Top Kill Failed

Yesterday the chances of success were still 60-70%.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2821307120100528?type=marketsNews

Today Just kidding it failed.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/29/us.gulf.oil.spill/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Time for Plan E.

Plan E is the next blind shot in the dark to make people believe BP may actually be able to stop this disaster.

In reality everyone should know this is continuing till August. Enjoy the show. These are top notch actors you are watching.

Wednesday it is 60-70% chance it is going to work.
Thursday it is 60-70% chance it is going to work.
Friday it is 60 -70% chance it is going to work.
Saturday It failed.

This "Top Kill" process kept people distracted for a week and a half. That is pretty good. I wonder how long the next show (attempt)will keep everyone distracted.

Steve Ballmer Your Hero.....

I used to argue with this VP at Information Week Magazine. I once commented on one of his pro offshoring articles and he wrote me back. He copied this other VP on his response. Then I proceeded to kick his azz email after email and he never wrote back again. Every now and again I kick him in the azz again just for fun. Below is my latest email.


http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/05/steve_ballmer_p.html
Over the last ten years Microsoft has laid off thousands of American workers and invested Billions in India.

Whenever companies do that they always say “We have to create shareholder value…… The shareholders own the company. We owe it to the shareholders to maximize the stock value”

Then when it blows up in their face and the company is worth half of what it was 10 years ago the same knit wits (Steve Ballmer) stand up and say we don’t care about the stock price. “Stock Markets will take care of themselves”

And you Bob Evans stand up and clap when they send the jobs overseas. Then you clap some more when it is a complete failure. Yay…Steve Ballmer is the man. His company is worth half.

Microsoft products are boring. When was the last time you saw a line form for the Microsoft Zune? When was the last time you saw a Zune? Vista was a train wreck. Web TV is uninspiring.

Apple is kicking Microsoft azz all over Silcon Valley and still you stand there and deny reality.

Microsoft used to be the most successful company in the world. Then again so was GM. GM sent lots of plants to Mexico and the result was bankruptcy. I bet you clapped for that too.
Wake up already.

They outsourced to India to make more money and they failed. It always fails. It doesn't ever not fail.

BTW…. How is that Dreamliner coming along? Have you flown in one yet? Didn’t think so. More outsourcing success stories for Information Week to gloat about.

Those Who Don't Learn From History......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata&v=x9A36A3GTcY

Microsoft Licking Their Wounds

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704269204575270083925943178.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

Microsoft licking their wounds after the azz kicking Apple has been giving them.

The picture tells the story. Microsoft laid off thousands of American workers and put all it's money into India. The result is clear. Vista was a disaster. Zune was forgettable. Overall nobody gives a crap about any of their products. Nobody gets passionate in defense of Microsoft. They always relied on their monopoly power and that is being eroded away. The company is completely unimaginative and spends all their time playing catch up.
Apple creates a product and there is buzz. People talk. Lines form. Their consumer base is loyal. While there are lots of things not to like about the way Apple does business their creativity and marketing is second to none.

In business usually there is a need and business runs in to fill the need. With Apple they create a product and the market forms around their product. I can't think of any other company that can make that happen. And Apple does it product after product.

Overall Microsoft is a big giant and their death will take time but the aging process is underway. My prediction is in 10 years they will be half of what they are today.

Government Approved

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/05/gov_gives_ok_to_try_top_kill_m.html


What a joke. BP has been leaking (gushing) oil for 37 straight days. BP has been dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of chemical dispersants into the ocean for weeks. But the government now has to approve this attempt to stop the catastrophe. Are they kidding with this sh*t. Why? Are they trying to protect the environment. Where was the government when BP was cutting every corner. Where was the government 38 days ago when this all could have been prevented. Now they want to approve the situation. Laughable.......

Tylenol - The Numbers......

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/25/news/companies/tylenol_recall_adverse_consumer_complaints/


775 serious side effects and 30 Deaths.

Funny when this story first appeared it was "There are problems but none of them are serious". Now the story changes..... as it always does.

Now it is "There are problems and people are dead because of them."

