This cute little Java applet will self-update...

Why is it here? Well its here to:
(1) Remind that gasoline is getting expensive, and the "why's" of that are immaterial, you should always do as many things as possible in one trip to keep money in Your pocketbook!
(2) To remind you that the economy of the United States is predicated on the assumption that gas will always be cheap! Which its not anymore ~

Mc Kinney, TX Gas Prices		Toggle Grade:
33 stations found for Regular grade.		Mid | Sup | Dsl

Station	Address (click for map)	Price/Date	Update
MURPHY USA #7408 MURPHY USA	9091 W UNIVERSITY DR MC KINNEY, TX 75071	3.759 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
TRIPLE A OIL CO INC TEXACO	1313 N CHURCH ST MC KINNEY, TX 75069	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
QUIKTRIP 0913 QUIK TRIP	4151 STACY RD MC KINNEY, TX 75070	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
7-ELEVEN 33688 7-ELEVEN	7990 W ELDORADO PKWY MC KINNEY, TX 75070	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
KWIK SHOP PHILLIPS 66	215 E UNIVERSITY DR MC KINNEY, TX 75069	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
7-ELEVEN 33118 7-ELEVEN	5020 VIRGINIA PKWY MC KINNEY, TX 75071	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
QUIKTRIP 0916 QUIK TRIP	1700 S MCDONALD ST MC KINNEY, TX 75069	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
CHEVRON #01060 CHEVRON	1902 N CENTRAL EXPY MC KINNEY, TX 75070	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
7-ELEVEN 33276 7-ELEVEN	421 STACY RD MC KINNEY, TX 75069	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices
FINA 4035 FINA	1400 N CENTRAL EXPY MC KINNEY, TX 75070	3.799 2008-05-23	Update Gas Prices

Maylee Thomas rocked the house @ Cadillac 2nite as only she can!...

Sometimes...its just about being with a group of special people, and shooting and learning in a new and unique location...and having fun doing it...

It was date night for the McBroom's as Mike hosted the Thursday Night Free Jam @ Cadillac 2nite...

07:06 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Bloomberg News

Bag'n Baggage Ltd., a Dallas-based luggage retailer with more than 30 stores in 10 states, has filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors, including Bank of America Corp.


The company listed debt and assets of $10 million to $50 million each in Chapter 11 documents filed Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dallas.
Bag’n Baggage, which didn’t provide a reason for the filing, said it will submit an affidavit explaining events leading up to bankruptcy.


Bag’n Baggage has been selling travel and business gear for more than 35 years, according to the company’s Web site. An affiliate, 900 Corp., also sought bankruptcy protection.


The 20 largest creditors without collateral backing their claims are owed a total of $2.8 million, according to court filings. RIMOWA/HP Marketing Corp., owed $423,835, is listed as the largest unsecured creditor. The largest secured claimholder, owed $7.6 million, is Bank of America, the second largest U.S. Bank.


The luggage retailer has asked the court for permission to use its accounts receivable, on an interim basis, to continue operations. It also seeks permission to continue customer programs and pay employees. A court hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow.


Without the interim relief “lenders, landlords, vendors, employees and customers will suffer irreparable harm,” the company said in court documents.

There's still alot of construction going on in the square, so be kind to other motorists and pedestrians when in the area...

AP
Oil hits record above $121 on supply woes
Tuesday May 6, 9:58 am ET
By George Jahn, Associated Press Writer Oil prices rise to record above $121 a barrel on supply worries

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Oil futures surpassed $121 a barrel for the first time Tuesday, the spike fueled by worries about threats to supply and a weakening of the U.S. dollar.

The surge in oil prices was also fueled by hopes that the U.S. economy will be spared a sharp downturn after the release of data Monday showing an unexpected expansion in the U.S. service sector in April, analysts said.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose to a record $121.49 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday. The contract later retreated to $121.30 a barrel, up $1.33 from Monday's close.

Crude futures settled on Monday at $119.97 a barrel, up $3.65 from Friday's close.

"The bulls are in control of the market," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore. "The economic report out of the U.S. yesterday on the service sector seems to suggest the economic slowdown may not be as deep as initially thought."

"The sentiment is that the oil pricing is likely going to stay quite strong, with a lot of volatility," Shum said.

Meanwhile, a Goldman Sachs analyst on Tuesday predicted that oil prices could reach $150 to $200 a barrel over the next six months to two years, but said that how far prices could climb still "remains a major uncertainty."

"We believe the current energy crisis may be coming to a head, as the lack of adequate supply growth is becoming apparent," analyst Arjun N. Murti wrote in a client note.

He raised his 2008 prediction for benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude to $108 per barrel from $96, and his 2009 estimate to $110 from $105. He lifted his prediction for 2010 and 2011 to $120 from $110.

But he also said it was possible that oil could hit $125 this year and $200 in 2009 before coming down to $150 in 2010.

The dollar weakened against the euro on Monday, attracting investors to oil and other commodities viewed as hedges against inflation. Also, a falling dollar makes oil less expensive to investors overseas. A series of U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts starting last year weakened the dollar considerably against foreign currencies, and analysts blame the dollar's protracted decline for oil's sharp rise this spring.

