using “the money to support low-wage workers.”
The democrats scheme and plot………their own demise, hahahahahaha.
A tax hike. Great eye deeuh.
number1ninja
September 26th, 2009
6:45 pm
Well, duh, gotta gin up the masses to increase that retail bottom line somehow.
Taxpayer
September 26th, 2009
7:01 pm
One way to reduce the cost of healthcare is to quit making folks sick.
I Report/ Vast White Wing Conspirator (-: You Whine )-:
September 26th, 2009
7:36 pm
Oh yeah, “global warming,” that must be this chill in the air.
Taxpayer
September 26th, 2009
7:51 pm
Awwww. These poor fellas lost money on their investments. Maybe they ought to just stay out of the banking business given that the CRA just forces them all to go and make nothing but loser loans anyway. Then they won’t ever have to lose no more money. In the meantime, they need a tax cut to make things right and a tax credit for all their banking losses that were associated with those no good CRA loans. Dang, it is easy to emulate a conservative republican.
@@
September 26th, 2009
8:02 pm
On Several Foreign Policy Fronts, Events Force Obama to Turn to Plan B
I never saw his Plan A.
“He (Obama) found a barren landscape and tried to water it.”
water it?
I guess that’s a nice way of putting it.
Taxpayer
September 26th, 2009
8:10 pm
My daughter carries water to school that comes from a known source — our own tested well. I just don’t understand why folks would want to poison themselves or their kids. That is just strange.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:13 pm
First it was Acorn trying to make Atlanta Housewife type women tax free. Now Acorn is trying to kill Christmas. I don’t know whether Acorn is backed by the Hip Hop artist in the White House who I hear now has Kanye West hair designs or vice-versa
I also hear that Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi are trying to make the world lose consciousness and flash forward 6 months and Acorn is behind it all.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:14 pm
How would you poison yourself with water despite the recent precip events? Purification has not been impacted.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:17 pm
What local non-rural schools are supplying their own drinking water with potential e coli or other bacterial contaminants?
Taxpayer
September 26th, 2009
8:21 pm
Public Option’s Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:14 pm
Di-hydrogen monoxide is not the problem. It’s the other stuff that get mixed with it.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:26 pm
Again, and I read the CNN article, I don’t know of any reason right now why your tap water/or your kid’s school water is unsafe unless you are getting it from a rural source. Not in Metro Atlanta.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:30 pm
The water purification @ RM Clayton has been back on line since Tuesday, and sewage into the Chatahoochee was stopped then. Any water that was contaminated goes through the purification process and is tested.
There are a lot of repairs to be made, but purification has been fine.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:32 pm
The bottled water biz in the US is very profitable based on fiction and the social aura of doing something “with it”, fashionable, and superior to protect your health. All thgose speakers with the bottled water at meetings or the bottled water they put in front of you at meetings and conferences is really wasted money. If they had someone to pour it, they could get it out of the sink and you’d be just fine.
Public Option's Doing Swell
September 26th, 2009
8:33 pm
When I can find my bluetooth keyboard no more thgose.