Sorta like when the BP platform sank and it was.... there is nothing leaking. Ok there is a little leak. OK there is a big leak. OK there is a ridiculous amount of oil leaking. OK this will be the largest oil spill in history and we can't stop it.
When Toyota first had issues it was a couple of cars have floor matte issues. OK there is actually an accelerator issue too but it is no big deal. OK it is a big deal and it effects more cars. Many many more cars. OK millions of our cars are a complete death trap and we don't know why. But we are working on it.

Corporations.......Whatever they say is a lie. Lie after lie after lie. Trust none of them.

US China Meetings

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/asia/25diplo.html

"President Hu Jintao, welcoming the 200-strong American delegation in the Great Hall of the People, praised the “mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation” between the United States and China." Wow Obama sent his entire government over there. That is how important China is to Corporate America.

Mr. Geithner lobbied against Chinese government procurement rules that give preference to products with intellectual property developed in China (Protectionism)

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner did not mention China’s currency in his opening remarks (Must handle the Chinese with Kid gloves), and the United States did not broach it in the first working session. (Don't want to offend our bankers) The administration has decided not to prod Beijing at this meeting (So what is the point of the meetings) , officials said, concluding that it would resist outside pressure.

If the US was serious about the Chinese under valuing their currency the solution is simple. Tariffs! Consider the problem solved. But that might make the Chinese angry and they could refuse to make Ipods for Steve Jobs. Can't have that.... so no Tariffs.

"The Chinese have their pet issues as well: Beijing is pushing for the United States to loosen controls on exports of high-technology equipment with potential military applications." So they can build a better military and offset our strength when they decide to take back Taiwan.

Day 34

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/science/earth/25spill.html

BP still shooting in the dark. Still no freakin idea how to stop the disaster. Idea after idea delayed and then fails. Meanwhile the days keep counting.

Plan 1) We are going to put a big steel box over the leak. Didn't work.

Plan 2) We are going to put a small steel box over the leak. Didn't work.

Plan 3) We are going to stick a pipe in the leaking pipe and suck the oil. Kinda worked but since they lied about the amount of oil leaking it really hasn't made a difference. BP lied who woulda thought.

Plan 4) High pressure mud pumped into the well to cap it. Suppose to start last Thursday. Then Sunday. Then Tuesday. Now delayed again. Will it work. Probably not. Hence why they keep stalling to buy time.

Plan 5) Pump old tires and golf balls in the gushing well.

Plan 6) Stay tuned I am sure it will be a dozy.

Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson has coached the Lakers for 10 years.

He has won 6 Conference Championships (Is working on is 7th) and won 4 World Championships.

In the last 10 years Phil didn't coach the team one year (2004) which was also the only year the Lakers didn't make the playoffs.

Overall Phil has won 10 World Championships in 19 years as a head coach. As a reward for his stellar performance (unrivaled in Professional sports). The richest team in the NBA http://www.nba.com/2009/news/12/09/team.values.ap/index.html is demanding if he returns he take a huge pay cut. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/05/phil-jackson-to-take-pay-cut-if-he-returns-to-lakers---/1

My prediction is Phil tells the Lakers to f*ck off and goes to the Knicks with Lebron James. Phil used to play for the knicks. NY is the biggest stage there is. Lebron is (supposedly) the best player in the world. The Knicks have plenty of money to burn. Maybe the Russian Billionaire will coax him and Lebron to NJ. Wherever it is I bet where Lebron goes Phil goes.

The Lakers will spend the next 10 years wondering why they were so stupid (and cheap).

Banking CEO's Dining at the White House.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/20/1446380/bofa-ceo-among-those-dining-at.html

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan at the State Dinner.
American Express CEO Ken Chenault at the State Dinner
Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman at the State Dinner.Timothy Geithner Treasury Secretary at the State Dinner.
Chris Dodd, head of the Senate banking committee at the State Dinner

All the banking elite invited to dine like royalty. The high flying CEO's (along with the shady government officials who are suppose to be regulating them) toasting Champaign glasses and laughing at the little people on the other side of the White House gate.

Were there any average people there? Anybody there who lost their house to foreclosure? Any unemployed people there?