Supply outages or potential threats to supply emerged in Iran and Nigeria over the weekend and from Iraq on Monday; events in all three nations have caused prices to spike many times in recent months.

In Iraq, Kurdish rebels warned they could launch suicide attacks against American interests to punish the U.S. for sharing intelligence with Turkey after Turkey bombed rebel bases in Iraq on Friday. In Nigeria, a Royal Dutch Shell PLC spokesman said attackers hit an oil facility belonging to Shell's joint venture in southern Nigeria and that some oil production had been shut down. And Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country will not bend to international pressure and give up its nuclear program.

Energy investors grow concerned any time conflict breaks out or is threatened in the oil-rich Middle East. Years of unrest in Nigeria have cut off nearly a quarter of the major U.S. supplier's oil output.

Amid the occasional threats to crude supplies, global demand for oil continues to grow. The Chinese and Indian economies are growing by double digits, boosting global demand for oil.

In the U.S., where demand has been dampened over economic concerns, the prince for "gasoline at the pump is averaging 29.4 percent above last year's pace," noted Stephen Schork of the Schork Report. "Meanwhile, average diesel prices are up by 41.1 percent or $1.079 a gallon."

In other Nymex trading, heating oil and gasoline futures were both down by over a penny at $3.29225 and $3.0400 a gallon. Natural gas futures slipped more than 6 cents to $11.145 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Brent crude futures rose 30 cents to $118.29 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Associated Press Writer Gillian Wong contributed to this report from Singapore.

The loss is triple what the analysts expected...


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080506/earns_fannie_mae.html

Fannie Mae loses $2.2B in 1Q; warns of "severe weakness"
Tuesday May 6, 8:14 am ET
By Marcy Gordon, AP Business Writer
Fannie Mae reports $2.2 billion loss in first quarter and warns of "severe weakness" in market

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Fannie Mae said Tuesday it lost $2.2 billion in the first quarter as home-loan delinquencies mounted and home prices declined more sharply than the mortgage finance company had expected.

The company said it expects "severe weakness" in the housing market to continue this year, bringing increased mortgage defaults and foreclosures.

Fannie Mae, the largest U.S. buyer and backer of home loans, said it would raise $6 billion by selling new stock. The company will cut its dividend, starting in the third quarter, to 25 cents a share, to generate around $390 million a year.

Fannie Mae's first-quarter loss contrasts with a profit of $961 million in the January-through-March period last year. Fannie Mae reported on Tuesday that the early 2008 loss was equivalent to $2.57 a share. It earned 85 cents a share a year earlier.

Thomson Financial said Wall Street analysts had expected the government-sponsored company to lose 81 cents a share in the latest period. Washington-based Fannie Mae was forced to set aside billions to account for bad loans.

Shares tumbled nearly 11 percent, or $3.04, to $25.25 in premarket trading.

From the AP this AM:

Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22,000: state radio

24 minutes ago

The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 on Tuesday and more than 41,000 others were missing as the international community prepared to rush in aid after the country's deadliest storm on record, state radio reported.

Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis, some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out, the World Food Program said.

Some aid agencies reported their assessment teams had reached some areas of the largely isolated region but said getting in supplies and large numbers of aid workers would be difficult.

Images from state television showed large trees and electricity poles sprawled across roads and roofless houses ringed by large sheets of water in the Irrawaddy River delta region, which is regarded as Myanmar's rice bowl.

"From the reports we are getting, entire villages have been flattened and the final death toll may be huge," Mac Pieczowski, who heads the International Organization for Migration office in Yangon, said in a statement.

Shari Villarosa, the top American diplomat in Yangon, told NBC's "Today" show that the cyclone had knocked huge trees in the country's largest city.

"And it blew down a significant portion of them, some of these are 6, 8, 10 stories tall — huge trees, 6 feet, 5 feet in diameter. So they came down on roofs," she said.

State radio also said that Saturday's vote on a military-backed draft constitution would be delayed until May 24 in 40 of 45 townships in the Yangon area and seven in the Irrawaddy delta, which took the brunt of the weekend storm. It indicated that the balloting would proceed in other areas as scheduled.

The decision drew swift criticism from dissidents and human rights groups who question the credibility of the vote and urged the junta to focus on disaster victims.

Myanmar's generals have hailed the referendum as an important step forward in their "roadmap to democracy." It offers the first chance for voters to cast ballots since 1990, and the probability is high they will approve the constitution — a legal framework the country has lacked for two decades.

But critics, including the United Nations, the United States and human rights groups, question whether it will lead to democracy.

Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. Its government has been widely criticized for suppression of pro-democracy parties such as the one led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for almost 12 of the past 18 years.

At least 31 people were killed and thousands more were detained when the military cracked down on peaceful protests in September led by Buddhist monks and democracy advocates.

Consumer bankruptcies jump 47.7 percent

---

Consumer bankruptcies jump 47.7 percent: group
Fri May 2, 2008 12:59pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bankruptcy filings by U.S. consumers jumped 47.7 percent in April from one year ago as families cope with fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis, the American Bankruptcy Institute said on Friday.

