Friday, October 31, 2008

The Pension Fund Problem to Come at The Brian Sullivan Blog

The Pension Fund Problem to Come at The Brian Sullivan Blog: "According to a new report from Mercer, large corporations saw their pension plans lose a collective $70 billion off their combined funded status during the volatile first quarter. Adrian Hartshorn, a principal in Mercer’s financial strategy group, pointed out that pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies are now only 98% funded."

Pension Time Bomb

Pension Time Bomb
"Mayor Osby Davis, who has lived in this waterfront city across San Pablo Bay from San Francisco for 60 of his 62 years, says: 'If you have a can that's leaking two ounces a minute and you put an ounce a minute in it, it's going to get empty.' He is describing his city's coffers."

The Daily Show: John Oliver Breaks Down the Stupid Vote | Indecision2008 | Comedy Central

The Daily Show: John Oliver Breaks Down the Stupid Vote Indecision2008 Comedy Central

Erica Jong Tells Italians Obama Loss 'Will Spark the Second American Civil War. Blood Will Run in the Streets' | The New York Observer

Erica Jong Tells Italians Obama Loss 'Will Spark the Second American Civil War. Blood Will Run in the Streets'
"'The record shows that voting machines in America are rigged.'

'My friends Ken Follett and Susan Cheever are extremely worried. Naomi Wolf calls me every day. Yesterday, Jane Fonda sent me an email to tell me that she cried all night and can't cure her ailing back for all the stress that has reduces her to a bundle of nerves.'
'My back is also suffering from spasms, so much so that I had to see an acupuncturist and get prescriptions for Valium.'
'After having stolen the last two elections, the Republican Mafia…'
'If Obama loses it will spark the second American Civil War. Blood will run in the streets, believe me. And it's not a coincidence that President Bush recalled soldiers from Iraq for Dick Cheney to lead against American citizens in the streets.'
'Bush has transformed America into a police state, from torture to the imprisonment of reporters, to the Patriot Act.'"

California Cities Cut Police Budgets - WSJ.com

California Cities Cut Police Budgets - WSJ.com: "When the economic crisis deepened this fall, this city already was losing scores of police and firefighters because it could no longer afford the rich salaries and benefits it offered after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Now, with crime on the rise and tax revenue sinking, this San Francisco Bay area city faces more cuts in police and fire department budgets."

If GM-Chrysler merge, more state retraining

If GM-Chrysler merge, more state retraining: "Granholm says the state can cope with a smaller domestic auto industry but has to deal with the fallout of laid-off workers who will need retraining and other help."

Flint spends $6,000 on ceremonial keys to city

Flint spends $6,000 on ceremonial keys to city
"The struggling industrial city has shelled out $6,000 over the past year to a pawn shop owned by the mayor's wife to buy at least 200 ceremonial keys to the city as gifts."

What you were never intended to know in this election

What you were never intended to know in this election
"The Bradley Effect. Don’t believe these polls for a second. I just went over our numbers and found that we have next to no chance in the following states: Missouri, Indiana, North Carolina, Florida, New Hampshire and Nevada. Ohio leans heavily to McCain, but is too close to call it for him. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico and Iowa are the true “toss up states”. The only two of these the campaign feels “confident” in are Iowa and New Mexico. The reason for such polling discrepancy is the Bradley Effect, and this is a subject of much discussion in the campaign. In general, we tend to take a -10 point percentage in allowing for this, and are not comfortable until the polls give us a spread well over this mark. This is why we are still campaigning in Virginia and Pennsylvania! This is why Ohio is such a desperate hope for us! What truly bothers this campaign is the fact that some pollsters get up to an 80% “refuse to respond” result. You can’t possibly include these into the polls. The truth is, people are afraid to let people know who they are voting for. The vast majority of these respondents are McCain supporters. Obama is the “hip” choice, and we all know it."

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Kentucky.com State & Regional - Wire

Kentucky.com State & Regional - Wire: "A University of Kentucky student and another man were arrested Thursday, accused of hanging a life-sized likeness of Barack Obama from a tree on the campus."

How Detroit Drove Into a Ditch

How Detroit Drove Into a Ditch
"With little fanfare, a new car factory opened in America earlier this month. The new Honda assembly plant in Greensburg, Ind., will produce 200,000 compact Civic models annually after reaching full capacity late next year. The contrast couldn't be starker between Detroit's woes and the continuing U.S. expansion of Japanese, German and Korean car companies -- in both market share and manufacturing capacity. There are two American auto industries, one generally thriving and the other drastically shrinking."

