The Angry Rich....

The rich are upset everyone is picking on them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/opinion/20krugman.html?_r=1

This guy is even willing to defend the rich. I suppose even criminals get a defense.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/09/26/2010-09-26_mad_money_why_the_rich_are_angry_and_why_you_should_worry_about_it.html


Here is the reality. The rich get richer and richer while the poor get poorer and poorer. So the rich can shut the f*ck up.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/66809/20100929/income-gap-census-bureau-poverty.htm

For 8 years of the Bush administration wealth was redistributed to the wealthiest 1%. This occurred as the economy for everyone else fell apart. Now it needs to be adjusted back. Redistribution is only a problem for the rich when it isn't funneling to them.

They act like if the tax rate goes from 35% to 38% suddenly they won't be rich anymore. Please nobody wants to hear their whining.

Outsourcing Airline Maintenance

SkyWest plane makes an emergency landing because of faulty landing gear.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iWTsOxYn7w99yZ5SOG1MNHGg0h_gD9IHQBQG0?docId=D9IHQBQG0

Delta makes an emergency landing because of faulty landing gear.
http://www.qgazette.com/news/2010-09-29/Features/Delta_Makes_Emergency_Landing_At_JFK.html

Maybe all these problems can be linked to the fact that the maintenance is outsourced to the lowest bidder with the cheapest labor.

Sure ticket prices are through the roof. Yes all that money buys you less and less service.

So as you sit back trying to get comfortable, without a pillow, knowing there will be no meal. You can be confident knowing the maintenance was done by an unregulated shop in some far away country. The mechanic might not have spoken English. He may have been drinking or on drugs. But rest assured he was very cheap for the airline. Enjoy your flight.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39383369/ns/travel

$54,000 Dinner Bill......

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5626300

Bet he wishes he carried the shoulder pads......

Republicans To The American Workers....Drop Dead.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2821013620100928

Republicans hate US workers and they don't care who knows it. They are not going to pretend even in an election year. They know the American people are too stupid. Too uninformed to be paying any attention. They know they can kick the American people right in the face and will still win a majority in November. For Republicans Corporations can do whatever they want. If they want to move overseas..... GREAT. As long as the campaign checks continue rolling in they can do whatever they like. Republicans would sell their own mother to help big business. The useless Democrats (who have majorities in both houses) are impotent to do anything. The whole thing makes me queasy.

"The companies this bill targets, by and large, aren't opening overseas subsidiaries to make products for Americans," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (LIE!)

They're moving overseas to serve foreign markets (LIE), in addition to the markets they already have in place here (IN AMERICA), and that creates jobs here in the United States." (Moving jobs overseas creates jobs in America. I love that logic. It is so dumb I am not even going to comment on it.)

The Last Tank....

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/100928et122/

The final external fuel tank arrives at Kennedy Space Center. They are getting ready for the end of the US Space program.

Next year NASA will be a space program that can't actually get to space. Thanks Obama.

Americans can sit around and feel proud when the Chinese launch their rockets.

If fact the head of NASA is getting ready to go to China. He wants to see what a functioning space program looks like.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awx/2010/09/27/awx_09_27_2010_p0-257405.xml&headline=NASA%20Chief%20Goes%20to%20Beijing%20In%20October

China is where the action will be. They got lots on their agenda.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/09/23/China-keeps-up-busy-space-launch-schedule/UPI-46231285279928/

In Florida there will be nothing going on except dusting the empty shelves. We are # 1.

Banks Keep Failing...No End In Sight.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704760704575516272337762044.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

279 banks have collapsed since Sept. 25, 2008.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. increased its number of problem banks by 6% to 829

Of the failed banks since February 2007, 75 were formed after 1999 (After Deregulation)

The recession and collapse of the housing bubble have cut bank-industry employment by 188,000 jobs, or 8.5%, since 2007, according to FDIC data. Failures alone have cost 11,210 jobs, or 32% of the employees at failed banks.

The big banks all get bailed out with executives cashing in record bonuses. Meanwhile the little banks all get boarded up.

Battle for Kandahar over and over.

Battle of Kandahar about to begin
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Afghan-NATO-Forces-Launch-Anti-Taliban-Push-in-Kandahar-103854658.html

I feel like I have read this same story multiple times over the years.

Oh wait....I have.

Nov 2001 Battle for Kandahar
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1363529/US-begins-battle-for-Kandahar.html

June 2008 Battle of Kandahar .
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=5193508&page=1

Why do they have to keep fighting the same battles over and over again. It is like watching my dog chase her tail.