All the banks who were just bailed out by the tax payers (who took the money and put it in their pockets as bonuses) returning to dine on more fine food also provided by tax payers.

Obama - Change you can believe in
Obama - Man of the people.

North Korea sinks South Korean war ship

The result -

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/05/obama-north-korean-belligerence-shows-weakness-not-strength/1
"The United States strongly condemns the act of aggression that led to their deaths." Wow that is really telling them what's what.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052003135.html

"Pentagon won't admit act of war."

Really... That is interesting because The United States specifically entered World War One because German U Boats kept sinking Neutral ships. Specifically the Lusitaniania. That was absolutely considered an act of war.

The United States went to war with Vietnam because the North was challenging US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin.

But today sinking another country's ship is not necessarily an act of war. I guess times have changed.

I think the Pentagon is more worried about the 1 million North Korean soldiers massed on the DMZ who are facing our 28,000 troop.

The North could over run the south in a matter of days if they wanted to. Seoul could be reduced to talcum powder if all the artillery pointed at it was fired. In the old days the US was prepared. The US had Stealth Fighters - now retired. The US had F-22's - no longer made. The US had F-14's - all retired and destroyed. The US has A6 intruders - Retired. The US had battleships - Retired. The US had SR-71s - Retired. The US had U2 Spy planes - Retired.

After the last 9 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq the military is a shell of what it used to be.. Instead of being ready for anything we have only focused on the threats in the current war zones. Protecting against road side bombs and building more drones. None of which apply in Korea.

That short sided approach has left us vulnerable. The military is aware of the issue hence why in 2010 sinking another countries ships is not necessarily an act of war. Lets all take a deep breath and talk about something else because going to war with North Korea is not something the United States is prepared to do. Everyone close your eyes and lets hope the issue goes away. That was the approach when the North tested a Nuke and that is the approach today. Talk tough and ignore the problem. How successful foreign policy is done.

Oh how the times have changed.

"Defying Predictions"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/economy-watch/2010/05/new_weekly_jobless_claims_rise.html?hpid=moreheadlines

"Unexpectedly" has been replaced with "surprising"

SURPRISE.... the Economy still sucks azz. Who would have thought.....

Unemployment keeps rising and this is "Defying predictions" Whose predictions? Not my predictions. I should be getting paid for my predictions. I have been on the money for 10 straight years. The economy sucks and will continue to suck for a very long time. That is what I predicted in 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10 and my predictions continue on this way into the next 30 years. Everyone should get used to it.

Nobody in Washington is addressing the real problems. Nobody is even acknowledging what the real problems are. That is why they are all getting voted out. The Republicans think the Democrats are getting voted out because everyone wants the Republicans back. And Vice versa. In truth everyone is getting voted out because NOBODY gets it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/19/AR2010051902703.html


Meanwhile Obama is dining like royalty completely oblivious to what is going on in the real world.

I bet the meal was delicious. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/19/AR2010051903766.html

I am sure Beyounce sounded great. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iC_elJ9H-i3kcjESzk2ZZMwhWXiAD9FQH8P80

Teachers Getting Battered In Bad Economy

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/nyregion/20teachers.html

"The recession seems to have penetrated a profession long seen as recession-proof. Superintendents, education professors and people seeking work say teachers are facing the worst job market since the Great Depression"

"School officials and union leaders estimate than more than 150,000 teachers nationwide could lose their jobs next year"

“I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do,” said Ms. Pankow, 23, as she waited outside the principal’s office at Pelham Memorial last week, among 619 people applying for one English position.

Foxconns H*ll Factory

http://gizmodo.com/5542527/undercover-report-from-foxconns-hell-factory?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29

"the factory workers live in a sort of indentured servitude."

"They work all day long, stopping only to quickly eat or to sleep. They repeat the same routine again and again except on public holidays. Liu surmised that for many workers, the only escape from this cycle was to end their life."

"Foxconn workers only smile on the 10th of every month. That's the day when they get their salaries. That day, the ATM machines inside the factory are crowded with workers. Their monthly salaries start at 900 Chinese Yuan—about $130."

"Most of the workers had nothing to say about the popular Apple products they assemble. Most can't afford to own an Apple product."