The 92,291 bankruptcy filings in April also marked an increase of 7 percent from March, the non-partisan institute said.

"The sharp spike in consumer bankruptcies reflects the growing financial stress faced by American families, saddled with household debt and mortgage woes," said Samuel Gerdano, executive director of the institute. "We expect consumer bankruptcies to top 1 million new cases this year".

For all of 2007, there were 850,912 U.S. bankruptcy filings, up 38 percent from 2006.

The all-time high of more than 2 million consumer bankruptcy filings occurred in 2005, just before the federal bankruptcy law was reformed to make it more difficult for consumers to discharge their debt under Chapter 7 of the law. The reforms also increased debt payments required under Chapter 13 filings and eliminated some protections such as delaying housing evictions or delaying child support proceedings.

Some Democrats in Congress this year unsuccessfully sought another change in the federal bankruptcy law to let bankruptcy judges reduce mortgage amounts to reflect the current fair value of a home. That move was opposed by Republicans and the banking industry.

Under current Chapter 13 bankruptcy law, a judge may restructure most of a consumer's loans ranging from credit cards to car payments, but may not modify a secured debt such as a home mortgage.

Bankruptcy filings made under Chapter 7 allow a consumer or business to liquidate assets to pay off creditors. Chapter 11 filings are made by companies seeking to reorganize and pay debts while staying in business.


http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?...17061320080502

Fallen Glory

There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.
~ Ernst Haas

The food crisis begins to bite

Published on Sunday, April 27, 2008.


Source: London Independent

Rioting in Haiti. Rationing in America. Queues in Egypt. Protests in Afghanistan. As the price of food continues to soar, the impact is being felt by people around the globe

CHINA
The roaring economy and an ever expanding middle class have had a particularly profound effect on food prices, particularly rice and wheat. Because of industrialisation, rice planting fell from 33 million hectares in 1983 to 29 million by 2006 and China now imports more than ever, placing a major strain on international supplies. Despite freezing prices, rampant inflation means the cost of food has risen by 21 per cent this year.

USA

In a land where supposedly the rich are thin and the poor are overweight, one of the largest cash and carry stores, Sam's Club, announced this week it would limit customers to take home a maximum of four bags of rice. The move came a day after Costco Wholesale Corp, the biggest US warehouse-club operator, limited bulk rice purchases in some stores and warned that customers had begun stockpiling certain goods.

NORTH KOREA

Even during times of relative stability, North Korea has shown itself to be inept at feeding its population. During the 1990s a famine caused by poor harvests killed an estimated two to three million people. On Wednesday the World Food Programme warned that the country could again be plunged into famine because of the spiralling cost of rice and there was an estimated shortfall of 1.6 million tons of rice and wheat.

EGYPT

Up to 50 million Egyptians rely on subsidised bread and this year Cairo has estimated it will cost $2.5bn. But with the price of wheat rocketing in the past year there are fears the country has plunged into a "bread crisis". Queues are now double the length they were a year ago. Inflation hit 12.1 per cent in February with prices for dairy goods up 20 per cent and cooking oils 40 per cent

VENEZUELA

Latin American countries were some of the first nations to voice their concern at rising wheat prices, particularly after thousands of people in Mexico took to the streets at the beginning of 2007 to take part in the so-called "Tortilla Protests". This week the presidents of Bolivia, Nicaragua and Cuba's vice-president flew to Caracas to announce a joint $100m scheme to combat the impact of rising food prices on the region's poor.

BRAZIL

On Wednesday Brazil became the latest major rice producer to temporarily suspend exports because of soaring costs and domestic shortages. In recent weeks Latin American countries and African nations have asked for up to 500,000 tons of rice from Brazil which will now not be delivered. Brazil's agricultural ministry has said it has to ensure that the country has at least enough rice reserves to last the next six to eight months.

IVORY COAST

Some of the worst instability resulting from high food prices has been felt in West Africa. One person was killed and dozens were injured last month as riots tore through Ivory Coast after the prices of meat and wheat increased by 50 per cent within a week. Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo was forced to cut taxes to halt the disorder. Violent protests have also broken out in Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

AFGHANISTAN

There have been street protests about the soaring cost of food in a country almost entirely reliant on imports of wheat. Already utterly impoverished, the plight of Afghans has worsened because Pakistan has cut its regular flour supply. The government has sought to assure citizens that there is sufficient food and has set aside $50m for additional imports. The price of wheat has risen by around 60 per cent in the last year.

THAILAND

The price of rice in the world's largest exporter rose to $1,000 a ton yesterday and experts warned that it will continue to rise. This is because of the massive demand from the Philippines which is struggling to secure supplies after India and several other producers halted exports. The government has said it can meet the export requests. Indonesia has said it is withholding purchases for a year because prices are so high.

EAST AFRICA

Hundreds of thousands of poor Africans in Uganda and Sudan are to lose out on a vital source of food after one of the world's largest humanitarian organisations said it was cutting aid to 1.5m people. Dave Toycen, president of World Vision Canada, blamed soaring costs and countries failing to live up to aid commitments for the fact that the number of people the charity can help will fall by almost a quarter.

