http://www.politico.com/pol...
With President Barack Obama showing the ailing U.S. auto industry some tough love Monday, POLITICO wondered -- what's ...
... in the driveways of White House aides? A lot of foreign cars, as it turns out.
A survey of West Executive Drive, where White House staffers park, revealed only five American cars out of 23 --a Dodge Grand Caravan, two Ford Escapes, a Jeep Cherokee and a Cadillac.
The lot was sprinkled with BMWs, Mercedes, Hondas, Toyotas, Saabs, Audis, Volkswagens and a Volvo.
Obama himself owns a Ford Escape Hybrid (apparently sitting in Chicago), according to his press secretary Robert Gibbs, who said he drives a gray Ford Escape.
As for Obama's presidential task force on the auto industry, The Detroit News reported what many of them drive when the task force formed. The News said:
Timothy Geithner owns a 2008 Acura TSX and once owned a 1999 Honda Accord, as well as a 2002 Acura MDX.
Larry Summers owns a 1995 Mazda Protégé and previously owned a 1996 Ford Taurus GL.
Peter Orszag owns a 2008 Honda Odyssey and a 2004 Volvo S60, and he previously owned a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 1982 Datsun.
"Climate czar" Carol Browner has recently said she doesn't own an automobile, although she used to own a 1999 Saab 9-5 SE.
Energy's Steven Chu's wife told the Free Press that he doesn't own a car.
The vice president's economist Jared Bernstein owns a 2005 Honda Odyssey.
Obama's economic adviser Austan Goolsbee owns a 2004 Toyota Highlander.
Midwest recovery chief Ed Montgomery owns a 1991 Harley-Davidson and previously owned a 1990 Ford Taurus L station wagon.
Gene Sperling, counsel to the Treasury secretary, owns a 2003 Lincoln LS, and previously owned a 1993 Saturn SL2.
A search by POLITICO on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood shows he owns a 1997 Buick Regal and a Ford Escape Hybrid. He previously owned a Cadillac Deville.
Records could not be found for Christina Romer and Gary Locke.
A favorite whipping horse of liberals (including several at B.com) is the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill that they claim is the cause of the financial crisis the country is currently in. Now Obama has nominated a guy who helped draft that bill to be the second most powerful person at the Treasury department.
http://theplumline.whorunsg...
Hmmm. This isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.
Tim Geithner’s new nominee for number two at the Treasury Department, Neal Wolin, played a key role in drafting legislation in the late 1990s deregulating the banking system, a former Treasury Department official confirms to us.
The law that Wolin helped draft has been blamed by some critics, many of them Democrats, for easing up regulatory pressure on huge financial institutions, tangentially helping create today’s mess — and his role drafting it could come under questioning at his upcoming confirmation hearings.
Our reporter, Ryan Derousseau, came across Wolin’s role in researching our big profile of Wolin at WhoRunsGov.com. Stuart Eizenstat, a deputy Treasury secretary under Bill Clinton, confirmed that as Treasury’s general counsel at the time, Wolin “provided the technical and legal drafting” for the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
As Ryan writes, the Act hasn’t been directly blamed for today’s meltdown. But it did pave the way for the birth of huge financial companies like Citigroup that were deemed “too big to fail” when their mortgage bets went belly-up and the credit market evaporated. The government, of course, had to bail out these institutions with billions in taxpayer dollars.
Wolin — who was picked after several other candidates passed on the slot — did the legal work under then-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who is now Obama’s head of the National Economic Council. The difference here is that Summers’ post, unlike Wolin’s, is a non-confirmable one, so he hasn’t been pressed publicly on Gramm-Leach-Bliley. The question now is whether Wolin will come under sharp questioning over his role in creating it.
But, but, but...the Republicans are the evil hypocrites! Waaaa! This can't be!
No word yet on whether he has any unpaid taxes, but he was picked only after several other candidates said no thanks.
Yeah, I know. This is a real shocker, but it still needs to be noted.
http://politics.nashvillepo...
"The kicker, though, were the dozen or so floodlights grandly highlighting several trees and illuminating the driveway entrance of Gore’s mansion."
Of course, the Gores tried to defend themselves by claiming it is ok because they're house is powered by geothermal energy.
Well isn't that nice. I guess that I can burn all the juice that want now because my electricity comes from one of those Kern river, hydroelectric, renewable energy powerhouses up in the canyon. Thanks Al! I no longer have to feel guilty about living a 21st century existence.
The Gaffepaluza road show stopped off in Chile this week and, for those of us that just know Biden will do it, continued his habit of eating shoe leather everytime he opens his mouth.
http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtm...>
MAN, BIDEN IS A GAFFE WITH LEGS: during his meeting with Spain's primer minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in Chile yesterday, Biden thanked Zapatero for his effort... in Iraq (link in Spanish, haven't found this detail in any English-language media).