"they envied workers who are sick. They get leave approvals and can get some rest."

"One worker got his finger cut-off during production."

"He likes to drop stuff on the floor. Why? Workers spend achingly up to eight hours standing up, so they feel that squatting down to grab a fallen object is the most restful moment of their working day."

I bet Steve Jobs sleeps like a baby at night.

Nothing better then a supportive wife.....

http://www.tmz.com/2010/05/14/lawrence-taylor-wife-welcomed-home-statutory-rape-lt-miami/

Hi Honey, How was your trip to NY? I missed you. Anything interesting happen on your trip? Did you meet any 16 year old runaway prostitutes that you paid $300.00 to have sex with? Just asking...

Avoid The Deli Counter

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64G5TN20100517?type=domesticNews
"processed meats can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes"

"Eating unprocessed beef, pork or lamb appeared not to raise risks of heart attacks and diabetes, they said, suggesting that salt and chemical preservatives may be the real cause of these two health problems associated with eating meat."

"Processed meats such as bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid,"

"processed meats contained, on average, four times more sodium and 50 percent more nitrate preservatives,"

FDA WIDENS Tylenol investigation

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/17/news/companies/mcneil_fda_investigation/

"The FDA's May 6 report about the Fort Washington plant listed 20 violations. In one of them, the agency said McNeil had taken no action after receiving 46 consumer complaints on the recalled products."

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/638819.html
"According to the agency report, some of the raw materials (probably made in China) used to make products such as liquid Tylenol, Tylenol Plus, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl were found to be contaminated with as yet-unknown bacteria."

Tylenol a name you can trust. People are better off just keeping their headache then taking their shady products.

Even MORE Dreamliner design flaws

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704314904575250944040434162.html?mod=wsj_india_main

This is going beyond comical. One would think I was making this stuff up. Last year the wings delaminated. (oops) Now the tail may fall off.

Boeing labels this a "small" problem. To me a small problem is when the overhead light flickers. Not when the structural integrity of the plane is in question (Again). I guess I am more sensitive then Boeing.

The entire point of making a carbon fiber plane was that it was light weight and fuel eficient. The problem is it keeps falling apart all over the place. So they have to reinforce everything (again) which will make it heavier and defeat its original intent. Comical.

Reading about the dreamliner is funnier then most sitcoms on TV.

"identified weakness in aluminum parts called shear ties in the tail-cone area of the fuselage"

"The shear ties connect the plane's frame to its fuselage skin, which is made of composite materials. Boeing found that the shear ties could peel back from the fuselage skin after exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures and could lead to structural failure. Sounds kinda important to me.

FoxConn "Suicide Cluster"

http://gizmodo.com/5540045/foxconn-suicide-cluster-claims-another-victim?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29

Chinese workers are killing themselves in droves because the working conditions to build Iphones are so bad. 30 Suicides attempts in the last 3 weeks. Their solution.... "The desperate company has even brought in a Buddhist monk to try and rid the factories of "evil spirits."

http://gizmodo.com/5319275/report-iphone-leak-interrogations-drive-foxconn-employee-to-suicide?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+gizmodo/full+(Gizmodo)&utm_content=Google+Reader

Apples secrecy is driving slave labors to their death. Anything to save a buck.

"Foxconn, the company that manufactures the iPhone for Apple, is said to have subjected employee Sun Danyong to "unbearable interrogation techniques," leading him to commit suicide. He was under investigation for losing a prototype device."

"Foxconn's Central Security Division had been incredibly severe, subjecting him to intense interrogations, harassment, and even "laying hands" on the worker."

Sun jumped from a 12-story building. Labor protections in China are minimal,

The company has been dogged by allegations of poor working conditions over the years

Because these practices are allowed in China is why millions of Americans sit home unemployed. This would never be allowed in America. Not a problem for companies like Apple. Lay off all the Americans and move to China. Save money. Beat your employees senseless. It is all good for corporate America.

Enjoy your iphones.

