THEN…
Nov 9, 2010 : CBS – “Palin’s Stupid warning on coming inflation” (Multiple Stories)
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20022290-503544.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20022191-503544.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8300-503544_162-503544-6.html?categoryId=10299
and NOW:
Jan 15, 2011 : CBS – “Nowhere to Hide” from Rising Food Price, Expert to Pay More for Meat, Many Fruits, Veggies, Restaurant Offerings
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/15/earlyshow/saturday/main7249451.shtml

Don’t look now, but inflation is expected to hit food hard this year.

Jan, 13 2011 : CBS – Higher Commodity Prices May Spur Inflation
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/13/ap/national/main7242427.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsPolls+(CBS+News%3A+Opinion%3A+CBS+News+Polls)

Rising wholesale prices for food and energy are putting pressure on manufacturers and retailers to pass higher costs to customers. It’s a trend that could raise inflation in the United States and slow economies in Asia and Latin America.

U.S. gas prices have topped $3 a gallon, and grain prices have reached a 2ýý-year high.

Airlines, clothing manufacturers and some grocery stores have already raised retail prices. And even those companies that have resisted increases because they worry that customers can’t afford them may be more reluctant to hire because of the squeeze.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/energy-raw-materials-and-medical-costs-rise-will-inflation-bal/19801896/
2010 Crude Goods/Raw Materials – Up 15%+
2010 Intermediate Goods – Up 6.5%
2010 Overall Energy Costs – Up 13.0%

Soaring food prices cast shadow over trading
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30b8614a-202d-11e0-a6fb-00144feab49a.html#axzz1B7iPeyrG

Some agricultural commodity prices hit their highest levels for 30 months while Brent crude oil climbed to within a whisker of $100 a barrel and copper stayed near a record high

No news here besides what is out there, but I’m trying to bend my mind around this.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/10/virginia-thomas-leaves-anita-hill-a-voicemail-asking-for-an-apology-hill-says-no.html

Let’s see:

20+ years ago, an African-American guy is up for Supreme Court nomination and stuff comes down to possible sexual harassment and the only evidence is a “he said, she said”…

A few years later, a Caucasian guy as president, gets a blow job, sticks a cigar in a females privates nether-regions, leaves evidence on a dress, then lies under oath.

The African-American is still vilified to this date… Caucasian guy is being begged to run around the country to make speeches and save candidates of his own party because he has a much higher approval rating than a current African-American President.

Does that sum things up, or am I missing something here?

British Royal Society becomes Global Warming deniers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete…=feeds-newsxml
http://royalsociety.org/Royal-Societ…-change-guide/
http://opinion.financialpost.com/201…denier-nation/

Basically they say: that it impossible to know for sure how the Earth’s climate will change in the future nor what the possible effects may be.

Some Quotes:

“It is not possible to determine exactly how much the Earth will warm or exactly how the climate will change in the future, but careful estimates of potential changes and associated uncertainties have been made. ”

“There is very strong evidence to indicate that climate change has occurred on a wide range of different timescales from decades to many millions of years; human activity is a relatively recent addition to the list of potential causes of climate change.”

“The Royal Society now also agrees with the GWPF that the warming trend of
the 1980s and 90s has come to a halt in the last 10 years.”

President of the Georgia Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Jim Maran published a letter in the Gwinnett Daily Post on Saturday, March 20, 2010 titled: “Tobacco tax hike is the best way to offeset GA. budget shortfall”. Mr. Maran’s published letter is Here

I’m tired of people trying to find arbitrary groups or activities to tax due to the shortcomings of politicians to run government prudently. Here is my somewhat satirical response:

———

Hey! Let’s tax golf courses, golfing, and golfers!

It never ceases to amaze me how some elitist businessmen and politicians try to find some arbitrary new tax or increase in taxes to make up for governmental budgetary shortfalls that have resulted from years of poor planning and wasteful spending. When they propose these new taxes, they choose areas that can be demonized and use the tyranny of the majority to discriminate against some segment of the population.

Just as liberal arguments for ObamaCare tout the “poor” children or Ms. Jane Doe will die without us getting taxed more and spouting statistics from a poll showing that 99 percent of people are against children dying; Mr. Maran wants to put a $ 1.00 or around a 20 percent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes.

Mr. Maran states that there are many arguments against a the tobacco tax, but fails to cite any, including the economics of diminishing returns; quotes a survey that says 73 percent support the $1 “fee”; and tugs at the heart strings that it will substantially reduce that evil habit of smoking in adults and, oh, the children.

This same argument could be used in the future in attempts to raise taxes on sugary beverages, caffeinated drinks, juicy red steaks, salt, and more on alcohol. The only thing holding them back is that coffee and alcohol do not currently provide the same poll numbers to support the tyranny of the majority to unreasonably tax the specific group.

