The outlook for the economy is so bad that saying we're going to be in a severe recession may be the optimistic point of view. Some feel we're more likely hading into a full fledged depression with no good solutions. This of course doesn't help the "purple funk" I'm already in because of the holidays. Now this crap has to hang over my head like some kind of Bizzaro world mistle toe. You know, instead of getting to kiss whoever wanders is under it, only you are under it and you get fu#%ked in the ass by everybody. Here's my dilemma, while I feel the need to prepare for this impending economic collapse, how far should I go? I mean is this going to be much adieu about nothing or should I seriously start hording can goods? Do I cancel my land line phone service, cable TV, and start buying generic beer? (Oh, no way I'm going through this without beer) Should I stop paying my health insurance ($343 per month) about $4,000 a year with a $500 deductible that I never reached last year so in fact I paid $4,000 plus every Fu#%ing doctor's bill.
To add to this aggravation is the fact that with each passing day, it becomes more and more apparent that our government representatives are is so very corrupt and in the pockets of those who only value profits. When America's middle class is gone and there are millions out of work, only then will these greedy SoBs be happy. Why? Skilled labor will be much cheaper when there are no good paying jobs left. The unemployed will be lining up thousands deep for a pay check, even if it is only a fraction of what they used to make. This is the end result of unregulated capitalism. This is what 28 years of Reagonomics has brought us to. His advisers realized that in the late sixties and early seventies that a healthy middle class adversly affects businesses' profit margins. The larger the prfit margin in a fiscal year the better the return on investment. Right Hank Panky Paulson, you SoB! When labor has the means a decent life (the American Dream) then have time to scrutinize the hierarchy. This is bad for unfettered profits. Those who have a lot or are planning to get a lot do not want the average Joe to be aware of just exactly what they're doing. They don't want a reasonable and sustainable profit margin that affords them a better than average life, they want to win the lottery! The fast and quick fortune now. "What do I care what happens to the economy, job market, people, etc. etc. I got mine. With billions I'll be fine, my kids and thier kids will be fine. F%#@ everybody else. " People with this mentality are stripping away what little wealth there is left in the middle class and when it gets to the point that blue collar workers no longer have discretionary income . . . it's over Charlie. Duh!
My stomach turns as I watch mother fuxing Paulson and his buddies extort billions of blue collar workers' tax dollars for their own financial gain, while the big three auto-manufactures lay off workers so their executives can glom bonuses from the table scraps of the Paulson's treasonous Treasury. It is obvious to me that anything short of a complete over haul of our congress and senate (it's operations and personnel) won't fix a God Damn thing. Nobody is acting on behalf of the people! Nobody! Even my Independent voice of the progressive movement, Bernie Sanders, only points out the problems but, won't do a thing to stop it. For example: I keep being told that unless the Dems win 60 seats in the house they're not going to be able to get things done because the Repubs can filibuster. Well, Hello! Why can't Bernie or Lahey use the filibuster to stop some of this obvious pillaging?!!! I'll send them a can of Sucrets when their throats get sore.
This ain't funny anymore! Yes, Obama is appointing some really nice cabinet members. . . educated people who believe in evolution and know that the earth is hell of a lot older than 6 thousand years. Science will actually get to play a part in the upcoming administration instead of loyalty and religion. However, in the financial and economic sections of the administration will be a lot of Clinton re-treads. Several of whom, helped get us into our current economic straights.
Okay, I'm done for thanks for letting me vent.
Merry Christmas
DaG out
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
What's the deal, Barack?
He hasn't even been sworn in yet and already he's given me cause for concern. Rick Warren, are you kidding me? Barack has chosen the anti gay marriage /anti choice /anti stem cell research pastor of Saddleback church to give the invocation at his inauguration.
