• Bank of America Earns $4.2 Billion in First Quarter (http://snurl.com/g9tvd) – Ken Lewis has my back! Who has yours? #
• 1Q 2009 net income of $4.2B. After preferred dividends, including $402 million paid to Papa Obama, diluted earnings/share were $0.44! #
• The Bank funded $85 billion in first mortgages, helping > 382,000 people either purchase a home or refinance their existing mortgage. #
• Wonder when the other successful financial institutions will join us and cede from the union! #
• If it wasn’t clear, Bank of America made more in Q1 2009 than it did in the whole year of 2008. #
• Oracle to Buy Sun: http://tinyurl.com/cb7kxb #
• *sigh* Bunch of haters! #
• Good Morning Team! #
• Lunch w/Tracey and the kids. We are taking turns telling stories. #
• We just finished the story telling … now on to the new day! #
• Working on 2009 Goals and Performance Planning for the year! #
• Fun design conversations … I like talking to artists, they are so differently wired than I am. #
• Firefox just updated itself … nice. #
• Krispy Kreme for breakfast I think! #
• I like Georgia and Verdana personally @jszobody. #
• Soon – Finding Javascript Function in Firebug – very soon: http://snurl.com/gj4ns #
• Collaboration. I … am … collaboration! #
• Watching “The Unusuals” with Tracey … the things I do for that woman. #
• Good Morning World! #
• I lack the language skills required to describe the utterly fantastic day that I have awoken to. #
• How bank of America saved the world .. like it or not! http://snurl.com/gm4pc #
• Sam is going to sing Angel (http://snurl.com/gn1zo) by Sarah McLachlen at the School Talent Show tonight. Looking forward to it. #
• Stockmarkets are down, layoffs are up. Losers outnumber the winners. #
• Mexican Diner! Now off to hear Samantha jam! #
• Samantha nailed it! http://tinyurl.com/dlll52 #
• The world ain’t a garden, so don’t be a hoe! #
• Got some good video of Sam singing tonight, also spent some quality time visiting on the back porch. I love my life, does it get any better? #
• Work Crew is here … gonna go make some sweat! #
• Can’t think of a better investment of my time right now than watching this: http://tinyurl.com/c8htju #
• Experimenting: dog + trampoline http://tinyurl.com/cx8alw #
• Experiment: dog + kids + pool http://tinyurl.com/da96dw #
• He said, “I know very well who you are!” I replied, “That makes one of us.” #
• Go follow @TheUnusualsNYC for some good laughs. #
• Heh – @TheUnusualsNYC is even funnier if you have seen the show and can read the tweets in the dispatchers voice. #
• FDIC, List of failed banks in 2008, USA, 2008 – http://snurl.com/gr8q5 – cool Google Maps mashup thingy #
• Good morning to my “New Drug” – Huey Lewis and The News should have just moved to North Carolina. Wow what a morning! #
• Today is my brothers b’day. He downplays it. Suppose I will too. Besides, I can’t afford to buy him a gift right now. Maybe I should call. #
• Yesterday’s Fishing Trip: Worms(http://snurl.com/grfuu), River Bank(http://snurl.com/grfuu), Chilling (http://snurl.com/grfuu) #
• Scanned in some historic Hines Family Photo’s – check this one out! http://snurl.com/grhxh – no, seriously, that’s Old Man Hines … no Joke #
• Uploading Samatha’s Talent Show Video to YouTube.com now. #
• Looks like SNURL got it’s wires crossed on all the pictures I posted. Ya’ll can figure it out. #
• Samantha HInes – Singing on YoutTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF9RY7Kjk6M #
• Let Us Try some Picture’s again. #
• Tommy, Abby, & Ethan playing with worms: http://photos.hines57.com/albums/2009/2009-04-04%20Apr%20Misc/normal_Perfect_Weekend_354.JPG #
• The River Bank: http://photos.hines57.com/albums/2009/2009-04-04%20Apr%20Misc/normal_Perfect_Weekend_350.JPG #
• Kids Relaxing with Bobbers: http://photos.hines57.com/albums/2009/2009-04-04%20Apr%20Misc/normal_Perfect_Weekend_347.JPG #
• Old Man Hines in Tomastown for Sunday: http://photos.hines57.com/albums/2009/2009-04-04%20Apr%20Misc/normal_Perfect_Weekend_347.JPG #
• Scanned In Historic Hines Album: http://photos.hines57.com/thumbnails.php?album=79 #
• If all else fails … your co-workers are edible! #
• I spend my entire day forwarding funny emails and lubricating my bowels with coffee … I need another cup. #
• CDC: 8 New York students have swine flu – they failed to diagnose congress, the Government is infected with PORK! #