INDIA

The country as added to the problems facing many countries in the region by halting its export of rice, except for its premium basmati product. This has left countries normally reliant on Indian exports, such as the Philippines, searching for alternative supplies. India has more than half of the world's hungriest people and its priority is to safeguard domestic supply. But it too has watched as the cost of food has soared, not just rice but cooking oil, pulses and even vegetables. India has this year forecast a record grain harvest but experts warned farm productivity will have to rise much faster if the nation is to feed its 1.1bn people and avoid a food security crisis. Around two-thirds of India's population are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods but agriculture is growing much more slowly than the overall economy.

HAITI

The poorest country in the Western hemisphere has seen a three to four-fold increase in the number of so-called boat people trying to leave because of food shortages. Already gripped by wretched poverty, the food crisis triggered riots that led to the death of six people. Haiti's wretched food security situation is a result of "liberalisation measures" forced on the country after former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was returned to power.

THE PHILIPPINES

The government has been desperately trying to secure alternative sources of rice to counteract the decision of a number of nations to halt rice exports. The country's National Food Authority, which handles rice imports for the government, has now said it plans to increase imports 42 per cent to 2.7m tons this year. This could cost $1.3bn if it does not increase the price of the subsidised rice it is selling to people. But the Philippines is responsible for producing 85 per cent of its own food and international experts believe the country will handle this crisis. The government has also been encouraging consumers and even fast food restaurants to be more frugal and be careful not to waste food. The government is confident it will be able to source sufficient supplies from Vietnam and Thailand.

EUROPE

Less vulnerable to food price fluctuations than emerging nations, but food prices across Europe have nonetheless increased. In Britain wholesale prices of food have increased by 7.4 per cent over the past 12 months, roughly three times the headline rate of inflation. According to the government's own statistics grocery bills have gone up by an average of £750 over the same period, the equivalent of a 12 per cent rise.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...te-815437.html

Last night was the annual "Relay for Life" event here in McKinney...great turnout for a really worthy cause!

Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World
By JOSH GERSTEIN
Staff Reporter of the Sun
April 21, 2008


MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Many parts of America, long considered the breadbasket of the world, are now confronting a once unthinkable phenomenon: food rationing. Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks.

At a Costco Warehouse in Mountain View, Calif., yesterday, shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy.

"Where's the rice?" an engineer from Palo Alto, Calif., Yajun Liu, said. "You should be able to buy something like rice. This is ridiculous."

The bustling store in the heart of Silicon Valley usually sells four or five varieties of rice to a clientele largely of Asian immigrants, but only about half a pallet of Indian-grown Basmati rice was left in stock. A 20-pound bag was selling for $15.99.

"You can't eat this every day. It's too heavy," a health care executive from Palo Alto, Sharad Patel, grumbled as his son loaded two sacks of the Basmati into a shopping cart. "We only need one bag but I'm getting two in case a neighbor or a friend needs it," the elder man said.



The Patels seemed headed for disappointment, as most Costco members were being allowed to buy only one bag. Moments earlier, a clerk dropped two sacks back on the stack after taking them from another customer who tried to exceed the one-bag cap.

"Due to the limited availability of rice, we are limiting rice purchases based on your prior purchasing history," a sign above the dwindling supply said.
Shoppers said the limits had been in place for a few days, and that rice supplies had been spotty for a few weeks. A store manager referred questions to officials at Costco headquarters near Seattle, who did not return calls or e-mail messages yesterday.

An employee at the Costco store in Queens said there were no restrictions on rice buying, but limits were being imposed on purchases of oil and flour. Internet postings attributed some of the shortage at the retail level to bakery owners who flocked to warehouse stores when the price of flour from commercial suppliers doubled.

The curbs and shortages are being tracked with concern by survivalists who view the phenomenon as a harbinger of more serious trouble to come.

"It's sporadic. It's not every store, but it's becoming more commonplace," the editor of SurvivalBlog.com, James Rawles, said. "The number of reports I've been getting from readers who have seen signs posted with limits has increased almost exponentially, I'd say in the last three to five weeks."
Spiking food prices have led to riots in recent weeks in Haiti, Indonesia, and several African nations. India recently banned export of all but the highest quality rice, and Vietnam blocked the signing of a new contract for foreign rice sales.

"I'm surprised the Bush administration hasn't slapped export controls on wheat," Mr. Rawles said. "The Asian countries are here buying every kind of wheat." Mr. Rawles said it is hard to know how much of the shortages are due to lagging supply and how much is caused by consumers hedging against future price hikes or a total lack of product.

"There have been so many stories about worldwide shortages that it encourages people to stock up. What most people don't realize is that supply chains have changed, so inventories are very short," Mr. Rawles, a former Army intelligence officer, said. "Even if people increased their purchasing by 20%, all the store shelves would be wiped out."

At the moment, large chain retailers seem more prone to shortages and limits than do smaller chains and mom-and-pop stores, perhaps because store managers at the larger companies have less discretion to increase prices locally. Mr. Rawles said the spot shortages seemed to be most frequent in the Northeast and all the way along the West Coast. He said he had heard reports of buying limits at Sam's Club warehouses, which are owned by Wal-Mart Stores, but a spokesman for the company, Kory Lundberg, said he was not aware of any shortages or limits.

