Gaza aid boat damaged by Israelis reaches Lebanon Reuters
One secret to winning is to dehumanize the other side. You're already halfway there when a situation arises where it's people vs. government. Then, what you do is, don't quote the government and quote the real people of the other side.
"I thought I was going to die. I'm 68. None of us had life jackets on. We are appalled at this barbaric act," he said.
12.30.2008
12.18.2008
Credit card holders livid about 'rate-jacking' - CNN.com
Credit card holders livid about 'rate-jacking' - CNN.com
Except for me, because I pay my credit card off every month.
Except for me, because I pay my credit card off every month.
Mayors' infrastructure request full of pork, critic says - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- A report to Congress that requests $73.2 billion to pay for infrastructure projects around the country includes plans for a polar bear exhibit, an anti-prostitution program, a water park ride, zoos, museums and aquatic centers, CNN has found."
I'd be surprised if it WEREN'T full of pork.
I'd be surprised if it WEREN'T full of pork.
Man who found skull in Caylee case sent police tips months ago - CNN.com: "ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- The meter reader who led authorities last week to remains believed to be those of Caylee Anthony called police four months ago, directing them three times to same site, authorities said Thursday."
Isn't this a bit suspicious?
The meter reader is not the only one, or the first, to have pointed police toward the site containing the remains. KioMarie Cruz, Casey Anthony's childhood friend, also told police to investigate the same wooded area near Hidden Oaks Elementary School a month before the meter reader, according to CNN affiliate WFTV.
Yeah, but she didn't call four times until they found a body!
Isn't this a bit suspicious?
The meter reader is not the only one, or the first, to have pointed police toward the site containing the remains. KioMarie Cruz, Casey Anthony's childhood friend, also told police to investigate the same wooded area near Hidden Oaks Elementary School a month before the meter reader, according to CNN affiliate WFTV.
Yeah, but she didn't call four times until they found a body!
12.17.2008
Venezuelan currency tourists grab cheap dollars | Markets | Reuters
Venezuelan currency tourists grab cheap dollars Markets Reuters
As the US cuts interest rates and government debt increases, it effectively devalues existing dollar holdings around the world. Good thing those Venezuelans are around to take those dollars.
As the US cuts interest rates and government debt increases, it effectively devalues existing dollar holdings around the world. Good thing those Venezuelans are around to take those dollars.
Bloomberg.com: Latin America
Bloomberg.com: Latin America: Ecuador May Be Forced to Scrap Dollar After Default
This guy is totally screwing up his country's economy:
Ecuador defaulted on their debt. Now nobody will lend to them. Oil revenues are dropping. The economy is contracting. How do you stimulate the economy? You can't sell government bonds to finance - you just flipped off the borrowers by defaulting.
Problem is, monetary policy doesn't work either - you can't print money, because it's in dollars. You can't set interest rates - lower interest rates stimulate the economy - but remember the U.S. has an interest rate of 0.0-0.25%. Hard to beat that.
So what do you do? You change your money, scrap the dollar. Let's call it Funny Money. Originally one dollar buys one funny dollar. Except, now you can print more money. You do it in secret, in the basement. Soon everybody has lots of funny money and is super-rich. In funny money. But now, $1 million funny dollars buys $1 dollar.
Hey - still better than Zimbabwe.
This guy is totally screwing up his country's economy:
Ecuador defaulted on their debt. Now nobody will lend to them. Oil revenues are dropping. The economy is contracting. How do you stimulate the economy? You can't sell government bonds to finance - you just flipped off the borrowers by defaulting.
Problem is, monetary policy doesn't work either - you can't print money, because it's in dollars. You can't set interest rates - lower interest rates stimulate the economy - but remember the U.S. has an interest rate of 0.0-0.25%. Hard to beat that.
So what do you do? You change your money, scrap the dollar. Let's call it Funny Money. Originally one dollar buys one funny dollar. Except, now you can print more money. You do it in secret, in the basement. Soon everybody has lots of funny money and is super-rich. In funny money. But now, $1 million funny dollars buys $1 dollar.
