Israel Security Saves Jimmy Carter From Assassination Attempt By Palestinians
— Ace

Sounds about right. The headline credits Hamas for actually removing the bombs, but it was Israeli security who got the intelligence and passed it on.

Jimmy Carter immediately thanked Israelis by calling them "insidiously cunning" and "ruthlessly, even demonically, crafty." He then went back to reading a book by Holocaust denier David Irving, calling it "the feel-good rollercoaster ride of the summer."

No, but really, he did assert Hamas "wants peace" and otherwise flatter his terrorist hosts.

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Economist Who Predicted Global Financial Crisis Questions Bammy's "Green Roots," Warns of Double-Dip Recession
— Ace

Eh what does he know.

[Economist Nouriel] Roubini, the head of economics research firm RGE Global Monitor, said the U.S. jobless rate, already at a 26-year high of 9.4 percent, would reach 11 percent before it begins to ease. He added that he saw few engines for growth given that U.S. consumers are tapped out

As a result, Federal Reserve policy-makers, whom Roubini says completely missed the magnitude of the crisis at its inception, face an unenviable set of policy choices.

He said weak growth would allow the U.S. central bank to leave interest rates near the current rock-bottom levels for the foreseeable future. Eventually, however, trillions of dollars of unprecedented emergency measures to heal the financial system will need to be mopped back up to prevent an upsurge in inflation.

Rampant inflation could lead to negative economic cycles like the ones that plagued much of the industrialized world in the 1970s.

"That's the challenge the Fed is facing," Roubini said.

He said the central bank did the right thing to avoid an outright depression, but is left with emergency lending programs that are clearly not sustainable.

Obama just emailed me to say "I was told there would be no math during this presidency."

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FactCheck.org Cites Chart Made by Geoff of Innocent Bystanders in Knocking Down Lunatic "Saved or Created" "Staistics"
— Ace

I'm desperately trying to figure out how to insert myself into this and claim some credit.

But as things have turned out, even with the big spending package in place, the jobless rate shot up to 9.4 percent in May, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here's how the real, monthly jobless figures look when plotted on the Obama team's own chart, with the red dots indicating the actual rates:

The second chart was created by "Geoff" at the Web site Innocent Bystanders. We've checked it and can vouch for its accuracy. The Obama team did not give the precise figures that lie behind their chart, and the chart is based on quarterly figures while the BLS figures are monthly. Nevertheless, this chart gives a reasonably good picture of how far off the Obama team's projections have turned out to be, at least so far.

Not surprisingly, Republicans are pouncing on this. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California and five other GOP members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform signed a Jan. 11 letter complaining that the administration had used murky methods to support its claims. They accused the Obama team of using "creative models to produce speculative macroeconomic forecasts" and asked for detailed explanations of the "factors and theories" behind the administration's projections.

Even better, the FactCheck.org piece runs in Newsweek, prominently linking Innocent Bystanders, which means their traffic is about to skyrocket by 10, maybe 12 percent.

Thanks to Slublog.

Posted by: Ace at 04:05 PM | Comments (5)
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Iranian Thugs Searching for Twitterers
— Ace

ARandomPerson tips me to this. I assume it's true -- and I'm not going to bother checking.

He suggests:

The Iranian government is searching for dissident twitterers.

If you have an account, change your location and timezone to Tehran.

I'm not sure that will help, but it can't hurt to try to flood the secret police with a buttload of suspected accounts.

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Congressman Conyers' Evil Hag of a Wife Monica Conyers Considers Guilty Plea to Corruption Charges
— Ace

When I posted that thing about the Ensign affair, and noted the media would tell you his party ID prominently, I had it mind to immediately link this story, in which the party affiliation of John Conyers and his leathery badgerine bride goes entirely unmentioned.

Once again, the media does us all a good turn by offering us a little exciting mystery and intrigue in the course of the news day, inviting us to gather the clues and as we play the game Guess That Party.

Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers has yet to accept a plea deal offered by the federal government in connection with a corruption investigation at City Hall, increasing the odds that she could soon face federal indictment.

The federal authorities told Conyers they wanted an answer by the end of the day Tuesday, but there had been no movement by 5 p.m., a person familiar with the investigation said.

The bribery-related charge that Conyers could plead to carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, though she probably would receive less time.

Two sources who have spoken with Conyers said she is reluctant because she doesn't want to serve time in jail.

Glad you got two sources for that, Detroit News.

Hm. She doesn't want to plead guilty because she doesn't want to go to jail. I never thought I'd see the day.

...