An anonymous high-tech professional writing on an investment Web site, Seeking Alpha, said he recently bought 10 50-pound bags of rice at Costco. "I am concerned that when the news of rice shortage spreads, there will be panic buying and the shelves will be empty in no time. I do not intend to cause a panic, and I am not speculating on rice to make profit. I am just hoarding some for my own consumption," he wrote.
For now, rice is available at Asian markets in California, though consumers have fewer choices when buying the largest bags. "At our neighborhood store, it's very expensive, more than $30" for a 25-pound bag, a housewife from Mountain View, Theresa Esquerra, said. "I'm not going to pay $30. Maybe we'll just eat bread."

http://www2.nysun.com/article/74994?page_no=1

2nite @ Cadillac

Pushrod

Merrill posts loss, plans to cut 4,000 jobs

NEW YORK - Merrill Lynch & Co., the world’s largest brokerage, on Thursday said it would cut 4,000 jobs after more than $6 billion fresh write-downs pushed it to a loss for the first quarter.

Chief Executive John Thain also cautioned that things were unlikely to improve much in the next couple of quarters.

The write-downs caused Merrill Lynch to lose $2.14 billion, or $2.19 per share, after paying preferred dividends, compared to a profit of $2.11 billion, or $2.26 per share, a year earlier.
Story continues below ↓advertisement

The New York-based firm posted negative revenue in its fixed-income trading business and a 40 percent slump in investment banking fees. This caused total revenue to slip 69 percent to $2.93 billion from $9.6 billion a year earlier.

Results missed Wall Street projections for a loss of $1.99 per share on $3.7 billion of revenue, according to analysts polled by Thomson Financial.

Merrill Lynch, the third-largest U.S. securities firm by market value, has been slammed by the global credit crisis that roiled markets since last summer. Risky bets in mortgage-backed securities have led to nearly $200 billion of write-downs — with Merrill Lynch contributing at least $24 billion to that amount.

Despite the turbulence, Thain said the company has $82 billion of excess liquidity to help protect against choppy market conditions.

“This was about as difficult a quarter as I’ve seen in my 30 years on Wall Street,” Thain told analysts during a conference call. “We are planning for a slower and more difficult next couple of months and probably next couple of quarters, but are also hopeful for our full year 2008 results.”

After joining Merrill four months ago, Thain pledged to clean up the brokerage’s balance sheet and take steps to make it more profitable. He already secured more than $12 billion worth of new capital, and now has unveiled a plan to trim the company’s ranks.

Merrill said it will record a restructuring charge of $350 million in the current quarter for the layoffs, which will reduce its headcount by 10 percent in areas outside of financial advisers and investment associates. The entire company has about 63,000 employees globally.

During the first quarter, Merrill Lynch said it suffered a $1.5 billion write-down linked to asset-backed securities, and a $3 billion write-down tied to the value of bond insurance contracts. The brokerage also lowered the value of leveraged loans by $925 million.

It reported that fixed-income trading revenue was $3.38 billion because of the tightening credit markets. Equity-trading revenue was $1.88 billion, down from $2.39 billion a year earlier.

Meanwhile, debt underwriting fell to $231 million from $586 million last year. Stock underwriting revenue fell to $199 million from $363 million a year ago.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24178870/

IMG_3266, originally uploaded by Gulchdog.

PUSHROD...this Saturday night @ the Cadillac

Happy Birthday Maylee!

She rocked the house 2nite!

U.S. Michigan Confidence Index Fell to 26-Year Low (Update1)

By Courtney Schlisserman

April 11 (Bloomberg) -- Confidence among U.S. consumers sank to a 26-year low in April as the labor market continued to weaken and gasoline prices rose.

The Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment decreased to 63.2 from 69.5 in March. The reading was below the lowest forecast in a Bloomberg News survey and the worst since March 1982.

Americans are confronting the loss of 232,000 jobs so far this year, along with higher food and energy costs and overall weakening in the economy. Consumer spending in the first half will advance at the weakest rate in 17 years, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

``Consumers have very little to smile about,'' Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody's Economy.com in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said before the report. ``Measures of consumer confidence are consistent right now with a recession.''

Economists had forecast the gauge would fall to 69, according to the median of 64 projections in a Bloomberg News survey. Estimates ranged from 65 to 71.

The index of consumer expectations for six months from now, which more closely projects the direction of consumer spending, fell to 53.4, the lowest reading since November 1990, from 60.1 last month.

`Challenging' Retail Market

The U.S. retail market ``will remain challenging this year,'' Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, group president of Estee Lauder Cos., said April 9 in an interview at the World Retail Congress.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy, will rise at an average annual pace of 0.5 percent in the first half of the year, economists surveyed by Bloomberg News earlier this month forecast. That would be the smallest two-quarter gain since purchases fell in the six months ended March 1991.

The economy will not expand at all the first six months of this year, according to the Bloomberg survey taken from April 2 to April 8. A majority of those polled also projected the world's largest economy is, or will soon be, in a recession.