Corn Sugar - Nobody Has To Know The Truth.

http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Nutrition/Food/corn_sugar_1509100616.html
Now that everyone has concluded High Fructose Corn Syrup is evil sludge, brands such as Gatorade and Newman’s Own have fled the product. Newman’s Own even announces on their packaging that their products do not contain HFCS. They want everyone to be clear: that toxic substance is not in their product.

All this negative publicity has got the corn industry shaking in their boots. What is their solution? If people don’t want High Fructose Corn Syrup, just change the name. Call it something else. Isn’t that standard corporate practice? When in doubt, lie. If that doesn’t work, lie some more.

If people don’t want to consume Fructose tell them it is "Corn Sugar." Any good business school will teach that when dealing with a public image problem, the most important thing is deception. The more deception, the better.

When consumers were angered that customer call centers were all located in India, their solution was to lie. You were not talking to "Amir in Bangalore;" you were talking to "Bob in Ohio." Truth doesn’t matter. Just lie……

This way when people avoid Fructose and still get fat, it will help exonerate Fructose. See? Fructose went away and everyone is still fat! Hehehehehe.

If this works for Fructose maybe they can bring back Asbestos. Just call it something else. You don’t want BPA in your water bottles? No problem. Just change the name.

It is genius.

Destroying Books

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20016023-503544.html
Sept 9th Secretary of Defense says not to burn books. Burning books is bad. Burning books puts peoples lives in danger. Please don’t burn books.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/25/books.destroyed/index.html?hpt=T1
Sept 25th Pentagon destroying books. Destroying books is good. Destroying books saves lives. Please we must destroy your books.

What is the big secret? Is the secret that for 9 years the US military has accomplished zero in Afghanistan? Because we already know that.

Is the secret that they don’t plan on accomplishing anything in the future? Is it that Pakistan is playing both sides? Because we already know that too. Is it that the US has no intention of fixing that problem or getting Bin Laden?

Our troops are over there fighting for freedom and the defense department is stomping it out as fast as they are supposed to be saving it.

Jeff Zucker

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/09/nbc-universal-ceo-jeff-zucker-gets-a-cancellation-notice-from-comcast/1

The man who thought it was funny to make a comedy out of outsourcing jobs to India is getting fired. Good!

Taxing Companies....Sounds Familiar.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/09/senate-debates-tax-increases-o.html?hpid=topnews

Oh look the election is two months away and everyone is about to get run out of office. Lets listen to Andrew now. Once the election is over it will be back to business as usual. But until then lets pretend we care. Unless you are a Republican in which case you don't even pretend.

Oh and if anyone is delusional in thinking the democrats or Obama are going to get rid of the Bush tax cuts you can forget it. They will yell and scream and put on a nice show but those tax cuts aren't going anywhere. That is why they moved that vote till after the election.

Bullying

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/03/30/da_charges_9_teens_faults_school_officials_in_s_hadley_bullying_case/

Last winter this Massachusetts girl was bullied to the point where she hung herself because nobody would help her. Everyone sat around after the fact and said how could this happen. Why didn't anyone do something. How can this be.

http://www.examiner.com/health-in-dallas/father-arrested-while-confronting-bullies-bus-incident

So this fathers daughter is being bullied and he does something about it. He gets on the school bus and makes it clear this is not going to continue. Now he is arrested. He shouldn't be arrested. He should be applauded. The cops should have slapped him on the back and said nice job. About time somebody did something. Instead he is the villain. Maybe he didn't go about it the right way. Maybe he could have handled it better. But his daughter was under duress and he acted. He wasn't physical. Nobody got beat up. But he made it clear this needed to stop. Because he did now it is a national story. Good for him.

China Wins!

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0924/China-fishing-boat-captain-to-be-freed-by-Japan.-Will-it-ease-tensions

Japan caved like a bunch of cowards. Aggressive bullying by China was 100% effective.

Now that the world has handed China all the cards they will get exactly what they want. Anyone who challenges them will be dealt with accordingly.

Don't mess with the Communists.

Scoreboard

Communists 1 Democracy - 0

Similac Recall

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20100922/recall-of-similac-powdered-baby-formula

Beetle and beetle larvae in the Similac. YUM! That is what every parent wants to feed their newborn.

I guess when your child gets sick from tainted Similac you can make them feel better with some tainted Tylenol.

