TUC Update

[Judge Roy Bean]

A blast from the past.

I recall that Rick McLaren and some others went to jail. Anybody know if any of these dim bubbas are still in the wild?

Yes. But like most sovereign proponents they are still holding out for someone in the circular quick-draw to go first.

[Demosthenes]

McLaren is in for life. The others got out of prison a few years ago, but none of them have hit my radar screen.

The ROT is still around, but is controlled by the least contentious of the original leaders. The original ROT split into three groups in 1996 - one group went to prison for the stupid hostage standoff and bank fraud scheme, the second went to prison for plotting to assassinate Bill Clinton, and the third is running a smaller weaker shadow of the org.

http://www.texasnationalist.com/independence/index.php

[Judge Roy Bean]

OK, Demo - time to spill the beans on TUC....

[Demosthenes]

Patience is a virtue.

Besides, I'm in Chicago and am considering my din din options right now.

[Imalawman]

Patience is a virtue.

Besides, I'm in Chicago and am considering my din din options right now.

Hey, I'll be living there in 3 weeks, be sure to PM me if you're going to be visiting there again.

[Demosthenes]

I travel to Chicago every few months, mostly for fun. This time, however, I'm here to get some continuing ed units for my CFP at the IRS Tax Forum. Three days in an overpriced hotel with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of IRS employees and tax preparers...

I won't be blogging this trip...

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

Patience is a virtue.

Besides, I'm in Chicago and am considering my din din options right now.

So where did you eat?

[Demosthenes]

Giordano's.

[RyanMcC]

The only place I remember eating in Chicago was Ed Debevic's:

Chicagoans, prepare to get kitschified. Upon sitting down in a plastic, sparkly booth at the "diner deluxe," you'll be forced to don a paper Ed Debevic's deli hat. Clad in primary-colored polyester, servers dish out sassy mock rudeness while taking and serving your order.
A staple for tourists and one-time necessary visit for locals, Ed's lavishly spans almost an entire block in bright pink and green. Enter the faux-'50s eatery and prepare to be sucked into a hodgepodge of characters, fake prints of Elvis and Sinatra autographs and other smart-aleck decor.

The atmosphere compensates for the ho-hum menu, where the most interesting items include Kitchen Sink nachos and jack cheddar quesadillas (though the Chili Six Ways is quite yummy). Come for a burger and a Vanilla Coke ("Sicko!" retorted my waitress), top it off with the World's Smallest Ice Cream Sundae (no bigger than a shot glass, seriously) and stay for the wait staff's countertop booty-dance. Most sandwiches and burgers hover just under $10.

Though you may get lost behind the hostess's fake 'fro, don't forget to put a coin in one of eight bubblegum machines. Just don't stick your money in the tableside jukebox. According to our server, "It's as fake as your blond haircolor."

http://centerstage.net/restaurants/ed-debevics.html

[Imalawman]

Giordano's.

Always a good choice for pizza. All their stores are great.

I'm going to living in very close proximity to one of the priciest restaurants in Chicago. The daily prix fixe is $117 a person. Needless to say I won't be eating there anytime soon. I am looking forward to learning the restaurant scene in Chicago for places that are less than 100 bones per person.

[Demosthenes]

I'm going to try to get over to the Frontera Grill while I'm here. It's my favorite Chicago restaurant. I also have to walk over to Marshall Field's (now Macys) to pick up some Marshall Field / Frango chocolates for the hubby. Just riding the building escalator up and down is big fun for me.

[Demosthenes]

I'm going to living in very close proximity to one of the priciest restaurants in Chicago. The daily prix fixe is $117 a person.

We went to a place like that last fall. It was called Tru and was $145 per person for the "Chef's Market" - a nine course tasting meal. And that's not including the wine.

Very, very disappointing. The prevailing texture for almost half the courses was gelatinous, which I found unappealing. I also thought the host and wait staff were snotty beyond belief, although they offered their car and driver to return us to our hotel.

[Demosthenes]

The monthly issue of Investment Advisor (free by the way) has a quiz each month good for 1 hour of CFP CE credit.

No tchotchkes when you get CE that way.

Instead, today's tour through the vendor area yielded a Taxpayer Advocate jar opener, an IRS Criminal Investigation letter opener, a TIGTA staple remover, an EITC calculator, a Social Security Administration ruler, and dozens of cheap logo pens. I even got a blueberry pie from a group called the Independent e-filers of America.

[Nikki]

Instead, today's tour through the vendor area yielded a Taxpayer Advocate jar opener, an IRS Criminal Investigation letter opener, a TIGTA staple remover, an EITC calculator, a Social Security Administration ruler, and dozens of cheap logo pens. I even got a blueberry pie from a group called the Independent e-filers of America.

Isn't it cute how they rename and give away the obsolete torture instruments?

[Nikki]

I find the border line betwen tchotchkes and cr*p is nanometers thin.

Besides, I have a less than zero need for pens and staple pullers and such. I use a particular type of Pentel pen and my desks have matching stapler, tape dispenser, hole punches, pen holders and such - all modern, sleek, clean and matching.

You CAN get treatment for that problem.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

I find the border line betwen tchotchkes and cr*p is nanometers thin.

Besides, I have a less than zero need for pens and staple pullers and such. I use a particular type of Pentel pen and my desks have matching stapler, tape dispenser, hole punches, pen holders and such - all modern, sleek, clean and matching.

You CAN get treatment for that problem.

Well not really. It's not a choice, it's genetic

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

Giordano's.

Always a good choice for pizza. All their stores are great.

I'm going to living in very close proximity to one of the priciest restaurants in Chicago. The daily prix fixe is $117 a person. Needless to say I won't be eating there anytime soon. I am looking forward to learning the restaurant scene in Chicago for places that are less than 100 bones per person.

I've never been to Giordano's, but Gino's East is an old favorite. Good pie and interesting architecture (translation: it's a hole) as well. Where will you be? If you like steak, Wildfire (downtown) offers very good food very reasonably (~$25 - $30 per entree). I've been there many times and have never been disappointed with the service or food though it can be a bit loud sometimes. Great creme brule' too.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

Besides, I have a less than zero need for pens and staple pullers and such. I use a particular type of Pentel pen and my desks have matching stapler, tape dispenser, hole punches, pen holders and such - all modern, sleek, clean and matching.

Please note, I only said the items on my desk were neat, tidy, sleek and matching, which makes a nice counterpoint to how messy it is (usually) with papers and files and such.

Duly noted.

Off to Comic Con this weekend?

[Leftcoaster]

I find the border line betwen tchotchkes and cr*p is nanometers thin.

I think they have a tchotchke that will actually make those measurements for you

[TUC]

FYI.-

.VIEW LATEST COURT DOCUMENTS + 15 BILLION BOND FROM TUC
http://theunitedcities.org/web/BOAvsTUC ... Filing.pdf

.VIEW TUC V BOA SETTLEMENT OFFER NOW
http://theunitedcities.org/web/BOAsettlement.pdf