As everybody knows, the first decision Zapatero made after his unexpected win in 2004, right after the Madrid train terrorist attacks, was to abruptly and unilaterally pull out from Iraq. So either Biden made a gaffe, or he was thanking Zapatero for angering Bush...
UPDATE. When I wrote the post I didn't remember to add this, which makes things even worse: shortly after ordering the withdrawal of Spanish forces from Iraq, Zapatero called the other countries to follow the example. Some help, Biden.http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtm...>
http://cei.org/human-achiev...
The Competitive Enterprise Institute plans to recognize “Human Achievement Hour” between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on March 28, 2009 to coincide with Earth Hour, a period of time during which governments, individuals, and corporations have agreed to dim or shut off lights in an effort to draw attention to climate change. Anyone not foregoing the use of electricity in that hour is, by default, celebrating the achievements of human beings.
We salute the people who keep the lights on and produce the energy that helps make human achievement possible.
Green and private conservation are fine. We have no problem with an individual (or group) that wants to sit naked in the dark without heat, clothing, or light. Additionally, we would have no problem with the group holding a pro-green technology rally. That is their choice. But when this group stages a “global election” with the express purpose of influencing “government policies to take action against global warming,” we have every right as individuals to express our vote for the opposite
If Human Achievement Hour is at all a dig against Earth Hour, it is so only by the fact that we are pointing out what Earth Hour truly is about: it isn’t pro-earth, it is anti-man and anti-innovation. So, on March 28th, CEI plans to continue “voting” for humanity by enjoying the fruits of man’s mind.
With all that's going on in the world today, it's easy to forget what is important. Like which two-bit hustler's product is better for cleaning up that wine or beer you spilled while reaching for the pretzels or remote. Well the folks at Popular Mechanics have tested the products and give the verdict here. You may be surprised at the winner, but most likely (and rightly) shouldn't care.
BTW, Popular Mechanics has other "as seen on TV" reviews here.
Am I a prude or is it right and normal for the Bakersfield Californian to post banner ads for online gay hookup websites on its web site? I think it is totally inappropriate to advertise something that promotes/facilitates casual sex. Homo or hetero.
Is the Bakersfield Californian that desperate to pay its bills?
From somewhere in Massachusetts
PITTSFIELD — A woman who allegedly intended to artificially inseminate her wife with her brother's semen has been charged with domestic assault and battery.
Pittsfield police responded to a call shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the city's Morningside neighborhood, where the assault allegedly occurred.
Stephanie K. Lighten, 26, was released on personal recognizance after denying the allegations in Central Berkshire District Court Wednesday morning.
Jennifer A. Lighten, 33, told police that Stephanie Lighten, her wife, was "all liquored up" when she returned to their Lincoln Street apartment, where the defendant then allegedly tried to use a syringe to inseminate her, according to a police report.
Jennifer told investigating officers that Stephanie "has been talking about trying to impregnate (her) for some time," police said.
According to a report by Pittsfield Police Officer Kipp D. Steinman: "Jennifer said that Stephanie had a 'turkey baster and her brother's semen in a sealed container.' Jennifer said she told Stephanie that she didn't want to get pregnant." The device was actually a large syringe with a catheter tip, police said, and it was still in its original package when officers confiscated the item.
That's allegedly when Stephanie threw Jennifer on the couch, grabbed at her clothes and threatened to impregnate her, police said.
Jennifer broke free, ran into the bathroom and locked the door. Stephanie "then broke the bathroom door down," police said, hurting her wrist in the process.
When Stephanie went to retrieve an ice pack from the freezer, Jennifer bolted from the apartment and attempted to get away in the couple's sport utility vehicle, police said.
As Jennifer pulled away from the scene, Stephanie "jumped on the side of their vehicle, swung the door open and made (Jennifer) stop," Steinman said.
According to Officer John Bassi, a witness at the scene claimed Stephanie "was hanging on the SUV door handle, trying to get into the car." Amber Hunt told Bassi that Stephanie nearly caused an accident when the vehicle narrowly missed hitting a tree in the front yard of Hunt's Spring Street home.
Police arrested Stephanie Lighten near the intersection of Spring and Curtis streets in Morningside.
Police also confiscated the container of semen and some aluminum foil, which was originally used to hold the semen. Nicholas Lighten, Stephanie Lighten's brother, was the donor, according to police.
Detective Thomas H. Harrington said Jennifer Lighten declined "to go forward with charges of assault with intent to rape" because she did not believe "Stephanie was going to sexually assault her with the syringe." However, Harrington informed the alleged victim that attempted rape charges could be filed if she changes her mind.
Want to know how well 0bama is doing after 50 days in office? Just look at where people are and aren't spending their money.
Sales are up here.
Prices are getting slashed here. (They must have a lot of inventory.)
Is this an example of the true character of this man, or is it just more evidence that these guys running the country now are completely inept? To even float the idea of making our wounded veterans use private insurance to treat their service related injuries speaks volumes to what this administration thinks of Vets.
"Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance."
