Xbox 360

Anyone that feels like entering multiple times for a contest to go to a 3 day launch party for the Xbox 360, here you go. http://www.microsoft.com/xbox/zerohour.htm If you are not big on video games and really want to impress me by winning and then giving me the tickets, that is okay too. Plus its in the desert, and you have to get there yourself, so I'm thinking road trip.

Rising Rates and Jason

Hope you bought a house while the rates were low...Cause rates are rising on mortgages. And rates on commercial short term money are still rising if your business loan is based on Prime. (its up from 4% to 7% since July of 03) And CD rates keep going up which pinches the margins for Banks to make money. While regular savings rates stay at the measily 1% they have been at since all the other rates went so low. So if you don't have money in a house and CDs or some other high yield investment, talk to Gina, maybe she can find you something...

Another Fed Move Anticipated
Long-term rates have increased more than one-half percent since Labor Day, but the big hit could come as the Federal Reserve attempts to offset inflation pressure with a slowing economy. The 30-year mortgage rate is approaching 6.5 percent, and housing markets historically begin to cool when mortgage rates rise by 2.5 percent.
So far, mortgage rates have risen 1.25 percent since this cycle's low, but a jump to 7.75 percent may not be a sign of a slowdown due to the availability of adjustable-rate mortgages and other innovative products.
Source: Fed Poised to Put Brakes on Economy Inman News Features (11/07/05) ; Barnes, Lou

Mortgage Slowdown Predicted
The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts an 18 percent decline in originations in 2006 from estimated volume of $2.78 trillion this year. The group expects the 30-year mortgage rate to reach 6.65 percent by fall 2006, which likely will stifle purchase and refinance activity.
Source: As Interest Rates Rise, Lenders Look at Riskier Business Tacoma News Tribune (WA) (11/03/05) ; Rozens, Aleksandrs

This has been my public service portion of my blog.

next post I'll be back to jokes and comments about pooping and boobies. For now, here is an excerpt from Jason Mulgrew's current blog post about Dating, which if I haven't convinced you to read yet, should convince you that he is funnier than me. Which makes him one of my friends even if we have never met...
Also, making love, if it has already not happened, becomes a realistic goal. And considering my personal circumstances, there is absolutely no way I should have written this. But, I am high. So let’s just move on…

Cowboy Chili

Cowboy Chili
A young cowboy walks into a seedy cafe in Prescott, AZ. He sits at the counter and notices an old cowboy with his arms folded staring blankly at a full bowl of chili.
After fifteen minutes of just sitting there staring at it, the young cowboy bravely asks the old cowpoke, "If you ain't gonna eat that, mind if I do?"
The older cowboy slowly turns his head toward the young wrangler and in his best cowboy manner says, "Nah, go ahead."
Eagerly, the young cowboy reaches over and slides the bowl over to his place and starts spooning it in with delight. He gets nearly down to the bottom and notices a dead mouse in the chili.
The sight was shocking and he immediately pukes up the chili into the bowl.

The old cowboy quietly says, "Yep, that's as far as I got, too."

(this was so horrible, yet so funny I had to repost it from an email I received from Gary.)
and please check out previous posts. I need more comments about the subjects I talk about, or what you think I should talk about, or what you think is stupid that I post, etc.

also, another link you probably didn't know existed...http://www.genesimmons.com/

Go Cougs

http://www.spaceneedle.com/
Cougars have won every day of the contest so far, check out the standings page.
GO COUGS! FUW!

Also, the Huskies lost again this weekend (i know, so did the cougs). Man NW teams are disapointing. I'm sure if its better to be a Husky and not have a chance, or be the cougs and lose by 3 after taking back a field goal in order to try to score a touchdown, then getting stopped, then missing a field goal after getting sacked on the next set of downs, and then not scoring on the last try either.

I like this quote though (with my own little additions):
"It gets worse every week." (being a Husky)
"It's just bad." (being a Husky)
-Washington season-long starting quarterback Isaiah Stanback, whom coach Tryone Willingham replaced with sophomore transfer Johnny DuRocker to begin the second half.

more movies

Or at least more movie... I watched clerks again this weekend because talk of Clerks 2: The Passion of the Clerks coming out next year had me in need of watching people belittle the customers. Man this movie rocks.
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1800226270
And the next one should be just as good.
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808730008

Reasons I love Amazon.com: Good Prices, and trivia and quotes from my favorite movies. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/fun-facts/B00000IQC8/ref=imdbdppd_ql_0/102-9356058-0898531?%5Fencoding=UTF8
These are a few of my favorites.

• When Dante asks Randal whether he's ever thought about the fact that all prices always end in .99, most items behind them have a price that end in .95.
• The offended customer in the "jizz mopper" scene is buying paper towels and glass cleaner.
• Randall and the Happy Scrappy Hero Pup lady are not actually in the room at the same time. Jeff Anderson refused to read the list of porno movies in front of her, and particularly in front of the child.
• The VHS cassette of this film is the most stolen video tape in video stores across the USA
• Filmed at the same store in which director Kevin Smith was working at the time. As he was only allowed to film outside of business hours, the plot included an explanation for the shutters being always down.
• Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier edited the movie in the video store next to the convenience store.
• Clerks came out before Mallrats, but actually takes place the day after Mallrats.

and one of the best quotes:

• Randal: I don't appreciate your ruse, ma'am.
• Customer: I beg your pardon?
• Randal: Your ruse; your cunning attempt to trick me.
• Customer: I was only pointing out that you weren't paying any attention to what I was saying!
• Randal: And, I hope it feels good.
• Customer: You hope WHAT feels good?
• Randal: I hope it feels so good to be right. There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?