The Reuters/University of Michigan current conditions index, which reflects Americans' perceptions of their financial situation and whether it's a good time to make big-ticket purchases, dropped to 78.4, the lowest since January 1983, from 84.1 in March.

Job Losses

The drop in jobs in recent months is one factor weighing on consumers' moods. Employers eliminated 80,000 workers from their payrolls in March, a third consecutive decline and the biggest in five years, the Labor Department reported last week.

Job losses may continue into this month. The government said yesterday that the number of people remaining on unemployment-benefit rolls rose last week to the highest in almost four years.

Consumers polled in today's Reuters/University of Michigan survey said they expect an inflation rate of 4.8 percent in a year, compared with 4.3 percent projected last month.

A government report earlier today showed prices of goods imported into the U.S. rose more than forecast in March, reflecting a surge in energy costs and a weaker dollar.

The 2.8 percent increase in the import price index followed a 0.2 percent gain the prior month, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. Expenses excluding fuels jumped 0.9 percent, the most since records began in 2001.

Higher energy costs have weighed on consumers' outlooks in recent months. The average price of crude oil futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange in March jumped to $105.42 a barrel, from $95.01 a month earlier.

Gasoline reached a record $3.332 a gallon in the week ended April 7, according to the Energy Information Administration. The administration, which is the Energy Department's statistical arm, forecast on April 8 that gasoline will cost an average of $3.54 a gallon between April and September.

Federal Reserve officials last month anticipated the economy will shrink in the first half of the year and expressed some concern about ``a prolonged and severe economic downturn'' as they cut interest rates, according to minutes of their most- recent policy-setting meeting, which were released April 8.

``Many participants thought some contraction in economic activity in the first half of 2008 now appeared likely,'' the Fed said in the minutes of the March 18 Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The Fed has cut its benchmark overnight lending rate by 3 percentage points since September to try to avert a recession. Last month, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke also invoked rarely used authority to provide emergency financing for investment banks and rescued Bear Stearns Cos. from bankruptcy.

To contact the reporter on this story: Courtney Schlisserman in Washington at cschlisserma@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: April 11, 2008 10:07 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aBlxa.ME3gi0&refer=home

"Speaking Without Words" by Justin Hunt


REVERSE GLASS ARTIST JUSTIN HUNT DEBUTS "VOYEURISTIC
TONES"
AT THE CAMERON GALLERY


WHAT:
The Cameron Gallery announces the debut of the newest
body of work by reverse glass artist Justin Hunt, in
an exhibit entitled "Voyeuristic Tones." An artist's
reception begins on Saturday, April 19 from 2:00PM to
8:00PM, with live entertainment starting at 5:00PM
from Jones Band.


A master of the ancient technique of reverse glass
painting, Hunt uses glass for his canvas. Old windows
and doors and are given new life and are transformed
into visually stimulating works of art. He offers a
wide breadth of subjects from tantalizingly tattooed
women to hauntingly romantic city scapes. In
"Voyeuristic Tones" Hunt's attention to detail reaches
out and grabs the viewer and does not let go until the
unique qualities and powerful presence in each
painting are absorbed. For more information, please
call 214-747-1414.


WHERE: The Cameron Gallery 1414 Dragon Street Dallas,
Texas 75207


WHEN: Saturday, April 19, from 2:00PM to 8:00PM


ADMISSION: Complimentary


PHOTO OP: Event sponsor and gallery owners, Stephen
and Kristi Cameron, artist Carrie Cameron; featured
artist, Justin Hunt; jewelry designer, Sarah McCabe
of The Original Boot Jill Company; Terri Provencal of
Modern Luxury magazine and a gallery full of
enthusiastic art collectors and patrons of the visual
arts.


SPONSORS: Modern Luxury Magazine and Mr. Stephen F.
Cameron, The Cameron Land Company


BACKGROUND:
The Cameron Gallery, Dallas' newest addition to the
galleries of Dragon Street, specializes in
one-of-a-kind works of art, including paintings,
hand-blown glass, pottery, sculpture, and jewelry
created by an eclectic group of artists. The gallery
hosts monthly art exhibits celebrating the passion and
beauty of the visual arts. Resident artist, Carrie
Cameron, specializes in a technique called 3-D oil
sculpture, practiced in the Reflectionist movement.
As a reflectionist artist; Cameron strives to harness
the "now" and the entire feeling of the experience,
capturing it on canvas. Her use of rich colors and
multi-dimensional effects reflect her unique view of
the complex beauty in her world. Gallery hours are
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00AM to 4:00PM; Saturday, 11:00AM
to 5:30PM and by appointment. For more information,
contact The Cameron Gallery at 214-747-1414.

If you weren't @ the Cadillac last night you missed a really good time!

Buddy Whittington of the John Mayall Band and Mouse Mayes treated folks to a hell of a good show!

WASHINGTON - Employers buffeted by talk of recession slashed 80,000 jobs in March, the most in five years and the third straight month of losses. At the same time, the national unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent to 5.1 percent, the clearest signal yet that the economy might already be shrinking.