Hey - still better than Zimbabwe.
Straw Man? Historians say Obama is no Lincoln - John F. Harris and Alexander Burns - Politico.com
Straw Man? Historians say Obama is no Lincoln - John F. Harris and Alexander Burns - Politico.com:
"Eric Foner, a Columbia historian who has written extensively on the Civil War era, agreed that comparing one's self to Lincoln sets a rather high bar for success, and could come off like 'a certain kind of hubris.'"
"Eric Foner, a Columbia historian who has written extensively on the Civil War era, agreed that comparing one's self to Lincoln sets a rather high bar for success, and could come off like 'a certain kind of hubris.'"
12.16.2008
Calling Foreign Debt 'Immoral,' Leader Allows Ecuador to Default - washingtonpost.com
Calling Foreign Debt 'Immoral,' Leader Allows Ecuador to Default - washingtonpost.com: "Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said yesterday that his nation is defaulting on its foreign debt, fulfilling his longtime populist pledge to leave international creditors in the lurch."
Viva la revolucion!
Viva la revolucion!
12.15.2008
The Associated Press: Family: Shoe thrower hates both US, Iran role
The Associated Press: Family: Shoe thrower hates both US, Iran role
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Iraqi TV reporter who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush was kidnapped once by militants and, separately, detained briefly by the U.S. military. Over time, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year-old unmarried Shiite, came to hate both the U.S. military occupation and Iran's interference in Iraq, his family told The Associated Press on Monday.
See previous inconsistent story about how this dude symbolized the whole arabic hatred of bush. They totally took it out of content.
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Iraqi TV reporter who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush was kidnapped once by militants and, separately, detained briefly by the U.S. military. Over time, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year-old unmarried Shiite, came to hate both the U.S. military occupation and Iran's interference in Iraq, his family told The Associated Press on Monday.
See previous inconsistent story about how this dude symbolized the whole arabic hatred of bush. They totally took it out of content.
Obama takes another page from Lincoln - he'll take train to DC inauguration:
"Obama began his historic presidential run in the Great Emancipator's hometown of Springfield, Ill., in February 2007. In February 1861, Lincoln rode a train from Philadelphia to his inauguration in Washington, stopping to make quick speeches along the way."
...except Lincoln wasn't pretending to be somebody else. He was himself. A depressed, ugly man with no formal schooling, who had no pretensions to greatness.
"Obama began his historic presidential run in the Great Emancipator's hometown of Springfield, Ill., in February 2007. In February 1861, Lincoln rode a train from Philadelphia to his inauguration in Washington, stopping to make quick speeches along the way."
...except Lincoln wasn't pretending to be somebody else. He was himself. A depressed, ugly man with no formal schooling, who had no pretensions to greatness.
ANALYSIS-Iraqi shoe-thrower captures Mideast rage at Bush Reuters: "BEIRUT, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The hurling of shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush on his farewell visit to Iraq strikes many in the Middle East as a fittingly furious comment on what they see as his calamitous legacy in the region."
Whoah - this story is totally interesting. I want to know what his calamitous legacy is all about.
"It indicates how much antagonism he's been able to create in the whole region," former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told Reuters, adding that the incident was regrettable.
Bush had harmed America's reputation and the friendship many had felt for it. "Despite past mistakes in its policies, there was always a redeeming factor. In this particular case, there doesn't seem to have ever been a redeeming factor," Maher said.
What are these past mistakes?!! C'mon, tell me now, his quote's gotta get more juicier than that...
Arabs have long fumed at American support for Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians, but Bush's war in Iraq created a new source of anger and instability in the Middle East.
I think that's it - his calamitous legacy is a war in Iraq. That's sort of a big let-down. It's sorta like taking an incident and building your whole case around it. Somehow the writer managed to include Egypt, Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all in one article of an Iraqi shoe thrower.
Whoah - this story is totally interesting. I want to know what his calamitous legacy is all about.