Mr. Maran, here is a proposal for you: Let’s tax golf courses and rounds of golf. You seem to enjoy golf and hanging out at country clubs. The over 400 golf courses in Georgia generate over $ 6 billion in revenue. According to a report by the University of Georgia, of the golf facilities reporting membership dues, 22 percent reported dues larger than $1 million; more than one-half of the facilities obtained at least $200,001 from dues.

Think of the potential revenues from taxing the over 15 million rounds of golf played in Georgia. Instead of you thinking of ways to raise taxes while riding between bogeys on a golf cart paid by Federal tax credits for “electric vehicles”, you will be fixing the budgetary shortfalls caused by elite business lobbyists and politicians while improving your golf game. Is a little extra cost on your golf habit worth more than bankrupting Gwinnett Medical Center?

Maybe it is time for you to share your wealth instead of other’s wealth and pay a 20 percent tax on golf related services and fees since you so easily desire to arbitrarily over-tax others. With Lake Lanier and general water problems in Georgia, these golf courses suck down millions of gallons of scare water. Think of our future children all dying of thirst and remember: 99 percent of people are against children dying.

When the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia is sitting on $ 50 billion dollars and the investment staffers get incredible raises and an average of $ 16,000 in bonuses in a year when they lost 13% of the fund’s value. Tuition is not the first place to look to make up budget shortfalls.

This obnoxious above private industry level of benefits was built on the backs of Georgia taxpayers and the college students’ tuition. Maybe it is time for them to invest a little in the future of higher education rather than the stock market.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the “advanced” estimate for the 4th quarter GDP. Strike up the band and put the kiddies on your shoulders so they can see the parade of media and politicians marching and singing “the recession is over, the recession is over” as planes dragging banners pronounce the 4th quarter GDP was 5.7%!

Thanks for the pomp, but the 3rd quarter parade came up a little short once the band had silenced and after two months of litter clean-up to get to the real numbers. The “advanced” numbers for the 3rd quarter GDP started at 3.5% – YEAH! But wait… the next revision was down to 2.8% – Yeah! Wait again… the final revision was at 2.2% – Uh… ok, yeah!. Except 66% of the growth was the one-off cash for clunkers program funded by taxpayer debt which left only 0.75% – uh, yawn!?!

The progression of 3rd Quarter numbers reminded of the parade in Animal House which started out well, but the band ended up stuck in an alley and main street was left with alot of litter and a Delta Tau Chi (???) hangover.

Now the shouts of triumph can be heard “the GDP grew at 5.7%”! Looking closer at the “advanced” numbers show that about 60% is related to a lessening in the contraction of business inventories. In the 4th Quarter, business inventories ONLY declined by $ 33 billion which when compared to the 3rd Quarter decline of 139 billion is much better but still a decline yet it contributes a positive 60% to growth comparing quarter to quarter figures. Personal consumption was actually down compared to the previous quarter. The biggest other gain in the index besides the decreasing rate of inventory contraction was the purchase of equipment and software as businesses look to boost productivity and lock in deductible expenses rather than
hire labor.

I think I’ll wait for the taped replay of this parade a couple of months from now before I decide to sing-a-long.

I think it is time to socialize the political blame game. 

For the last two years the liberals, socialists, democrats and the main stream media have beat the drums incessantly regarding everything being Bush’s fault. It would seem that the “Blame Bush” mantra hasn’t been receiving as much traction lately from my own perspective as well as here, though many of the normal culprits would like to double-down.

As the November election rapidly approaches, it is time to redistribute the “Wealth of Blame” to some that are ever so deserving but have not enjoyed in the sharing of this wealth. We must work to right this injustice.  (Plus, I’m just tired of yelling at my TV or computer screen everytime someone “Blames Bush” or states “We inherited it from Bush” while a Republican pundit, office-holder, commentator, sits idly by looking around and when does speak does not redistribute the blame.)

In November 2010, we are trying to retake Congress, not the Presidency, or at least win as many new seats as possible. The year 2010 starts the 4th year of the Pelosi/Reid regime and a regime change is warranted. Everytime some idiot says, “it is Bush’s fault”, they (and the public) should be reminded that Pelosi/Reid are entering their 4th year of rule and the poor results of their first three years make the 2001-2006 Bush years and Republican Congress look stellar in comparison.

It is time to appropriately redistribute the wealth of blame and force Pelosi/Reid and the Democratic majority to share in the spending, deficits, financial failures, and general economic conditions since for 2007 onward. As November approaches, are voters better off with Pelosi/Reid in charge than 4 years ago.