Rest of article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

Nuf Said!

Dell to shut Austin plant, review finance business

Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:55pm EDT

By Philipp Gollner

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc said on Monday it would close its Austin, Texas desktop computer plant with 900 workers, as part of a plan to cut expenses by $3 billion annually in 3 years' time.

The world's second-largest maker of personal computers also said it was reviewing "ownership alternatives" for its financing business, which extends credit to customers buying Dell products.

Dell bought out the remaining stake of the financing business in December from CIT Group Inc, which has been hit hard by the turmoil in the credit markets and may be forced to sell itself.

The announcement came ahead of Dell's first analyst meeting in 3 years this week. Wall Street has been calling on Dell, which ranks behind Hewlett-Packard Co in the PC market, to cut costs more aggressively as profit margins have fallen.

"If you think about the computer industry, it is going through a shift to mobility," said Brent Bracelin, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, referring to laptop PCs.

"Most mobility products are being built in Asia, so having excess capacity in the U.S. doesn't make a lot of sense. It's a smart move," said the analyst who has an "outperform" rating on Dell. "They're going to be talking about cost-cutting initiatives" at the analyst meeting.

The plant-related job cuts are part of Dell's previously announced plan to eliminate about 8,800 jobs, or about 10 percent of the work force. Dell's headquarters are in Round Rock, Texas, just north of Austin, the state capital.

The company said it had already eliminated 3,200 of the targeted jobs. The Austin jobs will be eliminated in phases and production will continue through Dell's fiscal fourth quarter, Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn said.

As for Dell Financial Services, Blackburn said the strategic review was unrelated to CIT's problems and that Dell may end up keeping the unit.

The review should be completed by Dell's fiscal third quarter, the company added.

Dell also said it would reduce costs in design, manufacturing and logistics, materials and operating expenses. It declined to give details of the planned cuts in those areas.

Shares of Dell slipped 1.3 percent in extended trading following the announcement, after closing up 1.6 percent at $19.92 on Nasdaq.

(Editing by Leslie Gevirtz, Andre Grenon, Richard Chang)

There is a lot of work going on in and around the historic downtown square so be careful as you may your way thru town...be considerate!

Its almost that time of year again!

Kick it up a notch

here

Just a friendly reminder that Quinten Hope will be hosting the Thursday night live jam @ Cadillac this week, and the Quinten Hope Band will be playing there on Friday night as well!

Also got a cool email from Charm Cameron saying that Alternative Furnishings would be hosting a book signing reception for Ronnie D. Foster presenting his new book "One Day as a Lion". This book features true stories of the Vietnam War Heroes from Collin County. This will take place from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on April 11th...

From the Shenandoah site:

I remember when the US Dollar allowed me to buy candy for a nickel……

I remember when American cars were completely manufactured in America….

I remember when televisions were made in America….

I remember when Christian holidays were respected and “Spring” was just a season…or winter…or solstices….

I remember when Daylight Savings Time started and it sucked then just as much as it does now…..

I remember when “God” was not an obscene word or concept….

I remember when being an American first was not something you had to hide….

I remember watching television and not worrying about obscene words or behavior….

I remember when “Communism” was considered an evil and the Constitution a blessing….

I remember when politicians were caught in a lie they would actually feel shame….short-lived as it was…

I remember when your local bankster shook your hand and thanked you for your business instead of looking up your credit score to see if he or she wanted to talk to you…..

I remember when owning a home meant creating a neighborhood….

I also remember when “flipping” referred to coins or burgers and not homes…..

I remember when kids actually played outside instead of against each other via online interactive games or the internet….

I remember when getting that first job actually meant something to a sixteen year old….

I remember when credit cards were hard to get….

I remember when radio stations only broadcast in English as their primary language in the United States…

I remember when Civil Defense was a serious issue and homeland security meant preparing for war…..

I remember when illegals were ashamed of being caught….

I remember when being a “typical white person” wasn’t really an issue; we never really looked at color the way people do these days when I grew up….in the Deep South….

I remember when saving money was encouraged and spending foolishly as it is advised now, was frowned upon….

I remember when the price of gold last topped $800….and what happened to our economy….

I remember when lumberjacks were viewed with admiration by little boys as a profession instead of pushed out of business by Marxist environmentalist whackjobs….

I remember when most of our lumber came from the U.S.A. instead of Brazil or China also…..

I remember when a family farmer did not have to answer to faceless bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. about the water quality in their toilets….

I remember when people who got sick from eating foreign produce used to actually get upset and stop buying foreign produce…..

I remember when the Constitution was the word of law and “feelings” were something you worried about with your wife….

I remember when Castro was accurately portrayed as a murdering Communist thug….

I remember when 24 rolls of toilet paper was cheaper than a gallon of gas…..

I remember when a gallon of milk was cheaper than a gallon of gas…..

I remember when gasoline was rationed and inflation was actually feared….

I remember when it was viewed that the government’s business needed to stay out of mine to promote the greater good…

I remember when the idea of “chipping” a pet or livestock was viewed as radical and evil….

I remember when doctors were not scared to treat their patients due to lawsuits….