I've never understood why Bible thumpers feel the need to have everybody else play by their rules or why they cherry pick verses from the Bible and ignore others. The pooftas aren't out in force making sure that no one gets divorced even though they have scripture on their side. Ricky and his followers pick and choose translated version of the scriptures as if they were written by God himself. (Masculine God because we're dealing with bible thumpers) It is well known by educated folks that while Lev 20:13 says man shall not lie with man, it says nothing about women. Party on Ladies! Just remember that in Deuteronomy it says you can't wear dude's clothes. Oh yeah, don't forget that you're not supposed to prepare food for the men when you're menstruating.
This so called man of God has stated that if same sex marriages are legal then the next "logical" step will be pedophiles marrying children, incestuous marriages, inter species marriages, and of course polygamy. Polygamy was common place in biblical times. I some religious leaders just like to gloss over that part. Several arranged marriages took place where an adult male was wed to a pre-teen. Not that I'm in favor of that it's just that it didn't used to be taboo. You know a lot things written in the Bible teach great lessons in morality, especially the parts like "do not judge lest ye be judged, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and mind your own God Damn business! Oh, I'm sorry that wasn't in the Bible. At least not the King James version. It may have been in some of the chapters that wasn't canonized.
Mr. Prez elect please tell me that you're working an angle here. Tell me that you've got some master plan and this controversial decision is a part of it. The right is royally pissed that Warren is going to give the invocation at Obama's inauguration. They can't believe that their modern day Billy Graham is going to give his blessing to that liberal Chicago politician that pals around with terrorists and supports a woman's right to choose. Then on the other side of the equation: the left (especially the gay left) is up in arms about this choice because so many busted their asses (no pun intended) to help get pro gay rights/pro choice Obama elected. Only to have that man choose one of the most vocal proponents of Prop 8. After that crushing defeat Obama has just opened the spout on a Mortons iodized and poured it directly into their wound.
So, what's the deal? Is this a sign that the "change" candidate is a phony? He seems to be of two minds on the whole same sex marriage question. While on one hand he supports gay rights but on the other he says that marriage is defined by the union of a man and a woman. True, but (I'll use the Reverends logic here) that broad description opens the door to Brothers and Sisters marrying as well as Fathers and Daughters.
Is this decision a tempest in a tea pot, or a revealing look at how Obama will govern? I certainly hope that Mr. Obama isn't the typical politicians who campaigns for one thing only to deliver another after being elected. (See-"W") Is he smarter than all of us and wants to show the intolerant that their way is very un-Christian like, in which case he probably should have stated something to that effect. I hope that this is a calculated move designed to bring us together as a nation, and not his first mis-step as president. Maybe he's thinking that if he can't make everybody happy so he'll just piss everybody off and by doing that the offended will commiserate and find common ground.
DaG out
I've never understood why Bible thumpers feel the need to have everybody else play by their rules or why they cherry pick verses from the Bible and ignore others. The pooftas aren't out in force making sure that no one gets divorced even though they have scripture on their side. Ricky and his followers pick and choose translated version of the scriptures as if they were written by God himself. (Masculine God because we're dealing with bible thumpers) It is well known by educated folks that while Lev 20:13 says man shall not lie with man, it says nothing about women. Party on Ladies! Just remember that in Deuteronomy it says you can't wear dude's clothes. Oh yeah, don't forget that you're not supposed to prepare food for the men when you're menstruating.
This so called man of God has stated that if same sex marriages are legal then the next "logical" step will be pedophiles marrying children, incestuous marriages, inter species marriages, and of course polygamy. Polygamy was common place in biblical times. I some religious leaders just like to gloss over that part. Several arranged marriages took place where an adult male was wed to a pre-teen. Not that I'm in favor of that it's just that it didn't used to be taboo. You know a lot things written in the Bible teach great lessons in morality, especially the parts like "do not judge lest ye be judged, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and mind your own God Damn business! Oh, I'm sorry that wasn't in the Bible. At least not the King James version. It may have been in some of the chapters that wasn't canonized.