JETS Choking on their PSL's

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/13/woody-johnson-jets-wont-lower-personal-seat-license-prices/

The Stadium holds 82,000 seats and they still have 17,000 seats remaining unsold. They can't get unemployed fans to spend $30,000 for the right to buy season tickets. They are getting desperate. Even floating the idea of blackouts on TV. Football being blacked out in NY will never happen. The idea being floated in the media tells you how desperate they are. Good!

Some people just rob you straight up with a gun. At least they look you in the eye. The Giants and Jets do it through PSL's. I am glad they are remaining unsold. I hope the stadium is half empty.

Kerry Lieberman Energy Bill

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bp-oil-spill-gains-senate-energy-bill-dampen/story?id=10630206&page=1

"The energy and climate bill released Tuesday by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., includes new provisions for offshore oil drilling-- initially added to attract GOP support -- and also offers incentives to create more nuclear power plants and expand coal production. "

"The legislation seeks to reduce carbon pollution by 17 percent in 2020 and by more than 80 percent in 2050."

You don't reduce carbon emissions by using more oil and coal. You reduce carbon emissions by using windmills and solar panels. Where are they? We were promised clean energy and all we get is more of the same.

You would think 4 million gallons of oil (and counting) pouring into the gulf of Mexico would change some minds. Nope!

More of the same and that is from the Democrats no less. The ones who supposedly care. HAHAHAHAHAA.... Sure they do.

"environmental groups say they still cannot match the hefty dollar figures being poured into lawmakers' pockets by Big Oil. The oil and gas industry boasts one of the largest lobbies in Washington and is one of the largest contributors to members of Congress." Hence the status quo

"BP alone spent $16 million last year lobbying Congress and the federal government, and $3.5 million in the first three months of this year."

And you thought only Bush wanted to kill the environment. You thought Obama was going to bring "change". Well you were wrong. Bush or Obama it makes no difference. Big Oil wins no matter who is in charge. Suckers.

Enjoy the crawfish coming out of the gulf. I hear it is delicious this time of year.

Petition to Limit Liability in Gulf

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704635204575241852606380696.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_business

And so it begins..... The beginning of a twenty year legal game of take no responsibility. It is not our fault that our rig exploded and sank. Don't blame us. We should only have to pay 6 bucks and walk away.

"the value of the rig and its cargo comes to no more than $26,764,083, Transocean claims in the filing. Before the accident, the rig was worth around $650 million." Amazing how the numbers change.

Nope nobody is responsible for nothing. Oh and please let us drill off the east coast as soon as possible. We promise we will be careful. Cross our heart. Drilling is very safe now.

Obama's Plan To Fight Obesity

http://children.webmd.com/news/20100511/michelle-obama-plan-to-end-child-obesity-epidemic

Not one mention of the words High Fructose. Right away everyones knows this will be a failed effort.

Obamas plan is to -

Educate this......
Encourage and support that.......
Improve this......
Increase funding for that......
Promote this.......
Provide economic incentives for that.....

Everything except addressing the real issue. HFCS.

If she just said on such and such a date HFCS will no longer be used in any food products the entire issue would be over. Next year everyone would look like a super models. Instead we get another waste of time.

Everyone points fingers elsewhere

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/11/1623583/3-companies-expected-to-blame.html

BP: It is not our fault it is Transocean LTD's fault.

Transocean LTD: It is not our fault it is Halliburton's fault.

Halliburton: It is not our fault it is BP's fault.

Everyone point fingers and nobody take responsibility. Standard Corporate America. Meanwhile 210,000 gallons continue to gush every day. Day after day.

The three stooges have no clue how to stop it. So the politicians who enable the stooges will perform their normal "We are angry" routine and hope to not get blamed themselves come November. Too late.

Oil Companies Fought Regulations.....

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-05-09-drilling_N.htm

Companies fighting regulations that could have helped prevent the current disaster in the gulf. Who needs regulations when you can have the worlds biggest oil spill. Regulations cost money but an out of control oil spill, which has been gushing for 21 straight days and has no end in sight, is much more affordable.

"Oil executives — including BP, which leased the rig that exploded April 20 — argued that the industry had a solid environmental record (clearly) and most companies had voluntarily adopted similar safeguards (Obviously not) to protect against a major spill."

