My kind of Obama July 17, 2009
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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Obama made a tremendous speech to the NAACP yesterday. Click here for an article on it and a link to the entire video. He said..
“We’ve got to say to our children, Yes, if you’re African American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not have to face. That’s not a reason to get bad grades, that’s not a reason to cut class, that’s not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school,” he said. “No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands – and don’t you forget that.”
Hear, hear. I can’t think of anybody that can deliver that message better or more appropriately than President Obama.
He needs to lay off quadrupling the deficit and play the self-responsibility card to fight poverty & improve the economy. That’s where his real strength is.
Flowood alcohol vote set for June 2nd April 30, 2009
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: alcohol, flowood, mississippi, Politics
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For the first time ever, a Rankin County city is going to hold an election to let its citizens decide if city restaurants can sell liquor & wine by the glass. Frankly, I find it preposterous that there was ever a question as to whether a city could hold a vote on alcohol. But nonetheless, the election is happening as predicted here.
The proposal is limited to restaurants. “Liquor store on every corner” fearmongerers that have defeated prior county-wide alcohol votes won’t have much ammo in this election.
I think there’s a groundswell of people that want margaritas with their fajitas at El Sombrero, white wine with their chicken & pasta at Cerami’s, and red wine with their steak at….well, we’ll surely get a steak restaurant when this thing passes.
I predict a landslide win in favor of alcohol in Flowood restaurants.
And years later after this thing is shown to be a smashing success, I think we’ll see similar changes across Mississippi. Finally.
Alcohol bill in fatal condition February 27, 2009
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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Sources at the blog’s Jackson bureau indicate that the aforementioned bill to allow a public alcohol vote for Flowood & Pearl his all but dead.
Maybe the blog should stick to more certain things. Like picking stocks. Tomorrow’s forecast: down.
Hug pic of Obama’s inaguration January 25, 2009
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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Here is a huge zoom-able picture of President Obama’s inaguration. 1,400+ megapixels worth. You can zoom in and see every face in the crowd.
Check out the huge hat George Bush the elder is wearing.
UPDATE: Alternate link.
Congress gives itself a raise December 19, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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Amongst the 2nd worst economy in about 100 years, Congress is giving itself a pay raise. Each member of Congress will enjoy an additonal $4,700 next year.
Maybe they could pool their money and buy a space shuttle.
Chris Matthews, Obama disciple November 7, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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Chris Matthews says his job is to make Obama successful.
Just wow.
Voter turnout extremely high November 4, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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At my polling place, I have seen long lines before. But I have NEVER seen a line of cars 300 yards long just into get to the parking lot where the polling place is.
Joe the Magician is real October 31, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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The McCain campaign has expounded on the “Joe The Plumber” story by asking people to send in their own “regular people” videos. One guy that did so was Joe M. Turner, a self-employed magician and corporate entertainer. Joe’s video employed a magic trick to go along with his political message.
Some say Joe’s magic trick was the work of video editing. It wasn’t. I know Joe The Magician. I’ve known him for, uh, let’s leave it at “decades”. I’ve seen Joe’s magic in person and it is highly impressive. Here’s his video which is prominently featured on McCain’s site and also aired in part on Good Morning America.
So if you happen to need a corporate entertainer, some trade show presence, or a speaker for some event, contact Joe. He’s the real deal.
How did your Representative vote? September 30, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: Politics
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This site shows how US House Representatives from each state voted during the failure of yesterday’s mortgage buyout bill (it is not a “bailout”). Click on any state to see individual votes and/or to contact your Representative about that issue.
Mississippi Representatives voted as follows:
- Pickering – for
- Childers – against
- Taylor – against
- Thompson – against
#($&%*!!! September 29, 2008
Posted by Shane in Uncategorized.Tags: finance, Politics
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Thanks, Democrats!
Excerpts from a 1999 New York Times article:
Fannie Mae, the nation’s biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.
In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates — anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.
”Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990′s by reducing down payment requirements,” said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae’s chairman and chief executive officer. ”Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.”
…
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980′s.
”From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,” said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ”If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.”
…
In July, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed that by the year 2001, 50 percent of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s portfolio be made up of loans to low and moderate-income borrowers. Last year, 44 percent of the loans Fannie Mae purchased were from these groups.
The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.