Mr. Prez elect please tell me that you're working an angle here. Tell me that you've got some master plan and this controversial decision is a part of it. The right is royally pissed that Warren is going to give the invocation at Obama's inauguration. They can't believe that their modern day Billy Graham is going to give his blessing to that liberal Chicago politician that pals around with terrorists and supports a woman's right to choose. Then on the other side of the equation: the left (especially the gay left) is up in arms about this choice because so many busted their asses (no pun intended) to help get pro gay rights/pro choice Obama elected. Only to have that man choose one of the most vocal proponents of Prop 8. After that crushing defeat Obama has just opened the spout on a Mortons iodized and poured it directly into their wound.
So, what's the deal? Is this a sign that the "change" candidate is a phony? He seems to be of two minds on the whole same sex marriage question. While on one hand he supports gay rights but on the other he says that marriage is defined by the union of a man and a woman. True, but (I'll use the Reverends logic here) that broad description opens the door to Brothers and Sisters marrying as well as Fathers and Daughters.
Is this decision a tempest in a tea pot, or a revealing look at how Obama will govern? I certainly hope that Mr. Obama isn't the typical politicians who campaigns for one thing only to deliver another after being elected. (See-"W") Is he smarter than all of us and wants to show the intolerant that their way is very un-Christian like, in which case he probably should have stated something to that effect. I hope that this is a calculated move designed to bring us together as a nation, and not his first mis-step as president. Maybe he's thinking that if he can't make everybody happy so he'll just piss everybody off and by doing that the offended will commiserate and find common ground.
DaG out
Monday, December 15, 2008
Please Mr. Bush don't hold it against them.
This weekend while on a surprise "farewell" tour of Iraq and Afghanistan, "W" had 2 shoes thrown at him during a scheduled press conference.
The president's message on progress in the region was having trouble competing with the videotaped image of the angry Iraqi who hurled his shoes at Bush in a near-miss, shouting in Arabic, "This is your farewell kiss, you dog!" The reporter was later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.
In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt. Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam with their shoes after U.S. Marines toppled it to the ground following the 2003 invasion.
"I'm not insulted. I don't hold it against the government," Bush said later in an interview with ABC News. "The guy wanted to get on TV and he did. I don't know what his beef is, but whatever it is, I'm sure someone will hear it." Bahgdad newspaper.
Mr. President, you don't know what his beef is? I realize you don't like to read the newspaper but, maybe someone on your staff does. You might want to ask them for some specifics about conditions in Iraq. Nearly 8 years after declaring "Mission Accomplished" much of Iraq is still without a clean water supply, two thirds of the population only receives electricity a few hours a day, (According to the Special Inspector General for Iraq reconstruction and the U.S. State department: less power is available today than a year ago due to a lack of experienced engineers and technicians, persistent sabotage by insurgents, poor planning, and the on going feud between the Oil and the Electricity Ministries in Iraq. ) Betcha won't hear that reported on Fox news.
Back to more reasons why that guy threw his shoes: hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed by either our military, hired thugs, or by insurgents, (that came a running into the country once we invaded), U.S. bombs blowing up innocent civilians by the executive order of King George. After the invasion thousands of Iraqi's best educated professionals (engineers . . . hello!) career people (those who had the money to leave) have fled the country(those without the money became refugees crossing on foot into surrounding countries. Last year's exodus was absorbed mostly by Syria, which took in some 500,000 Iraqis during the year -- or nearly half of the more than a million people who sought refuge by crossing an international border during 2007. Tens of thousands more Iraqis also found their way to Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Turkey, and even Sweden and Germany, which took in, respectively, 10,000 and 6,700 Iraqis during the year. The "World Refugee Survey 2008", said more than two million Iraqis are currently living outside their homeland, the vast majority in Syria and Jordan.
So you see that the mass exodus has left Iraq with the largely poor and uneducated . . . a perfect breeding ground for religious zealots and terrorists organizations.
