Sorry, guys, we've got to put the recession on hold again.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The economy shifted to a higher gear in the spring, growing at its fastest pace in nearly a year as foreign buyers snapped up U.S. exports and tax rebates spurred shoppers at home.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product, or GDP, increased at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter. The revised reading was much better than the government's initial estimate of a 1.9 percent pace and exceeded economists' expectations for a 2.7 percent growth rate.

Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews hardest hit.

Yup - In the comments, gp nails the issue for voters:

I think a lot of lunch-pail folks who are complaining about "recession" are actually worried about inflation, which is hitting most of us. They're just using the wrong word. The current economy is nowhere nearly as bad as the period around 1980, which had much higher inflation, unemployment, and interest rates. I was there; I know. And there is no doubt that the MSM and the Dems are bad-mouthing the economy today for political reasons.

All this is not to say that things couldn't get worse. We've got a heckuva lot of debt to worry about, and I don't see that situation getting better. Neither BHO nor McCain mention spending control much.

Of course, one way to lower the inflated price of say, oil, would be to increase domestic production. Prices have already moderated - sending them further down would act as a sort of immediate "tax cut" on families. Is it too much to hope that one of the convention speakers makes that point next week?

Posted by: Slublog at 06:06 AM | Comments (59)
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McPain seems to be getting a pretty good "bounce" out of the Democrat convention so far on TradeSports/Intrade. more...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 05:42 AM | Comments (38)
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(Note: in certain cultures this tasty dish is called ”Perfect Media Storm.”)

Yield: Approximately one bucket of shit (metric equivalent is roughly one Keith Olbermann)

Serving size: One audience of MSNBC viewers or paid subscribers to the New York Times

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
½ tbsp. each indifference and malice on the part of the Bush administration
1 small (3 oz.) pre-baked Brownie, to taste
1 medium-sized race card, diced
¾ cup Tropical Storm Gustav, re-strengthened to a Cat. 3 hurricane and intent on destroying New Orleans for the second time in 3 years
¾ cup global warming
1 fresh sprig of Joe Scarborough claiming this morning that many people died in Hurricane Katrina because it was the end of the month and they hadnÂ’t yet received next monthÂ’s welfare checks so they couldnÂ’t fuel their cars and escape the wrath of the storm
3 quarts asinine insinuation
(optional: 1 cup hobo toes, unshelled)

Preparation:
Blend ingredients together in a large mixing bowl then transfer to a crock pot. Set temperature at 911 degrees (F) and the timer for 7:45 p.m. (Moron Standard Time) on Thursday. Adjust cooking time accordingly if you live in an area where the altitude is one mile high or greater (see appendix for additional tips).

Transfer the contents of the crock pot to a casserole dish and sprinkle 1/8 cup each of hope and change on top. Place in a preheated oven set to broil for 15 minutes and bake until a soothing, not-really-all-that-threatening color. Remove the dish, transfer to a large bowl and serve immediately. (ed. note: we recommend Invesco serving dishes over Pyrex)

Hint: For a more festive dish, garnish with fake Greek columns.

(Preemptive strike on my part: No, the linked story doesn't have all that in it...yet. Give it time.)

Posted by: Open Blog at 05:13 AM | Comments (27)
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Red meat was on the menu last night at the Democratic Convention. Each speaker was there to throw great big bloody chunks of partisan rhetoric at the crowd, who responded enthusiastically. Both parties set aside a night for this tradition, and it's always great fun to watch because it gives speakers and attendees a chance to throw barbs at their opponents.

Last night, amidst all the one-liners, clever phrases and entertaining half-truths of the speeches, the Democrats continued to pound away at their primary anti-McCain talking point. John McCain, they argue, will be nothing more than a third term for George W. Bush. John McCain votes too often with his party and is a Bush-Cheney stooge. John McCain may have once been a maverick, but now he's only a party guy. One speaker last night said that McCain voted with the president 90% of the time, and that's 90% too much George W. Bush.

As with most lines of attack thought up by the Obama Brain Trust, they might want to rethink this one, because the charge of mindless partisan tool fits the accuser more than the accused. Obama and his surrogates constantly claim he's a post-partisan candidate who has a record and a willingness to reach across the aisle and work with the other party. more...

Posted by: Slublog at 04:52 AM | Comments (7)
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...going up a little early 'cause there are lots more headlines in the sidebar.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 08:26 PM | Comments (18)
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I'm sure they're just there on "routine training exercises" and it has nothing at all to do with the Soviet Russian invasion of Georgia.

Russian commanders Wednesday said they were growing alarmed at the number of NATO warships sailing into the Black Sea, conceding that NATO vessels now outnumbered the ships in their fleet anchored off the western coast of Georgia...

--->More here<--

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 07:47 PM | Comments (71)
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Olbermann tried to ban Mike Murphy, former McCain adviser turned MSNBC analyst, from being on any of MSNBC's coverage. He was successful for two nights in keeping his Democratic advocacy show pristine of any dissenting opinions.

Tonight -- with the situation growing embarrassing for MSNBC -- they finally put him on.

And Keith Olbermann immediately demanded "Let's wrap him up, all right?"

See Hot Air for more on the hyperpartisan soap opera (starring ugly people) that is MSNBC.

Posted by: Ace at 07:27 PM | Comments (26)
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Looks like factcheck.org has this nailed down pretty definitively. They examined the actual document and it has a raised seal, etc.

Maybe we can move on to the plethora of genuine defects with this candidate now.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 07:06 PM | Comments (32)
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This is so awesome. It's like a four-day long high-school spirit rally with ugly people I don't know, all on behalf of thuggish soccer team that sexually abused my sister. more...

Posted by: Ace at 04:55 PM | Comments (14)
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I missed this.

Looks like an X-ing goblin. A rabid little bantam.

"Wake up America." more...

Posted by: Ace at 04:43 PM | Comments (24)
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