I remember when lawyers had some degree of honor……

I remember when Newt Gingrich taught a lesson to a class I was in and said that (paraphrasing) History was the most noble of studies…

I remember when the Federal Reserve actually cared about the value of the dollar…..as well as the Treasury….

I remember when our military was allowed to fight to win………..

I remember when “political correctness” was viewed as a joke….alas, no more…..

I remember when Jesus was celebrated in birth, death and rebirth….

Celebrate today.

America needs people to start believing in what founded this nation in it’s principles and moral guidance, not moral hazards.

Happy Easter to All and God Bless!

Happy Easter!

Just a friendly reminder...

Relay for Life is only a month away!

This year it will be held on April 25 & 26, at The Ballfields of Craig Ranch...

Cactus Jack

Guards over the Prison

Always remember...

Things are not always as they seem...

A major casualty of the falling dollar!

'The clock of life is wound but once,
and no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
at late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.'

Vatican lists "new sins," including pollution


By Philip Pullella Posted Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:00am PDT


VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight.


The guidance came at the weekend when Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, the Vatican's number two man in the sometimes murky area of sins and penance, spoke of modern evils.


Asked what he believed were today's "new sins," he told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano that the greatest danger zone for the modern soul was the largely uncharted world of bioethics.


"(Within bioethics) there are areas where we absolutely must denounce some violations of the fundamental rights of human nature through experiments and genetic manipulation whose outcome is difficult to predict and control," he said.



The Vatican opposes stem cell research that involves destruction of embryos and has warned against the prospect of human cloning.


Girotti, in an interview headlined "New Forms of Social Sin," also listed "ecological" offences as modern evils.


In recent months, Pope Benedict has made several strong appeals for the protection of the environment, saying issues such as climate change had become gravely important for the entire human race.


Under Benedict and his predecessor John Paul, the Vatican has become progressively "green."


It has installed photovoltaic cells on buildings to produce electricity and hosted a scientific conference to discuss the ramifications of global warming and climate change, widely blamed on human use of fossil fuels.


Girotti, who is number two in the Vatican "Apostolic Penitentiary," which deals with matter of conscience, also listed drug trafficking and social and economic injustices as modern sins.


But Girotti also bemoaned that fewer and fewer Catholics go to confession at all.


He pointed to a study by Milan's Catholic University that showed that up to 60 percent of Catholic faithful in Italy stopped going to confession.


In the sacrament of Penance, Catholics confess their sins to a priest who absolves them in God's name.


But the same study by the Catholic University showed that 30 percent of Italian Catholics believed that there was no need for a priest to be God's intermediary and 20 percent felt uncomfortable talking about their sins to another person.


(Editing by Keith Weir)

Saturday was one of those rare days...you know...the kind that do not come around to often...

Started off with shooting Erin in the studio with Norm in the afternoon...she is such a joy to photograph!...




Later in the evening we went down into town to attend the opening of Carrie Cameron's new gallery...the Cameron Gallery...a lot of folks made the trip down to support Carrie in this new effort...it was wall to wall people...and will no doubt be a huge success since she brings a unique way of painting and putting together shows to the area...



About 11PM I wondered over to the Cadillac for a beer after hearing a rumor that Jr Clark and Andy Timmons were going to be there...what I got far exceeded that rumor!...when I walked in Jr and Andy were playing, with Johnny Marshall on keyboards - Quinten Hope was already in the house, and soon after that Mike Morgan and Maylee Thomas and her husband George walked in...and we were all treated to a once in a lifetime 3rd set with all of them making their way to the stage at some point...it was "da bomb"!!!!!!!!

It was a little crazy about 1AM~

And for those who may be wonderin...yup...Andy, Quinten and Jr Clark had the jam from hell!

Have spent the majority of today and yesterday revisiting some images from a time long ago...yet filled with memories!

Winter Storm Warning in Effect thru 6AM Friday

Winter Wonderland in North Texas 2Nite!

Most snow I have seen in a good while...

Poor Roxie the wonderdog didn't know what to think! LOL

You are cordially invited to the gala grand opening of
The Cameron Gallery
Dallas' newest addition to the galleries of Dragon Street.
>
Join us for the debut of the latest paintings by Carrie Cameron,
who brings her signature trademarks of spirit and enthusiasm in the visual arts to the Dallas Design, Arts & Antiques district. Specializing in a technique called 3-D oil sculpture, Carrie’s paintings are a study in light, with a strong emphasis on color combined with multidimensional effects.
>
The Cameron Gallery specializes in one-of-a-kind works of art, including
paintings, hand-blown glass, pottery, and jewelry.

Live entertainment by The Maylee Thomas Band
ensures an evening to remember.
>
We look forward to experiencing this very special night with you.
>
Hosted by Carrie Cameron and Steve and Kristi Cameron
and generously co-sponsored by The American Bank of Texas .
>
Saturday, March 8, 7PM to 10PM
The Cameron Gallery / 1414 Dragon Street, Dallas

214-747-1414
Complimentary valet parking
Chic Attire
>
>
>
Best regards,
Tamara Paquee
Director, The Cameron Gallery
www.thecamerongallery.com