"W" quipped with journalist after the incident and even tried to make light of it. I certainly hope that he's not just putting on a happy face and secretly seething inside. While I understand the reporter's anger I don't know how wise it is to insult "W" on the world stage. Remember this guy goes off half cocked at the drop of a hat. He's a born again Christian who looks forward to the 2nd coming of Christ. This guy wants it to happen in his lifetime which of course requires this little happening I like to call . . .Armageddon. 30 days is a long time, and judging by past performance I wouldn't put it past "W".
So, this is my plea to you Mr. President: Turn the other cheek. Ignore the fact that he called you a murderous dog, and thrust upon you his culture's greatest insult. Be Christ like George, forgive him as I hope you will be forgiven. Then lace up that guy's shoes and walk a mile them .
DaG out
UPDATE: it is being reported that the correspondent is currently being held by Iraqi authorities and is being tortured. Tortured by Iraqi authorities? I thought that Sadam was dead and American democracy fixed all that.
The president's message on progress in the region was having trouble competing with the videotaped image of the angry Iraqi who hurled his shoes at Bush in a near-miss, shouting in Arabic, "This is your farewell kiss, you dog!" The reporter was later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.
In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt. Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam with their shoes after U.S. Marines toppled it to the ground following the 2003 invasion.
"I'm not insulted. I don't hold it against the government," Bush said later in an interview with ABC News. "The guy wanted to get on TV and he did. I don't know what his beef is, but whatever it is, I'm sure someone will hear it." Bahgdad newspaper.
Mr. President, you don't know what his beef is? I realize you don't like to read the newspaper but, maybe someone on your staff does. You might want to ask them for some specifics about conditions in Iraq. Nearly 8 years after declaring "Mission Accomplished" much of Iraq is still without a clean water supply, two thirds of the population only receives electricity a few hours a day, (According to the Special Inspector General for Iraq reconstruction and the U.S. State department: less power is available today than a year ago due to a lack of experienced engineers and technicians, persistent sabotage by insurgents, poor planning, and the on going feud between the Oil and the Electricity Ministries in Iraq. ) Betcha won't hear that reported on Fox news.
Back to more reasons why that guy threw his shoes: hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed by either our military, hired thugs, or by insurgents, (that came a running into the country once we invaded), U.S. bombs blowing up innocent civilians by the executive order of King George. After the invasion thousands of Iraqi's best educated professionals (engineers . . . hello!) career people (those who had the money to leave) have fled the country(those without the money became refugees crossing on foot into surrounding countries. Last year's exodus was absorbed mostly by Syria, which took in some 500,000 Iraqis during the year -- or nearly half of the more than a million people who sought refuge by crossing an international border during 2007. Tens of thousands more Iraqis also found their way to Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Turkey, and even Sweden and Germany, which took in, respectively, 10,000 and 6,700 Iraqis during the year. The "World Refugee Survey 2008", said more than two million Iraqis are currently living outside their homeland, the vast majority in Syria and Jordan.
So you see that the mass exodus has left Iraq with the largely poor and uneducated . . . a perfect breeding ground for religious zealots and terrorists organizations.
"W" quipped with journalist after the incident and even tried to make light of it. I certainly hope that he's not just putting on a happy face and secretly seething inside. While I understand the reporter's anger I don't know how wise it is to insult "W" on the world stage. Remember this guy goes off half cocked at the drop of a hat. He's a born again Christian who looks forward to the 2nd coming of Christ. This guy wants it to happen in his lifetime which of course requires this little happening I like to call . . .Armageddon. 30 days is a long time, and judging by past performance I wouldn't put it past "W".
So, this is my plea to you Mr. President: Turn the other cheek. Ignore the fact that he called you a murderous dog, and thrust upon you his culture's greatest insult. Be Christ like George, forgive him as I hope you will be forgiven. Then lace up that guy's shoes and walk a mile them .
