Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Protesters: "What About The Black Community, Obama?" I Know That's right bro!
BC News' Sunlen Miller Reports from St. Petersburg, Florida: In the context of the presidential race dialogue this week, there was a poignant moment during Obama's town hall in St Petersburg, Florida. Obama was challenged on his work for the African American community by a group of young African American protesters.
Fuck Osama That NWO puppet Motherfucka!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/protesters-what.html
In the middle of unveiling his emergency economic stimulus plan, Senator Barack Obama was interrupted by three African American protestors in their early thirties.
Sitting strategically directly below the trademark "Change We Can Believe In" Obama signage, the protesters stood up and started yelling, unrolling a sign of their own: "What about the Black Community, Obama?" The website on their sign indicated the protesters were from International Peoples Democratic Uhuru Movement, which fights for the democratic rights of the African people.
Obama rarely gets interrupted by protesters -– especially from the African American community –- and the Senator looked a little lost at first how to handle it, attempting to speak thought the booming voices behind him.
Stopping his remarks, Obama then chided the protesters, saying, "Excuse me young man, this is a town hall and you can ask your question later. . . . just be courteous and you’ll have a chance to make your statement, just relax."
An Obama staffer quickly swiped the sign out of the protesters hands -– as per the regulations by the Obama campaign, "no outside signs are allowed" into the their town halls. The rest of the crowd drowned out the protesters' voices by chanting, "yes we can." Two secret service agents moved to stand close to the protesters.
After his prepared remarks, Obama gave the second question to one of the protesters.
"In the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community by the same US government that you aspire to lead. . . why is it that you have not had the ability to not one time speak to the interests and even speak on the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community or Black community in this country?" asked lead protester Diop Olugbala, citing sub prime mortgages for African Americans, the Sean Bell case, and the Jena 6.
"I think you are misinformed about when you say 'not one time,'" Obama responded, defending his record. "I've been talking about predatory lending for the last two years in the United States Senate and worked to pass legislation to prevent it when I wan in the state legislature. And I have repeatedly said that many of the predatory loans that were made in the mortgage system did target African American and Latino communities. I've said that repeatedly. Number two, Jena Six -- I was the first candidate to get out there and say this is wrong, that there's an injustice that's been done and we need to change it. That's number two. When Sean Bell got shot, I put out a statement immediately saying this is a problem."
Olugbala attempted to talk back while Obama was answering his question, but the microphone had been taken from the questioner and his voice was drowned out.
Obama concluded with a simple message for the protestors, "These are issues I've worked on for decades. Now, that doesn't mean I'm always going to satisfy the way you guys want these issues framed. I understand that. Which gives you the option of voting for somebody else. It gives you the option of running for office yourself."
Senator Obama continued his town hall, and was interrupted a second time by a white woman who was also part of the Uhuru group in the crowd. Obama asked the woman to not start the yelling again, and then proceeded to take a question from another woman on education.
In an interview after the town hall, Olugbala said he was not satisfied with Senator Obama’s answer and will not vote for him.
"I thought it was revealing," Olugbala told ABC News, "Because he said out of his own mouth that although he has said things about the black community he has not put forth a response that really is representing what the people ourselves are feeling."
Fuck Osama That NWO puppet Motherfucka!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/protesters-what.html
Friday, August 1, 2008
U.S. jobless rate jumps to four-year-high 5.7%
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Nonfarm payrolls fell for the seventh straight month in July while the nation's unemployment jumped to 5.7%, a four-year high, the Labor Department reported Friday
Nonfarm payrolls fell by 51,000 last month, led by losses in manufacturing, construction, retail and temporary help. Read the full report.
Since December, 463,000 jobs have been lost, the strongest signal yet that the economy is in a recession.
"This is a truly recessionary employment report," wrote Harm Bandholz, an economist for UniCredit Markets. "The details are rather ugly."
The unemployment rate has risen 0.7% in the past three months, matching the fastest increases in the past 26 years.
Total hours worked in the economy fell by 0.4 of a percentage point in July and are down 0.7% in the past year. The average workweek fell to 33.6 hours, matching the all-time low.
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had been looking for payrolls to shrink by 70,000 and for the unemployment rate to rise to 5.6% from 5.5% in June. See Economic Calendar.
Payrolls in May and June were revised higher by 26,000.
Average hourly earnings rose as expected, adding 6 cents, or 0.3%, to $18.06. Average pay is up 3.4% in the past year, far less than the 5% rise in consumer prices.
"The pickup in unemployment reduces employee bargaining power, suggesting slower wage growth in the near term," wrote Michelle Meyer, an economist for Lehman Bros. "This should relieve some of the inflation pressure but also hinder consumers."
The number of part-time workers who sought full-time employment surged by 5.5% in July to 5.6 million.
The dismal news from the labor front likely won't have much impact on policymakers at the Federal Reserve, which seems determined to stand pat on interest rates at next week's meeting.
The Federal Open Market Committee meets on Tuesday. Analysts are unanimous in their view that the FOMC will not change its 2% target for overnight funds.
The Fed's trying to balance the risks of continued economic weakness against the risk that inflation could accelerate too far. Most analysts expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged through the end of the year.
A small but vocal minority on the FOMC wants to raise interest rates soon to counter inflationary pressures. A key member of that group, Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser said recently that the FOMC should begin to tighten down on rates even if the unemployment rate is still rising.