"Since the spill, BP has changed its position (yeah never mind) on the MMS proposal, BP spokesman Andrew Gowers said. The company expects tighter safety rules and will not oppose them, he said. (They will just sit there quietly and look like the incompetents that they are).

"Oil industry safety experts and environmentalists say the tougher regulations are needed and might even have prevented the spill threatening hundreds of miles of coastline."

The failure of the government to adopt measures demonstrates the chokehold that the companies have on federal regulators, who seldom impose rules in the face of intense opposition, the safety experts said.
"Whenever the oil industry sees some proposal they don't like, they kill it," said Richard Charter, senior policy adviser for marine programs at the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife. "They throw their money around."

Other evidence of Big Oils "Solid Saftey record"

This was a good one. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/05/09/spain.black.tide/

Drill baby Drill.......

FCC Not Giving Up....

Go get em...... Regulate the h*ll out of the internet companies. Don't take no for an answer.

You show them how it is done.

Yay regulations.
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2010/05/07/fcc_reasserts_its_power_to_regulate_internet_providers/

Tainted Lettuce - AGAIN!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hEnc00D5YgQjLxbZqLLkjOw_fwzgD9FI28NO0

In case you thought they fixed the problem from a few years ago. Think again.

"an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 19 people, three of them with life-threatening symptoms."

"The House passed a bill last year that would give the agency much more authority to police food production, but the Senate has not acted on it." What a surprise.

"E. coli infection can cause mild diarrhea or more severe complications, including kidney damage. The three patients with life-threatening symptoms were diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause bleeding in the brain or kidneys."

Enjoy your salad.

"The lettuce was sold in Alabama, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin."

Freddie mac - 10 Billion more.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/05/AR2010050505227.html

Freddie Mac to the taxpayers - 10 BILLION more please...

They look at 10 Billion like you and I look at 10 bucks. No Biggie.....

Total bailout of Fannie.

"the government has provided $50.7 billion in help to the company. This new request for funds from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Freddie and Fannie, would push that total to $61.3 billion.

"The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the total drain on taxpayers from bailing out Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will be $389 billion through 2019. "

If that is the estimate you can be sure it will be even more.

This Weeks Smoke And Mirrors

The new jobless numbers are in. Oh goody. Let take a closer look.......

http://www.examiner.com/x-33202-Newark-Unemployment-Examiner~y2010m5d7-Unemployment-claims-fall-for-third-straight-week

initial claims were 444,000 last week . That was considered a positive because it was 7,000 less then the previous week. So overall every week the economy is losing over 400,000 jobs . 400,000 X 4 weeks = 1.6 million jobs lost every month.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/08/business/economy/08jobs.html

Here the economy added 260,000 for the month of April. So you take the 1,600,000 jobs being lost and you subtract the 260,000 jobs being added and you are still negative 1,340,000 jobs every month. And they portray this as good news. Yippee......

"Despite the increase in jobs (what increase?), the unemployment rate rose (of course it did), mostly because the government said 195,000 workers re-entered the labor force after giving up on job hunts (How does the government know this?)during the recession. When jobless people do not look for work, they are not counted in the official unemployment rate (Wrong). The only people counted in the unemployment numbers are those collecting benefits. The government has no idea who started to look and who has given up. That is nonsense.

Paulson agrees more regulation is needed

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/business/07bailout.html?src=busln

“I saw immediately the huge gaping holes in the regulatory system" Good thing he spoke up.....Remember when he went on 60 Minutes to blow the whistle on the lack of regulation......Oh wait, that never happened.

“Most of the toothpaste was out of the tube and there really wasn’t the proper regulator apparatus to deal with it.” Good thing he spoke up......Remember when he went before Congress and asked for more regulation......Oh wait that never happened either.

The good news is everyone is beginning to sound like a broken record. Everyone calling for more regulation and Nobody calling for less.. How the tune changed once all the cards fell.

Yes once the house burned to the ground these geniuses all suggest maybe a smoke detector would be a good idea. If only they had such foresight in 1999.

Eh.....The markets can regulate themselves. They are all adults.......

Sorta like Eh....Offshore drilling is safe. Let em drill baby drill.

Everyone has to learn everything the hard way. Having foresight is lost concept with these people.