DaG out
UPDATE: it is being reported that the correspondent is currently being held by Iraqi authorities and is being tortured. Tortured by Iraqi authorities? I thought that Sadam was dead and American democracy fixed all that.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Rebel Yell!
Senator Richard Shelby, much like an earlier Shelby (General in the Confederate state of Missouri) is spear heading the opposition against Yankee auto makers. However, this current incarnation is not rallying the troops for his beloved Dixie. He and his fellow Southern states Republican Senators are defending their beloved special interests: Non union Japanese and German car manufacturers along with their union busting conservative lobbyists who would like nothing more than to bring Detroit and the UAW to their knees.
Just in case you forgot:
*In 1993 officials in Alabama lured a Mercedes-Benz facility, the first foreign auto plant in the state, with a package worth $258 million. *In 1999 Alabama put together a $158 million subsidy deal to land a $400 million, 1.7 million-square-foot Honda plant. In 2002 state and local officials provided an additional package worth $90 million, including $33 million in tax breaks over 20 years, when Honda decided to expand the facility. *When South Korean carmaker Hyundai staged a competition for a $1 billion plant, various states put together bids, but it was Alabama that won the contest in 2002 with a package worth $252 million
That is a total of $758 million for three foreign manufacturers. I couldn’t find the numbers for Toyota, but assuming it is similar to the packages given to Mercedes, Honda, and Hyundai, that would bring the total to around $1 billion. All this while Alabama's schools and infra structure crumbled. Shelby also purchased several hundred Mercedes cars for his official state fleet of cars. I bet he got a sweet deal too.
So a billion dollars from the taxpayers of Alabama to subsidize foreign automakers is OK, but $14 billion to keep the domestic auto industry from collapsing, and 2.5 to 3 million jobs along with it, is not a wise use of our money?
No, this is not about fiscal responsibility for Shelby and the others who oppose the bailout of the Big Three. I didn’t see them threatening a filibuster when $700 billion was going out the door to rescue the fatcats on Wall Street.
This is about busting up the UAW, plain and simple. If the automakers go through bankruptcy their union contracts are gone, not to mention the pensions and health care benefits for over 400,000 retirees.
But that doesn’t matter to Shelby and his cronies, they’re just lowly blue-collar people, let them eat cake.
This trend seen through out the southern states appears to be pay back for the Civil War. With Japan and Germany's help the South may well rise again! Not the middle class mind you but the power brokers of the South. This Union busting scheme will in essence reduce our working class (middle class) into slave labor or at the very least indentured servants.
If the big three go under so will those poor southern dummies who think that Shelby and his Klan are looking out for their best interest. If we enter a depression or even a continuing recession, those who used to buy Mercedes and Hondas won't be able to afford new ones. Bubba will get pink slipped as well.
It seems to me that the haves are hell bent on crushing the have nots. I see and hear congress men, Senators, talk show hosts, Corporate CEOs, right wing pundits, ( all of which don't like to talk about how much $ they make an hour nor do they like to talk about the incredible Health care benefits they receive.) blaming the UAW and it's over paid labor force for the failure of the auto industry. Blue collar workers who make $28 an hr actual and $75 an hr if you use Fox's figures (they add in the benefits of health care) are being asked to take a reduction in wages, to pay for their own Health Care and all this while our country in going through the worst recession in 30 years. Warren Buffet once said, "Yes there is class warfare in this country and my class is winning."
CEO's of the big three make nearly 300 times that of the average worker, and yet it's the factory rat who is over paid? Are you kidding me? The UAW has already made several concessions including wage reduction as well as agreeing to take over the Health Care costs while the companies administrative positions have given up zilch. I know it's mind boggling. We must be brain washed by all the Fox propaganda or we have fallen victim to the Stockholm syndrome.