A friend mentioned being unhappy in Chicago and I (obviously) suggested the he move to North Carolina. Another friend advised me to “stop pushing my new drug” and I flippantly stated that pushing it is half of enjoying it. The exchange and wordplay has stuck with me for a while now and I haven’t been able to shake the analogy. It would be unfair to give North Carolina all of the credit, although it tends to get a lot of focus. In reality, there is a “perfect storm” of paradigms that have converged in North Carolina, of which this great state is one.

So then, the question to be answered is, what are the ingredients that make up this drug?

(more…)

• It’s beautiful outside again. I keep waking up and expecting Chicago like weather, two years later, I think that just makes it sweeter. #
• Mud was sucking at my boots, despair at my soul – then, I moved to Lowell, NC!! #
• Its heartaches and grease boys, thats what it takes! #
• I been done in by women, hushpuppies, and catfish! #
• Well – there you have it – BAC is $10+ #
• The Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership Advancement want to send me to a Stress Management Seminar. #
• Why do I never get emails from the Caucasian Organization for Leadership Advancement? #
• Shouldn’t it be, “If you reap, you reap what you sow”? I mean, I planted a nice garden, and the cold snap took out most of it. No reaping. #
• nay #
• Looking for breakfast in all the wrong places! #
• I aspire to inspire before I expire! #
• Beth’s trackmeet. Don’t remember being so bored. No wonder it doesn’t compare to base/foot ball. Golf still confuses me, but so do democrats #
• I continue persevering – parenthood certainly induces the strangest of behaviours. #
• Beth was 12/30 and she ran the whole way! Whoot! Now, finaly, we can leave. #
• Who knows what the noes knows!? #
• Love breakfast from the gas station. They make their own unique sausage, which recently has been less so. Lack of stray dogs does that. #
• Celebration of Pork: http://jinksto.com/blog/?page_id=329 #
• Grits, Gravey, Sausage, and Two Eggs over easy – all in a stack from the corner gas station. The kicker, it only costs $1.26 + tax. #
• Do NOT tell the gas station that it is now the year 2009, I don’t think I can cook breakfast for myself that cheaply at home! #
• Idgits! #
• Who is Ashton Kutcher and why do I care? Didn’t he loose his car or something? #
• I’m relatively sure he was type cast in that movie. #
• Bacon can do anything, check out this Pork Cutter slice through a pan! Bacon Knife: http://www.popsci.com/bacon #
• Tripod set up for pig roasting tomorrow – now to get a pig. http://tinyurl.com/c425sq #
• Picking up the Estep boys and headed to ranch @Jinksto #
• Just found the phone – so here is the first in today pig tweetin! http://tinyurl.com/cv5mx7 #
• Scott and Tyler standin’ pig watch. http://tinyurl.com/dlr8sc #
• Pig turned! #
• That is what she looks like now. http://tinyurl.com/cx9zoe #
• Pork tweet update: http://tinyurl.com/cokutq #
• Tried to get a picture of the whole crew, the fire, and everything. http://tinyurl.com/cmht9k #
• No need for a cigar when you have pork over a hickory fire! #
• That boy needs a haircut! Junior -get me my knife! http://tinyurl.com/dzcodt #
• It is officially after noon here, bar is open! #
• More rednecks – they breed like rabbits! http://tinyurl.com/d42p2v #
• Abby http://tinyurl.com/c3bcat #
• Love seeing my kids play under the southern cross! http://tinyurl.com/db8pkx #
• Kids headed to the creek! #
• It is finished! #
• Good Morning World! And for those interested, I made it through the whole day yesterday without getting any sunburn what so ever! #
• Re-installing MS Visual Studio 2005 #
• Sitting on the Rednecks Incorporated Teamspeak server all by myself, no one to talk to. #
• What do ya’ll suggest as the “best” perl distribution for windows these days? #
• You would think that after 20 some odd years of this I would learn to just set aside one full day every quarter to updated everything. #