That's Indiana, not India!
Maybe Jenny ought to talk to some of the folks down south of our Michigan border?
Ya think!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

What It Will Take to Build a Rightroots Movement | The Next Right

What It Will Take to Build a Rightroots Movement The Next Right: "Put more succinctly, I've had people tell me conservative bloggers feel 'dirty' asking for money. This sense of modesty and restraint is not felt by the likes of Daily Kos, MyDD, and Open Left. Note the huge blue fundraising graphics that are the first thing you see when you visit their sites. And I'm sure you're probably thinking: 'Well, we don't want to be like Kos.' Well, if not being like Kos means not winning, then I certainly can appreciate the intellectual rectitude at play here. But for those of you who want to move the Republican Party in a different direction, you might want to try something else.
Ace encapsulates the right's reluctance to engage electorally, and what I suspect is going to be the rude awakening that comes as a result of that approach:
I never was all that big into this idea. I think it's now necessary if we're ever going to start winning like we used to.
The GOP needs to do its part, too. It shouldn't be up to John Hawkins to compile a list of House GOP challengers. The GOP needs a permanent online liaison, not just charged with sending out press releases and that sort of thing, but with providing information about candidates -- who's vulnerable, who's a solid challenger, etc."

Althouse: If Obama is so far ahead...


Althouse: If Obama is so far ahead...: "If Obama is so far ahead...

... why isn't he that far ahead?

How weird would it be if McCain won? How would people go about absorbing it?"

A McCain/Palin win could make Bush Derangement Syndrome look like a sad day for a Cubs fan.

CARPE DIEM: King Dollar Hits A 30-Month High


CARPE DIEM: King Dollar Hits A 30-Month High
"The dollar is king of the hill again -- at least for now.
Amid the cascading credit crisis, the U.S. currency has reclaimed its status as the world's haven in tumultuous times."
The U.S. dollar index (vs. major currencies) hit a 30-month high today, reaching the highest level since April 14, 2006 (see chart above).
No MSM coverage here....

The October Surprise—Suit To Remove Barack Obama From The Ballot. Barack Obama Is A Citizen Of ?

Watch it!

Obama could end this now but won't.

Why?

Bra-Stuffing Bribe Scandal Probe Grows


Bra-Stuffing Bribe Scandal Probe Grows
"The federal probe into an embattled Massachusetts state senator who was clandestinely videotaped stuffing alleged bribe money into her bra by the FBI has expanded to include three Boston City Council members, the state senate president and several state liquor board officials, ABC News has learned."

Giving new meaning to the term "falsies".
(yes, she is a democrat)

"... are those guns or am I gonna be happy to see you....?"

Rally At Trinity Protests Racially Offensive Web Post

Rally At Trinity Protests Racially Offensive Web Post
"If the college wishes to end hate on campus, Williams said, it could, by changing its policies to not admit students who are intolerant, increasing student and faculty diversity, and making diversity a central goal."

a Random Rant

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

25 Worst Markets to Find a Job


25 Worst Markets to Find a Job
"7. Visalia, Calif.
Unemployment rate: 11 percent
Last year: 8.9 percent
Job growth: 0.3 percent

15. Muskegon, Mich.
Unemployment rate: 9.9 percent
Last year: 8.1 percent
Job growth: -0.3 percent"

The Columbus Dispatch : Judge rules Ohio homeless voters may list park benches as addresses


The Columbus Dispatch : Judge rules Ohio homeless voters may list park benches as addresses: "A federal judge in Ohio has ruled that counties must allow homeless voters to list park benches and other locations that aren't buildings as their addresses.
U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus also ruled that provisional ballots can't be invalidated because of poll worker errors."


No worries!

Voter fraud don't exist!

Effigy of Sarah Palin hanging by a noose creates uproar in West Hollywood - Los Angeles Times

Effigy of Sarah Palin hanging by a noose creates uproar in West Hollywood
"'While these residents have the legal right to display Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin in effigy, I strongly oppose political speech that references violence -- real or perceived,' Prang said in a statement. 'I urge these residents to take down their display and find more constructive ways to express their opinion.'

Whitmore said that potential hate crimes are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If the same display had been made of a Barack Obama-like doll, for example, authorities would have to evaluate it independently, Whitmore said."

Different laws for different races?

Nothing new here.....and how sick is that?