DaG out
Just in case you forgot:
*In 1993 officials in Alabama lured a Mercedes-Benz facility, the first foreign auto plant in the state, with a package worth $258 million. *In 1999 Alabama put together a $158 million subsidy deal to land a $400 million, 1.7 million-square-foot Honda plant. In 2002 state and local officials provided an additional package worth $90 million, including $33 million in tax breaks over 20 years, when Honda decided to expand the facility. *When South Korean carmaker Hyundai staged a competition for a $1 billion plant, various states put together bids, but it was Alabama that won the contest in 2002 with a package worth $252 million
That is a total of $758 million for three foreign manufacturers. I couldn’t find the numbers for Toyota, but assuming it is similar to the packages given to Mercedes, Honda, and Hyundai, that would bring the total to around $1 billion. All this while Alabama's schools and infra structure crumbled. Shelby also purchased several hundred Mercedes cars for his official state fleet of cars. I bet he got a sweet deal too.
So a billion dollars from the taxpayers of Alabama to subsidize foreign automakers is OK, but $14 billion to keep the domestic auto industry from collapsing, and 2.5 to 3 million jobs along with it, is not a wise use of our money?
No, this is not about fiscal responsibility for Shelby and the others who oppose the bailout of the Big Three. I didn’t see them threatening a filibuster when $700 billion was going out the door to rescue the fatcats on Wall Street.
This is about busting up the UAW, plain and simple. If the automakers go through bankruptcy their union contracts are gone, not to mention the pensions and health care benefits for over 400,000 retirees.
But that doesn’t matter to Shelby and his cronies, they’re just lowly blue-collar people, let them eat cake.
This trend seen through out the southern states appears to be pay back for the Civil War. With Japan and Germany's help the South may well rise again! Not the middle class mind you but the power brokers of the South. This Union busting scheme will in essence reduce our working class (middle class) into slave labor or at the very least indentured servants.
If the big three go under so will those poor southern dummies who think that Shelby and his Klan are looking out for their best interest. If we enter a depression or even a continuing recession, those who used to buy Mercedes and Hondas won't be able to afford new ones. Bubba will get pink slipped as well.
It seems to me that the haves are hell bent on crushing the have nots. I see and hear congress men, Senators, talk show hosts, Corporate CEOs, right wing pundits, ( all of which don't like to talk about how much $ they make an hour nor do they like to talk about the incredible Health care benefits they receive.) blaming the UAW and it's over paid labor force for the failure of the auto industry. Blue collar workers who make $28 an hr actual and $75 an hr if you use Fox's figures (they add in the benefits of health care) are being asked to take a reduction in wages, to pay for their own Health Care and all this while our country in going through the worst recession in 30 years. Warren Buffet once said, "Yes there is class warfare in this country and my class is winning."
CEO's of the big three make nearly 300 times that of the average worker, and yet it's the factory rat who is over paid? Are you kidding me? The UAW has already made several concessions including wage reduction as well as agreeing to take over the Health Care costs while the companies administrative positions have given up zilch. I know it's mind boggling. We must be brain washed by all the Fox propaganda or we have fallen victim to the Stockholm syndrome.
DaG out
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Scatter Shooting or Fluff and Stuff
3 months is too long for the presidential transition. The new administration was already facing multiple problematic obstacles like an ill advised occupation, A world view of the US as "shoot first, ask questions later" imperialist, an increasingly deadly situation for our troops in Afghanistan, trillions of $ stolen by a corrupt congress, treasury, and federal reserve, the outsourcing of jobs, skyrocketing health costs, etc. etc. Now, in his last weeks as commander in thief, "W" is signing into law as many corporatist beneficial/ environmental detrimental pieces of legislation he can. Here's a few:
1. Uranium Mining Permits Near Grand Canyon Could Increase
2. EPA Won’t Regulate a Contaminant in Drinking Water
3. Federally Funded Institutions Could Turn Down Abortion Requests for Moral or Religious Reasons
4. Public Lands May Be Leased for the Development of Oil Shale
5. EPA Lets Factory Farms Decide If They Need A Permit to Discharge Animal Waste into Waterways
6. Rules on Dumping of Mine Debris Eased
Not all of his midnight signings will contribute to the destruction of our eco system but, this being the DaG report, we need to focus on those that will.