• Good Morning World! #
• Cleaning up my Twitter Follow – too much noise. #
• Bank of America to Pay $713 Million in TARP Preferred Dividends : http://snurl.com/fcf76 !! #
• 2010 Census PRACTICE TEST FOR FIELD EMPLOYEE POSITIONS http://snurl.com/fcltw – thanks to @jinksto for sharing! #
• Bed Time! #
• The moaning dawns! #
• Ready to rock and roll! #
• Out to diner with friends! I’m looking forward to the steak! #
• And there it is! http://tinyurl.com/da5bmc #
• Healthy Oatmeal for Breakfast …. in which I put many additional non-healthy things to make tasty! #
• I figure, I came from a long line of people who died … I expect I inherited the same disorder they have and expect to die as well. #
• Having been erased,
  The document you’re seeking
  Must now be retyped. #
• Wonders if @2009AD will have anything to say! #
• You are so vain, you probably think this tweet is about you! #
• We just need to turn up the volume on the log4j settings and cron a grep! #
• Some days I don’t want to be dad … but this isn’t one of those days. #
• I just experienced extreme dejavu! #
• I just experienced extreme de-ja-vu! #
• When I was a younger man I did all sorts of evil things and was want to engage in all sorts of teenagery! #
• The coldsnap decimated my garden, only about 1/3 of the plants survived. Looks like the kids will be getting their hands dirty tomorrow! #
• I believe this is a Good Friday! #
• Time for a Friday Cigar – company will be here at noon, Tracey worries about the scent, but I’m a stinky boy – gonna have to deal with it. #
• BAC stock back up to $9.55 today. Damn you public! I didn’t buy all I wanted when you drove it down to $2! Please panic again for no reason #
• Cooking a pig at Tommy’s house next weekend … let us know if you want to participate! #
• I like caramel a lot it seems. If they didn’t soak the tobacco in caramel I’m not so sure I would enjoy chewing it. #
• Symphony No. 47 In G Major … what are you listening to? #
• Lovely rainy day … just lovely, can we order up a few more of these? Windows all open, cool breeze wafting through, did I say lovely? #
• Thunder Rocks … literally! #
• Hey Lazor Lips! Yer Mamma Was a Snowblower! #
• Hail falls from the sky, and my daughter asks, “If I stand in it, does that qualify as a cold day in hail?” #
• Working on the fire pit for next weekends pig roast! http://tinyurl.com/cktyxr #
• Playing in the mud today!! http://tinyurl.com/de6hy6 #
• Did you see that picture? I love my backyard! I love living in NC! #
• He is risen! #

• He said, “I’ll give you 24 hours to solve it.” I asked, “Consecutive?” #
• Annoy a Liberal today – Work Hard and Be Happy! #
• Keep WORKING – millions on welfare depend on you! #
• Confederates: Fighting Terrorism since 1861! #
• 01.20.13 – Change I can believe in! #
• Stop spreading my wealth …. spread my work ethic! #
• There were 1.5 million people at the inauguration and only 14 missed work! #
• Dr. Is done scoping my lungs. I feel like the time that platoon of marines tried to beat me up. Yes, I said tried. #
• EVE Online: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Blob http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/editorials/5929-The-Enemy-of-By-Enemy-is-My-Blob #
• Did I mention I have a new job? Still at Bank of America, but I’ll be reporting into BJ Fesq on the 13th. Working out the transition now. #
• Ashton VSG and 16 year old scotch whose name I ain’t spelling. http://tinyurl.com/ckbx6g #
• Meeting the new boss and gang for dinner at Blue, Charlotte – it seems un-Bubba like; however, I am so looking forward to the salad! #
• 1. God to 6 men-go mark foreheads of those that weep for people. 2. Go back & kill those without the mark. 3. Start with the Pastors. Ezek9 #
• Cool! http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/ #
• Maintenance on the lawn tractor today! New blades, oil, filters, and a mulch kit installed. Now I get to go ride it around the yard. Pimpin’ #
• Taking Tracey out for a Fast & Furious dinner and a movie! Wonder what to go see? #
• You can not live your life looking at it from someone else’s point of view! #
• The more I like me, the less I want to pretend to be someone else. #