"Charging for service-related injuries would violate "a sacred trust," Veterans of Foreign Wars spokesman Joe Davis said. Davis said the move would risk private health care for veterans and their families by potentially maxing out benefits paying for costly war injury treatments."
How to Get Your Family out of a Financial Crisis
So you lost your job because you were doing a little too much wheeling and dealing. It is hard to know what to do when you lose your job, especially if you still have teenagers living in the house. Now, the very fact that this crisis is largely of your own making means that it's not beyond your ability to solve. Your problems are rooted in past mistakes, not your capacity for future greatness. It will take time, perhaps many years, but you can rebuild that lost trust and confidence. You can restore opportunity and prosperity.
Steps
1. Announce a Family Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jump-start job creation and long-term growth. Since the reason you are in trouble is that a job has been lost, you need to get a job, or better yet, two or three jobs. Only by having jobs in the family can you get yourself back up on your feet. But how are you going to get those jobs when no one is hiring? There is an easy answer.
2. Create jobs by hiring your family members. Just go out and do it. But what, you ask, are you going to hire them to do? And what are you going to use for money? The trick is to kill two birds with one stone, by putting your house into better shape at the same time as you create those jobs.
3. Pay your children to fix up your house. Hopefully you have a few children. The more the merrier. Pay one of them to paint the house green. Pay one to put new sod down on your tired lawn. Pay another one to renovate the kitchen. Won't it be grand to have that nice granite countertop you have always dreamed of? Now is the time! Since the entire family is in a terrible crisis, everyone will go along with your plan, and support it, no questions asked. Just tell them that because you are creating so many great new jobs, there will be gobs of money later. Possibly not this year, but by next year, things are really going to turn around and you will be in the pink. Certain luxuries were out of your reach before, but why shouldn't you get a few goodies out of this family crisis? Put a little weatherstripping in the mudroom and get a high def TV while you are at it.
4. Go to the bank and borrow a few hundred thousand dollars. You are going to be using this money to pay salaries to your children. Yes, it is really that simple. When you are in a terrible financial crisis, the answer is to borrow a huge amount of money. Now is not the time to worry about going into debt. Borrow three hundred thousand dollars. See how easy that is? Now you can pay them one hundred thousand dollars each. Your whole family will instantly go from being down and out, to living on easy street. It is time to set a new course for this family, and that change must begin now. Don't forget to set aside a very small portion of the money to buy a few condoms for your children. Especially if your wife Nancy thinks it's a good idea.
5. Rest in the assurance that you have taken the wisest steps towards recovery. Starting with little to no cash, you pulled your whole family up by their bootstraps. You created jobs and wealth, just by sprucing up and renovating your house! After working this kind of magic, you will be back on top of the world!
Tips
* If your family members are dragging their feet and don't want to go along with you, just have a nice breakfast with all of them and get them on board with your plan. What you need is unity and bipartisanship. If they still disagree with your scheme, then say very sternly and ominously "Now, I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible. If nothing is done, this situation could linger for years."
* Avoid getting any loan with interest payments attached. Interest only adds to the amount you will have to pay back at some later time. Interest could add another hundred thousand dollars to your debt and you would find yourself owing almost half a million dollars. Don't sign up for that. Well, unless you have to, that is. Interest-free loans don't float in on the wind.
* If a bank won't deal with you, borrow the money from a really rich country. China, for example. They have a bunch of money because they keep taxes really low and they have all the jobs, including the one you just lost.
* If your kids worry that they will get stuck with the bill a few decades from now, tell them you have no choice. You are forced to borrow the money. It is the only way out of the crisis. Remind your children that "This crisis did not happen solely by some accident of history or normal turn of the business cycle, and we won't get out of it by simply waiting for a better day to come or relying on the worn-out dogmas of the past."
* Besides, you can always charge them a very high percentage of their income as room-and-board money later so that you will have plenty of money for your loan payments. It is even better if you think ahead and pay one of your kids more than the other kids. That kid will be the rich kid in the family. Just make the rich kid pay all the room-and-board money. The poor kids shouldn't have to pay anything at all even if you do take care of their every need. But you can give them a room-and-board credit, which will make everyone in the whole family feel very compassionate. Except for the rich kid, that is. But he will feel very patriotic!
* It's time to trade old habits for a new spirit of responsibility. It is time to finally change the ways of your family so that you can set a new and better course.
Warnings
* Since you are in a dire emergency, you have to take action right away, or things could get much, much worse. You are in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime.
* Remind your family that there is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the family budget deficit in the short term. But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes and confidence in the financial situation of your family.
* If your kids are worried that their kids (your grandkids) are going to have to repay all that money one day, plus a shedload of interest, remind them that they are not going to have children! And that is the beauty of your brilliant Family Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. It is horribly expensive, but you are never going to have to pay the money back, and since you won't have any grandchildren, they won't have to pay either. And that's why Nancy wanted you to buy those condoms.