Can I ask a question? What exactly are we doing in Afghanistan? I thought the only reason we went in there in the first place was to get Osama. At the time I thought it a good idea. I mean we were attacked, about 3 thousand people were killed, and the mastermind and leader of the organization that committed the offense was in Afghanistan. Then logic entered into my thinking. It wasn't because Bin Laden was hiding there, it was because the highly profitable gas pipeline was endanger of being compromised. The Taliban even offered to turn Bin Laden over to international authorities but, "W" stubbornly said "No way Jose . . .er, I mean Mohamed."
Then he ordered our nation's military to invade a sovereign country supposedly to capture or kill one man. (Something he repeated not a few months later) Never mind the fact, that not one of the 9/11 attackers were from Afghanistan. Jump ahead 7 years. After removing the Taliban and then moving on to Iraq, they have reorganized and retaken most of what the had lost. They are now stronger and better equipped than before, secretly supplied by the same country they were at war with in the 80s (Russia). Remember Rambo III? Same country Afghanistan only Russia and the US have switched roles.
So, back to my original question. What the hell are we doing there? Osama isn't even there anymore, he's in Pakistan! When the world sees our military trampling through 2 middle Eastern countries (plus Pakistan and Iran), is it any wonder that they hold us in low esteem?
What are the chances that we can just back out with our heads bowed and say "Sorry. Sorry.
My bad. Sorry. . ." and get out of there. Will Barack see the waste of time and human life that it is and put a stop to it? Probably not. We'll just stay there killing and getting killed for reasons far less that noble.
We've just been informed that we've been in a recession for a year now. If you don't think that out news media is severely censored, this should prove you wrong.
In economics, the term recession generally describes the reduction of a country's gross domestic product (GDP) for at least 2 quarters. The usual dictionary definition is "a period of reduced economic activity", a business cycle contraction.
The U.S.-based National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) defines economic recession as: "a significant decline in [the] economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP growth, real personal income, employment (non-farm payrolls), industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales." Dec. 1, 2008 The nation's economy peaked, and the recession began, in December 2007, the National Bureau of Economic Research announced today. Prior to this release, not a single media outlet used the term recession even though we've been in one since April of 2008.
The unemployment stats are skewed as well. When you hear or read a government report stating unemployment claims or percentages understand that these stats do not figure in those jobless Americans whose unemployment benefits have expired, nor do they include those who were self employed and had no unemployment insurance. The current unemployment figures show that 10.3 million Americans are currently filing for unemployment. Roughly 6.7 % of our labor force. The actual percentage or number of jobless is considerably higher.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich Arrested: Trying to sell Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder among other things. This guy's a piece of work. Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel blew the whistle on him after Blogo placed a call to him. So far every single right wing pundit has bent over backward trying to connect Blogo to Obama. Conveniently ignoring the fact that Obama's people turned the greedy SOB over to U.S. attorney Fitzgerald. (you might remember him from the Scooter Libby trial and conviction) Fitzgerald, specifically says that there is no connection between Obama and Blogo but, predictably the Right wingnuts just keep repeating the guilt by association propaganda in order to muddy the waters of the uninformed electorate.
Obama hasn't even taken the oath of office yet and he's already responsible for the Great Depression of 2009, the escalation of violence in Afghanistan, and the corrupt politics of Chicago, Illinois.
Now I don't want to leave you feeling down and sullen. It is the Christmas season and we should all try to find our inner Buddha. (?) Anway, the good news? Fox's O'reily and Hannity ratings are falling.