Electron Boy

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011740342_electronboy30m.html

Some nice news for a change.

New Pampers With Dry Max - Buyer Beware

"causing excruciating pain"

"diapers appear to be the cause of rashes and chemical burns on their children.

Pampers says "It's an excellent product and I highly recommend it."

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6444RW20100505?type=domesticNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

http://www.wfsb.com/news/23468011/detail.html

Congress Investigating Tylenol

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6452FE20100506?type=politicsNews

About time.....I brought this issue up 4 months ago. The first recall was 4 months before I ever mentioned it. Congress must have just starting reading my blog. Good for them. Now suddenly they are interested in the tainted products Johnson and Johnson is selling the unsuspecting public.

Let the congressional side show begin. Nothing more entertaining (in an election year) then CEO's getting yelled at by Congress.

Geitner - We need more regulation

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSWAL6GE64420100506

Now Geitner agrees with me. More regulations are a must. Eventually everybody gets onboard. Some need to be carried kicking and screaming but in the end there is only one correct answer. Regulations are a must.

80% of School Districts to Cut jobs

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/04/news/economy/education_job_cuts/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

"275,000 education jobs are expected to be cut in 2011"

"school leaders across the nation are forced to consider an unprecedented level of layoffs that would negatively impact economic recovery and deal a devastating blow to public education,"


If people don't have jobs then people don't pay income tax. If people don't pay income tax then the government doesn't have enough money for schools. It is just that simple.

If Corporate America wants to make everything in China these will be the headlines. If people are upset they should take it up with our friends in Corporate America. They are directly to blame.

In Greece when the people are pissed off they rise up. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100505-713137.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesEurope

While the violence and loss of life is deplorable (and should be condemned) the the efforts to organize and make their voices heard (all the way to America) should be admired.

In America we just sit back and take it.

OIL

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100505-712563.html?mod=rss_Commodities

The experts predicted oil inventories to grow by 700,000 barrels. In reality they grew 4 times this amount to 2.8 Million barrels. The experts were wrong.

The experts predicted gas inventories to grow 100,000 barrels. In reality they grew 13 Times this amount to 1.3 Million. The experts were wrong.

Supplies are up because demand is down. Demand is down because prices are up.

"Oil prices actually rose after the numbers were released" This is because the market is a fraud. People should be going to jail over this manipulation. But still nobody cares. Maybe next week people will wake up.

To Tase Or not To Tase.....

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20100505_Phillies_weigh_in_on_Taser_incident.html

I think this is a great solution to idiot fans. Idiot fans keeps doing it is because there are few consequences. Now idiots should think twice before charging the field. Knowing a good tasing might be in once future might just put an end to the practice.

For those who say it is "excessive" obviously don't remember when this happened.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/09/19/royals_whitesox_ap/

"I don't know what we can do to eliminate this," TASER BRO..... Problem solved.

Or when this happened.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1926&dat=19930501&id=q2grAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oQAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3705,27268

I say Tase them all...

Terrorist Received H1B

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126511384

"In 2002, Faisal Shahzad was granted an H1B visa for skilled workers."

The terrorist was here on an H1B visa. What a surprise. The H1B was designed to terrorize white collar workers. Now it is being used to terrorize everyone. The Government should end the program immediately and pull all Visas under the banner of National Security. All H1B's should be ordered out of the country by the end of the month. All vacant positions should be filled by American Citizens. There is 20,000,000 unemployed to choose from. It shouldn't be an issue filling the vacancies.

Getting Rich Off Bankruptcies

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/business/02workout.html?src=busln

730 Million dollars in lawyers fees. $263,000 for photocopies (in four months). $500.00 a day for Limos. Being in Bankruptcy is hard work. It causes much sacrifice.

Tylenol Still Sketchy

http://children.webmd.com/news/20100502/recall-of-kids-tylenol-motrin-zyrtec-benadryl

In December I told you Tylenol products were sketchy. Here we are in May and Tylenol products are still sketchy.

So when you aren't feeling well you should leave the Tylenol products on the shelf and find something else. Johnson and Johnson is more interested in making money then they are making quality products.

Buyer beware.