The weak jobs report sparked more talk about a second stimulus package from Congress.
"More must be done to prime the economy's pump and put America back to work," said Christine Owens, director of the National Employment Law Project.
"Our economy continues to work its way through current challenges," said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. "The resiliency of the economy given all the shocks we have sustained is noteworthy."
The loss of 666,000 private-sector jobs since November "removes any reasonable objection to a second economic stimulus package," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/us-jobless-rate-jumps-four-year-high/story.aspx?guid={752CAB21-A428-4226-A503-B3EE1D0014A7}&dist=msr_17
Nonfarm payrolls fell by 51,000 last month, led by losses in manufacturing, construction, retail and temporary help. Read the full report.
Since December, 463,000 jobs have been lost, the strongest signal yet that the economy is in a recession.
"This is a truly recessionary employment report," wrote Harm Bandholz, an economist for UniCredit Markets. "The details are rather ugly."
The unemployment rate has risen 0.7% in the past three months, matching the fastest increases in the past 26 years.
Total hours worked in the economy fell by 0.4 of a percentage point in July and are down 0.7% in the past year. The average workweek fell to 33.6 hours, matching the all-time low.
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had been looking for payrolls to shrink by 70,000 and for the unemployment rate to rise to 5.6% from 5.5% in June. See Economic Calendar.
Payrolls in May and June were revised higher by 26,000.
Average hourly earnings rose as expected, adding 6 cents, or 0.3%, to $18.06. Average pay is up 3.4% in the past year, far less than the 5% rise in consumer prices.
"The pickup in unemployment reduces employee bargaining power, suggesting slower wage growth in the near term," wrote Michelle Meyer, an economist for Lehman Bros. "This should relieve some of the inflation pressure but also hinder consumers."
The number of part-time workers who sought full-time employment surged by 5.5% in July to 5.6 million.
The dismal news from the labor front likely won't have much impact on policymakers at the Federal Reserve, which seems determined to stand pat on interest rates at next week's meeting.
The Federal Open Market Committee meets on Tuesday. Analysts are unanimous in their view that the FOMC will not change its 2% target for overnight funds.
The Fed's trying to balance the risks of continued economic weakness against the risk that inflation could accelerate too far. Most analysts expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged through the end of the year.
A small but vocal minority on the FOMC wants to raise interest rates soon to counter inflationary pressures. A key member of that group, Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser said recently that the FOMC should begin to tighten down on rates even if the unemployment rate is still rising.
The weak jobs report sparked more talk about a second stimulus package from Congress.
"More must be done to prime the economy's pump and put America back to work," said Christine Owens, director of the National Employment Law Project.
"Our economy continues to work its way through current challenges," said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. "The resiliency of the economy given all the shocks we have sustained is noteworthy."
The loss of 666,000 private-sector jobs since November "removes any reasonable objection to a second economic stimulus package," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/us-jobless-rate-jumps-four-year-high/story.aspx?guid={752CAB21-A428-4226-A503-B3EE1D0014A7}&dist=msr_17
WTH Is This?
ew photograph, above, has been published of the “Montauk Monster,” which allegedly washed up on a beach in Montauk. This photo is by Christina Pampalone.
The Montauk Monster has created an Internet sensation. It is today’s #1 Yahoo search. It reminds me of the “Maine Mutant.” Sometimes these kinds of things have a life of their own, so to speak, especially if there is a compelling image.
It is a cryptid, an unknown animal, until it is identified, of course, and that makes for a great story for the mainstream media, when they have a photo or even a few.
Joye Brown of Newsday reports today that the story is indeed real
The Montauk Monster has created an Internet sensation. It is today’s #1 Yahoo search. It reminds me of the “Maine Mutant.” Sometimes these kinds of things have a life of their own, so to speak, especially if there is a compelling image.
It is a cryptid, an unknown animal, until it is identified, of course, and that makes for a great story for the mainstream media, when they have a photo or even a few.
Joye Brown of Newsday reports today that the story is indeed real
Brown tells of how the famed photo (seen directly above) has a known photographer: “Jenna Hewitt, of Montauk, and three friends crept up to examine one side. And Hewitt snapped the camera shot heard ’round the world.”
Christina Pampalone, of East Northport, however, had actually taken the first photos (one is shown at the top of this posting).
“I was telling people, all day (Wednesday), that I had better photos,” Pampalone said.
“Everybody I showed her pictures to said it looks like a dead dog,” her friend Ryan O’Shea, of Brooklyn, said.
“But looking at the claws, and at the teeth in the front, it looked like it could be something else, something vicious.”
It was relatively small, roughly 21/2 to 3 feet long, he said.
Brown notes that the rumor that the thing is in someone’s backyard is false, apparently, as it has been moved.
Interestingly, Brown has collected some other interesting info from his readers:
Christina Pampalone, of East Northport, however, had actually taken the first photos (one is shown at the top of this posting).
“I was telling people, all day (Wednesday), that I had better photos,” Pampalone said.
“Everybody I showed her pictures to said it looks like a dead dog,” her friend Ryan O’Shea, of Brooklyn, said.
“But looking at the claws, and at the teeth in the front, it looked like it could be something else, something vicious.”
It was relatively small, roughly 21/2 to 3 feet long, he said.
Brown notes that the rumor that the thing is in someone’s backyard is false, apparently, as it has been moved.
Interestingly, Brown has collected some other interesting info from his readers:
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