DaG Out
1. Uranium Mining Permits Near Grand Canyon Could Increase
2. EPA Won’t Regulate a Contaminant in Drinking Water
3. Federally Funded Institutions Could Turn Down Abortion Requests for Moral or Religious Reasons
4. Public Lands May Be Leased for the Development of Oil Shale
5. EPA Lets Factory Farms Decide If They Need A Permit to Discharge Animal Waste into Waterways
6. Rules on Dumping of Mine Debris Eased
Not all of his midnight signings will contribute to the destruction of our eco system but, this being the DaG report, we need to focus on those that will.
Can I ask a question? What exactly are we doing in Afghanistan? I thought the only reason we went in there in the first place was to get Osama. At the time I thought it a good idea. I mean we were attacked, about 3 thousand people were killed, and the mastermind and leader of the organization that committed the offense was in Afghanistan. Then logic entered into my thinking. It wasn't because Bin Laden was hiding there, it was because the highly profitable gas pipeline was endanger of being compromised. The Taliban even offered to turn Bin Laden over to international authorities but, "W" stubbornly said "No way Jose . . .er, I mean Mohamed."
Then he ordered our nation's military to invade a sovereign country supposedly to capture or kill one man. (Something he repeated not a few months later) Never mind the fact, that not one of the 9/11 attackers were from Afghanistan. Jump ahead 7 years. After removing the Taliban and then moving on to Iraq, they have reorganized and retaken most of what the had lost. They are now stronger and better equipped than before, secretly supplied by the same country they were at war with in the 80s (Russia). Remember Rambo III? Same country Afghanistan only Russia and the US have switched roles.
So, back to my original question. What the hell are we doing there? Osama isn't even there anymore, he's in Pakistan! When the world sees our military trampling through 2 middle Eastern countries (plus Pakistan and Iran), is it any wonder that they hold us in low esteem?
What are the chances that we can just back out with our heads bowed and say "Sorry. Sorry.
My bad. Sorry. . ." and get out of there. Will Barack see the waste of time and human life that it is and put a stop to it? Probably not. We'll just stay there killing and getting killed for reasons far less that noble.
We've just been informed that we've been in a recession for a year now. If you don't think that out news media is severely censored, this should prove you wrong.
In economics, the term recession generally describes the reduction of a country's gross domestic product (GDP) for at least 2 quarters. The usual dictionary definition is "a period of reduced economic activity", a business cycle contraction.
The U.S.-based National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) defines economic recession as: "a significant decline in [the] economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP growth, real personal income, employment (non-farm payrolls), industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales." Dec. 1, 2008 The nation's economy peaked, and the recession began, in December 2007, the National Bureau of Economic Research announced today. Prior to this release, not a single media outlet used the term recession even though we've been in one since April of 2008.
The unemployment stats are skewed as well. When you hear or read a government report stating unemployment claims or percentages understand that these stats do not figure in those jobless Americans whose unemployment benefits have expired, nor do they include those who were self employed and had no unemployment insurance. The current unemployment figures show that 10.3 million Americans are currently filing for unemployment. Roughly 6.7 % of our labor force. The actual percentage or number of jobless is considerably higher.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich Arrested: Trying to sell Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder among other things. This guy's a piece of work. Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel blew the whistle on him after Blogo placed a call to him. So far every single right wing pundit has bent over backward trying to connect Blogo to Obama. Conveniently ignoring the fact that Obama's people turned the greedy SOB over to U.S. attorney Fitzgerald. (you might remember him from the Scooter Libby trial and conviction) Fitzgerald, specifically says that there is no connection between Obama and Blogo but, predictably the Right wingnuts just keep repeating the guilt by association propaganda in order to muddy the waters of the uninformed electorate.
Obama hasn't even taken the oath of office yet and he's already responsible for the Great Depression of 2009, the escalation of violence in Afghanistan, and the corrupt politics of Chicago, Illinois.
Now I don't want to leave you feeling down and sullen. It is the Christmas season and we should all try to find our inner Buddha. (?) Anway, the good news? Fox's O'reily and Hannity ratings are falling.
DaG Out
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)