No. there is no need to regulate corporate America. They are doing a fine job.

Blockbuster Bankrupt

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/23/blockbuster-chapter-11

The internet claims another victim. It has decimated the music business. It has decimated the publishing business. It has decimated the newspaper and magazine business. Now it has claimed Blockbuster. The world changed but they didn't. Survival of the fittest.

When the internet came into prominence they said it would change the world. And they were right.

China Blocking Exports as a weapon

For years I have told anyone who will listen that sending all the jobs, technology, and know how to China is a really bad idea. But nobody listened (or cared) and here we are. Totally dependent on China who on a whim can decide to muck things up. Which they are now currently doing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/business/global/24rare.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1285246802-UMAVhLifMlYLOcFkzY4P7w

"Chinese government has blocked exports to Japan of a crucial category of minerals used in products like hybrid cars, wind turbines and guided missiles."

"China mines 93 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals, and more than 99 percent of the world’s supply of some of the most prized rare earths, which sell for several hundred dollars a pound."

"Japan has been the main buyer of Chinese rare earths for many years, using them for a wide range of industrial purposes, like making glass for solar panels. They are also used in small steering control motors in conventional gasoline-powered cars as well as in motors that help propel hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius."

"The Chinese halt to exports is likely to have immediate repercussions in Washington."

"The main American rare earth mine, in Mountain Pass, Calif., closed in 2002"

"The Defense Department has a separate review under way on whether the United States should develop its own sources of supply for rare earths, (you think?) which are used in equipment including range finders on the army’s tanks, sonar systems aboard navy vessels and the control vanes on the air force’s smart bombs."

“We are going to be 100 percent reliant on the Chinese to make the components for the defense supply chain,” Mr. Green said.

Rare earth elements are already in short supply, and prices are soaring, after the Chinese government announced in July that it was cutting export quotas by 72 percent.

"China has refrained until now from using its near monopoly on rare earth elements as a form of leverage on other governments."

And it is just the beginning.

The Real X Files

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS166901+15-Sep-2010+PRN20100915?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a49:g43:r1:c0.209756:b37483390:z0

60 Billion Dollar Arms Deal for Saudi Arabia

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20016181-503543.html

Sure 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 came from Saudi Arabia. Sure Osama Bin Laden came from Saudi Arabia. Sure 19 US service member were killed in the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996. Sure Saudi Arabia refused to assist the US in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Sure they refused to allow our military the use of their bases.

Eventually Saudi even demanded the US get out altogether. Which we did. Even though we were in Saudi Arabia to protect their country from Saddam.

No matter though. Our thank you was a swift kick in the azz and clear instructions to get out.

So now as reward for all these slaps in the face the US is about to build up the Saudi military. That is what Boeing and other US contractors want. So that is what will happen. Doesn't matter what the long term implications are.

It only matters that the dollar bills are green and stacked high.

The fact that the money Saudi Arabia will use comes from US oil purchases. The fact that when oil prices skyrocketed (over the last 10 years) there was Saudi Arabia cutting production. None of that matters.

We will hand over our prized military technology anyway.

After all It isn't about what is right or wrong it is only about the money.

New Meadowlands Stadium

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/13/empty-seats-mar-new-meadowland-stadium-unveiling/

It was opening day of the most popular sport on the planet. It was the first regular season game at the new 1.6 Billion dollar stadium. Despite proclamations from the team that the games would be sold out there were 5,200 empty seats to mark the occasion.

In the old stadium (the one that was perfectly fine) there was a waiting list of over hundred thousand people. People who wanted tickets but couldn't get them. The new stadium has no such issue. It is section after section of empty seats. The fans are clearly saying no thanks..... They will watch it from their living rooms for free.

Take the PSL's and shove em.

Boeing Concedes Andrew was right

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012856205_boeing10.html

For years I have been railing on Boeings decision to outsource the Dreamliner.

The minute I heard the plan (many years ago) I thought it was the dumbest sh*t I ever heard. The proceeding years have proven me right. The company has lost Billions and Billions of dollars on a plane that is structually unsound and poorly constructed.

Now Boeing is admitting they screwed up by bringing much of the work back to the USA where it belongs.

It is funny how different people can look at the same idea and see different things. Boeing saw a genius idea which would make them rich. I saw a complete train wreck. Train Wreck was the correct answer. Boeing should have hired me as a consultant. I could have saved them a lot of embarrassment and money.

Obamas Double Standard

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703960004575427992237914442.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Obama defends right to build Mosque near Ground Zero.