"It indicates how much antagonism he's been able to create in the whole region," former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told Reuters, adding that the incident was regrettable.
Bush had harmed America's reputation and the friendship many had felt for it. "Despite past mistakes in its policies, there was always a redeeming factor. In this particular case, there doesn't seem to have ever been a redeeming factor," Maher said.
What are these past mistakes?!! C'mon, tell me now, his quote's gotta get more juicier than that...
Arabs have long fumed at American support for Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians, but Bush's war in Iraq created a new source of anger and instability in the Middle East.
I think that's it - his calamitous legacy is a war in Iraq. That's sort of a big let-down. It's sorta like taking an incident and building your whole case around it. Somehow the writer managed to include Egypt, Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all in one article of an Iraqi shoe thrower.
12.14.2008
Palin Apologizes to Pastor for Fire at Her Church - FOXNews.com Transition Tracker
Palin Apologizes to Pastor for Fire at Her Church - FOXNews.com Transition Tracker
Everything is about her, her, her...
Just like the election...
Everything is about her, her, her...
Just like the election...
12.12.2008
U.A.W. in Center of Dispute Over Bailout Failure - NYTimes.com
U.A.W. in Center of Dispute Over Bailout Failure - NYTimes.com
Reading between the lines:
DETROIT — Opponents of a Congressional bailout for Detroit auto companies and the United Automobile Workers union traded charges Friday over who was responsible for the defeat of legislation that would have provided temporary financing until the automakers restructured....
Mr. Gettelfinger called on the Treasury and the White House to release financing and “prevent the imminent collapse of the automakers and the devastating consequences that would follow.” Until now , the White House had resisted such a move, but said Friday morning that it would consider using money from the $700 billion financial bailout to help the automakers...
I don't believe they have the authority. That would imply a pretty loose mandate by Congress about the funds. Congress is already pretty pissed about how the Treasury used money.
"I need $750 billion to buy mortgage backed securities. The financial system is failing!"
"Thanks"
"Oh, I changed my mind. I'm going with the capital infusion program."
"Oh, I actually didn't need $750 billion. But you can't have the money back"
"Oh, we'll use the rest to bail out the auto-industry. F*** your decision."
...But the cuts did not affect most long-time union members, whose hourly pay and compensation is about $55 an hour. The figure ranges above $70 an hour when the automakers’ costs for future health care and retirement benefits is factored in.
Egads, $55 an hour. Though I do support the whole "paying the pension you promised the worker when you hired him" you can still cut that down. DO YOU HAVE A PENSION?? Those things are NICE. Originally created to compensate for the wage differential between workers (lower paid but get a pension) they're useless now, as the wage differential is like zilch. In fact, it's -$10 for a unionized autoworker.
By contrast, workers in plants run by foreign companies in the United States earn about $45 an hour, and the non-union companies do not have the hefty burdens for future “legacy costs” that are faced by the Detroit companies.
Turns out the competitive market actually does work... unfortunately, it's the Japanese that are winning. It's all good for free markets and such, until we LOSE. Fortunately (unfortunately for us) markets have a way of adjusting, unfavorably.
On another point, the bankruptcy option would have allowed the auto companies to renegotiate their union contracts. I suspect they really don't care that much if they're bailed out. I suspect that, that these extended loans won't do much because the money is essentially subsidizing the wages of the autoworker, in an already non-competitive industry, not going into capital investment with returns. (You don't get much (ANY) return from labor if you're overpaying somebody). They will still probably go bankrupt. Then what will we have?
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan expressed anger Friday morning at the failure of the Senate to act on the bailout package. “It’s such an unbelievable stab at workers across the country,” she said in an interview on WJR-AM in Detroit.
Express that anger for the cameras. They love it.
Washington gave a bailout to the financial institutions, and did not ask a single question, the governor said, “then lay the blame for the auto industry, which is a victim of this financial meltdown, on the backs of the people who are working on the line.”
