Sunday, November 09, 2008

Instapundit.com -

Instapundit.com -:
"November 09, 2008

'WHEN GOOD MEN DID NOTHING:' It's the seventieth anniversary of Kristallnacht.

UPDATE: It's also the anniversary of the Berlin wall's fall, which was brought about when good men didn't just do nothing."

French Say 'Au Revoir' to Dining Out

French Say 'Au Revoir' to Dining Out
"But while the worsening financial situation is viewed as a major factor in the declining business for restaurants, others point to the recently implemented ban on smoking in restaurants and other tough regulations for driving away business.

Bernard Cartier of the Hotel Industry Union claims that the government needs to step in and help dining establishments cope with the various restrictions they face.But while the worsening financial situation is viewed as a major factor in the declining business for restaurants, others point to the recently implemented ban on smoking in restaurants and other tough regulations for driving away business.

Bernard Cartier of the Hotel Industry Union claims that the government needs to step in and help dining establishments cope with the various restrictions they face."

Venezuela to build military bases near Colombian border

Venezuela to build military bases near Colombian border: "Venezuela will build five military bases close to its border with Colombia to fight drug trafficking, paramilitary intrusions, kidnappings and other criminal acts, Caracas announced Sunday."

Maybe a nice hug from President Barry would help?

French say 'Yes, we can!' too, to ending racism

French say 'Yes, we can!' too, to ending racism
"A manifesto published Sunday — subtitled 'Oui, nous pouvons!', the French translation of Obama's campaign slogan 'Yes, we can!' — urges affirmative action-like policies and other steps to turn French ideals of equality into reality for millions of blacks, Arabs and other alienated minorities.
'Our prejudices are insidious,' Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, a singer and wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy, said"


Singers are wonderful healers!

Councilman Arrested for Peeing on Crowd

Councilman Arrested for Peeing on Crowd
NBC New York: "That's after club staffers saw him relieve himself onto the crowd from a second floor balcony during a concert by a Grateful Dead tribute band."

No mention of the "peester's" political party affiliation...... anyonegottaguess?

He is a god!

Hong Kong's First FREE English Newspaper
"For months, I have been intrigued by the list of stunning achievements attributed to Barack Obama.
When he walks into a stadium, people faint. When he speaks, they burst into tears. When he stumbles, thousands of people throw themselves on the ground.
White people feel he is white enough to have a job that had always been reserved for white people. Black people feel he is black, Asians feel he is Asian, and women feel that under his gray suit he is, possibly, a woman.
What's the explanation for this? After weeks of puzzling, I have finally worked out what it is. Obama is not human - he is a god."

Friday, November 07, 2008

States drain unemployment trust funds

States drain unemployment trust funds
"Michigan is hurting
Michigan, hit hard by the collapse of the auto industry, has essentially nothing left in its trust fund, said Norman Isotalo, spokesman for state's Department of Labor & Economic Growth. New initial claims are up 21% over a year ago, while the unemployment rate hit 8.7% in September, up from 7.3% a year earlier.
Though it has borrowed money from the feds to cover claims since 2006, Michigan has avoided paying interest on the loan by repaying it quickly. The state, however, no longer has the funds to repay the loan, which currently totals nearly $473 million. The debt will starting accruing interest in January, and the state will pass along the additional fees to employers."

Study: Black coach numbers lowest in 15 years

Study: Black coach numbers lowest in 15 years: "Days after the election of the country's first black president, a study shows the number of African-American coaches in major college football is the lowest in 15 years."

Granholm to advise Obama on economy in transition

Granholm to advise Obama on economy in transition
"Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is one of 17 people appointed to help advise President-elect Barack Obama on the economy during his transition period."

Truly inconvenient truths about climate change being ignored - Michael Duffy

Truly inconvenient truths about climate change being ignored - Michael Duffy: "Later that night, on ABC TV's Lateline program, Pachauri claimed that those who disagree with his own views on global warming are 'flat-earthers' who deny 'the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence'. But what evidence could be more important than the temperature record, which Pachauri himself had fudged only a few hours earlier?"

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Barney Bites White House Reporter | NBC Chicago

Barney Bites White House Reporter NBC Chicago: "Apparently, the first dog is not happy about the impending changes at the White House."

Multiple Voting, Insecure Machines

Multiple Voting, Insecure Machines
"Obama won, and he won big enough that nobody can claim that the--undeniable--irregularities in this election were enough to make a difference. His win was beyond the margin of fraud.
But that doesn't mean that there wasn't fraud and there weren't irregularities.
In fact, there were a lot"

Modest Proposal for a Real Fairness Doctrine

Modest_Proposal_for_a_Real_Fairness_Doctrine
"My proposal:
Let's have the FCC require that the networks designate their news people with either a 'D' or a little 'R'. Some examples: 'Katie Couric (D-CBS)', Wolf Blitzer 'D-CNN', 'Keith Olbermann (D-MSNBC), 'Chris Mathhews (D-MSNBC), Bill Moyers and Gwen Ifful (D-PBS) and yes, Joe Scarborough (R-MSNBC). Get the idea?"

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Republicans deserved to lose


Republicans deserved to lose
"The problem is a movement that plays small-ball and cedes responsibility for infrastructure to business interests, leadership that rewards those who make friends rather than waves, an entrenched Party and Movement support system that mostly supports itself, an echo chamber that has rotted our intellect, a grassroots that is ill-equipped to shape the Republican Party, and a Republican Party that has replaced strategy with tactics, substance with marketing.
These problems can be fixed, but the fix is not cosmetic. The rot is deep. We do not need reformation of the Republican Party; we need transformation of the Republican Party. That is going to require fresh blood, new ideas, new infrastructure...and perhaps more than a little time in the wilderness."

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Global Pensions

Global Pensions: "The funded status of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) dropped to 56% in the last fiscal year, down from 64% the previous year."

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."