"But let me be clear: as a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan,''

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/09/AR2010090903014.html?hpid=topnews

BUT Obama won't defend a citizens right to free speech (through burning books) which is legal and protected by law.

Some laws must be defended. Others not so much. I don't remember that being in his oath of office though.

We are fighting for our freedoms over seas. The point of terrorism is to scare people out of our freedoms. Looks like the terrorists are winning this round.

China using Protectionism to keep all the Green Jobs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/business/energy-environment/10steel.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=mv

Every time you turn around China is cheating. They never miss an opportunity to cheat. The US can't have protectionism. But China can have it early and often. The USA just has to sit like a punching bag and take it.

The filing, more than 5,000 pages long and 18 inches thick, contends that the central government in Beijing and China’s provincial governments have used land grants, low-interest loans and dozens of other measures that violate W.T.O. rules.

The union says the violations have helped Chinese companies expand their share of the world market for wind turbines, solar panels, nuclear power plants and other clean energy equipment, at the expense of jobs in the United States.

Obama said the USA is going to lead the world in green energy jobs. HAHAHA yeah we are....... We are getting our azz kicked.

“Unless China’s policies are urgently addressed, the U.S. may never get a fair shot at making the green technologies of the future,”

Offshoring Banned In Ohio.....

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/Ohio-bans-offshoring-of-IT-projects-by-govt-depts/articleshow/6515714.cms

Ohio is waking up. I only wonder why it took so long. This has been going on for the last 15 years. Only in one of the hardest hit states for Unemployment (Ohio) do they finally do the common sense thing.

This shouldn't be the exception this should be the rule. It is like driving on a flat tire for a week. Only when the rubber completely comes off and the rim is grinding on the ground do they say FINE!! We will take action.

The US Congress needs to ban offshoring completely. No more. Period.

Of course they won't.

Light Bulbs...Off To China.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090706933.html?hpid=topnews

If it isn't bolted down it is going to China. Even if it is bolted down it is still probably going.....

This is what Obama's "summer of recovery" looks like. One lost industry after the next.

Where is Obamas new Green Economy. Millions of green jobs are going to lead the way into a new prosperity. Sounds good.... It isn't real..... but it makes for a nice speech.

World Trade Center Rising

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/nyregion/05zero.html

Everyone stopped bickering and finally started building something. They must have looked at the calander and realized it is 2010 and it is time to get moving.

Nothing will make Americans more proud then watching the Chinese made glass being hoisted up onto the new Freedom Tower.
http://economyincrisis.org/content/new-world-trade-center-glass-be-imported

God Bless America.

Lehman Brothers blames the government

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703882304575465394220865002.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Wall Street didn't want government oversight. Keep government away. So in 1999 Bill Clinton and Phil Gramm gave wall street exactly what they wanted. Deregulation. Do whatever you want...... Who cares.........

When that blew up in their face now the CEO of Lehman Brothers blames the government regulators for not saving the company. It is their fault we went bankrupt. We made the worlds dumbest investments and when we went belly up the government wouldn't throw us a life line. Boo Hoo........

Way to take responsibility. Way to own up to your idiotic decision making. You are bankrupt and you deserve to be bankrupt.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iJIc7q3-D3yK_B26PmMHt3Wu4algD9HV7I5O0

The government regulators need to defend why they gave 185 BILLION dollars to save AIG while they gave $0.00 to save Lehman and Bear Sterns.

The reason is simple. The Fed Chairman was Henry Paulson. Henry Paulson was former CEO of rival Goldman Sachs. Once Lehman and Bear were out of the way Goldman was clear to control the entire market (which is exactly what happened).

So why would Paulson want to save Lehman. He saved AIG because AIG insures all of Goldman's poor investments. If AIG goes under Goldman loses Billions. So Paulson allowed taxpayers to save AIG. Eliminate Bear and Lehman and watch Goldman control everything.

That is how the super rich do it. It is survival of the fittest. All the little people should take notes.

I like how Lehman Brothers says "Lehman's demise was caused by uncontrollable market forces, and the incorrect perception and accompanying rumors that Lehman did not have sufficient capital to support its investments," It wasn't uncontrollable. They invested in a crooked scheme which was doomed to fail and it did. Don't make excuses now. They wanted things a certain way. They got exactly what they wanted and they couldn't handle it. Too bad...... And there was insufficient capital. That is why they don't exist anymore. Could the guy be any more in denial.