No, you're wrong. The situation is different. The money was used to back liabilities on a bank's balance sheet. While I may not agree with that, it WAS NOT used to subsidize inefficiently paid workers and poor business practices. Theoretically, that money would be lent out again, providing credit to all us taxpayers to buy our BMWs and, perhaps, even GM's. The only people who would'nt have benefited were people who don't use credit or banks. A bailout to the auto industry only benefits those directly involved in that business, perhaps some benefits acrue to those who wouldn't have to compete with laid off workers. However, it's not as if I would be discomfited if I had to buy a Toyota instead of a Crysler.
Reading between the lines:
DETROIT — Opponents of a Congressional bailout for Detroit auto companies and the United Automobile Workers union traded charges Friday over who was responsible for the defeat of legislation that would have provided temporary financing until the automakers restructured....
Mr. Gettelfinger called on the Treasury and the White House to release financing and “prevent the imminent collapse of the automakers and the devastating consequences that would follow.” Until now , the White House had resisted such a move, but said Friday morning that it would consider using money from the $700 billion financial bailout to help the automakers...
I don't believe they have the authority. That would imply a pretty loose mandate by Congress about the funds. Congress is already pretty pissed about how the Treasury used money.
"I need $750 billion to buy mortgage backed securities. The financial system is failing!"
"Thanks"
"Oh, I changed my mind. I'm going with the capital infusion program."
"Oh, I actually didn't need $750 billion. But you can't have the money back"
"Oh, we'll use the rest to bail out the auto-industry. F*** your decision."
...But the cuts did not affect most long-time union members, whose hourly pay and compensation is about $55 an hour. The figure ranges above $70 an hour when the automakers’ costs for future health care and retirement benefits is factored in.
Egads, $55 an hour. Though I do support the whole "paying the pension you promised the worker when you hired him" you can still cut that down. DO YOU HAVE A PENSION?? Those things are NICE. Originally created to compensate for the wage differential between workers (lower paid but get a pension) they're useless now, as the wage differential is like zilch. In fact, it's -$10 for a unionized autoworker.
By contrast, workers in plants run by foreign companies in the United States earn about $45 an hour, and the non-union companies do not have the hefty burdens for future “legacy costs” that are faced by the Detroit companies.
Turns out the competitive market actually does work... unfortunately, it's the Japanese that are winning. It's all good for free markets and such, until we LOSE. Fortunately (unfortunately for us) markets have a way of adjusting, unfavorably.
On another point, the bankruptcy option would have allowed the auto companies to renegotiate their union contracts. I suspect they really don't care that much if they're bailed out. I suspect that, that these extended loans won't do much because the money is essentially subsidizing the wages of the autoworker, in an already non-competitive industry, not going into capital investment with returns. (You don't get much (ANY) return from labor if you're overpaying somebody). They will still probably go bankrupt. Then what will we have?
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan expressed anger Friday morning at the failure of the Senate to act on the bailout package. “It’s such an unbelievable stab at workers across the country,” she said in an interview on WJR-AM in Detroit.
Express that anger for the cameras. They love it.
Washington gave a bailout to the financial institutions, and did not ask a single question, the governor said, “then lay the blame for the auto industry, which is a victim of this financial meltdown, on the backs of the people who are working on the line.”
No, you're wrong. The situation is different. The money was used to back liabilities on a bank's balance sheet. While I may not agree with that, it WAS NOT used to subsidize inefficiently paid workers and poor business practices. Theoretically, that money would be lent out again, providing credit to all us taxpayers to buy our BMWs and, perhaps, even GM's. The only people who would'nt have benefited were people who don't use credit or banks. A bailout to the auto industry only benefits those directly involved in that business, perhaps some benefits acrue to those who wouldn't have to compete with laid off workers. However, it's not as if I would be discomfited if I had to buy a Toyota instead of a Crysler.
12.11.2008
AFP: Mugabe claims no more cholera in Zimbabwe
AFP: Mugabe claims no more cholera in Zimbabwe: "Mugabe claims no more cholera in Zimbabwe
2 hours ago
For my next act, I will cure AIDS ...
2 hours ago
For my next act, I will cure AIDS ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)