Conyers seemed to briefly allude to the allegations during a live broadcast of her show on WHPR-TV (Channel 33). She acknowledged that she's been in the news but challenged detractors, saying, "If you aren't praying for me, then you are just adding to the problem."

"First and foremost, I am a child of God," Conyers said. "All these things going on right now, I believe in my heart, God will deliver me from."

I got news for you, Michelle: I am praying in this situation, but I can assure you I'm also "part of the problem."

The corruption alleged is straight-up bribery.

Conyers was not identified in federal court documents nor by developer Rayford W. Jackson when he pleaded guilty Monday to bribery conspiracy charges in federal court, but sources say Conyers is the official known as "Council Member A."

Jackson pleaded guilty to paying more than $6,000 in bribes to an unnamed member of the Detroit City Council in connection with a $1.2 billion sludge contract approved in late 2007. He admitted to using a courier on four separate occasions to deliver bribes to "Council Member A" -- the same council member that former Synagro official James R. Rosendall Jr. earlier admitted to bribing.

Conyers, who showed up to the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, declined to speak to reporters and was primarily silent during the meeting except to pitch a community event this afternoon. She looked worried.

Note that when the Pollitco's Ben Smith mentions the story, he also can't seem to find out the party identification of the felonious she-wolverine or her insidiously senile meal-ticket.

This is a little awkward: The wife of the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee was just offered a plea deal by the federal government in a Detroit City Hall corruption case.

Style guide question, Ben: How come Politico prominently mentioned Sen. Ensign's party identification? How come the style guide only seems to be in force when it's a Republican involved in scandal?

Thanks to AHFF Geoff.

PS: If you've forgotten what an egregious, vermin-spawning witch this... woman is (I am running out of ways to avoid the c-word), watch this. Stay with it to watch this nasty serpent get all pissy and arrogant when a schoolchild questions her.

I am still looking for the clip in which she tells a white guy he's not entitled to speak before her council because he's, well, white. When he objects that he's allowed to, because Obama got elected, she informs him he's not allowed to speak that name.

I am looking, and not finding, and I am very sad about that.

Ah! Monica Conyers, a commenter corrects me. No wonder I'm not finding it. I will search again.

Posted by: Ace at 02:29 PM | Comments (1)
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Huh: Key Democratic Ally Claire McCaskill Admits Obama "Didn't Follow Law" on Firing AmericaCorps IG
— Ace

Actually, she says he failed to follow proper procedure, which is a nice way of saying "did not follow the law," which in turn is a nice way of saying "broke the law."

She demands Obama immediately reinstate the illegally-fired IG and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his conduct in this matter.

Just kidding.

She wants him to make up a better explanation, one that "sounds legal."

“The White House has failed to follow the proper procedure in notifying Congress as to the removal of the Inspector General for the Corporation for National and Community Service,” McCaskill said. “The legislation which was passed last year requires that the president give a reason for the removal.”

McCaskill, a key Obama ally, said that the president’s stated reason for the termination, “Loss of confidence’ is not a sufficient reason.”

She added that she was “hopeful the White House will provide a more substantive rationale, in writing, as quickly as possible.”

Wow, way to hold his feet to the fire, Claire.

Posted by: Ace at 01:58 PM | Comments (1)
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Lovin' Tyrants: Obama Says Iranian Non-Election Won't Alter US Policy
— Ace

Won't matter one whit.

President Obama told CNBC on Tuesday that the US is not in danger of overregulating the economy and that the outcome of the Iranian election will not make that much difference in his adminstration's policies toward that country.

...

As for the disputed presidential elections in Iran, Obama said it won't make that much difference to the US what the eventual outcome is.

"The difference in actual policies between Ahmadinejad and Moussavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as advertised," he said. "I think it's important to understand that either way we are going to be dealing with a regime in Iran that is hostile to the US. We have long-term interests in not having them with nuclear power and funding terrorism."

Unbelievable. The resisters in Iran cry out for support -- even mere support of the moral kind -- and Obama gives them the finger. He's Ahmadinejad's boy and he's not changing that for nobody.

In the interview, he also blames Bush for the interventions in the formerly capitalist economy of the US, and also claims the exploding deficits "keep him up at night."

Funny. He seems well-rested to me.

Posted by: Ace at 01:49 PM | Comments (9)
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Sen. Ensign (R -- as the Media Will Note) To Admit to Affair; Blackmail Angle Suspected
— Ace

Great:

Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign has told colleagues that he plans to admit an extramarital affair, a senior Republican official tells POLITICO.

Political insiders in the Senate and in Nevada told POLITICO that Ensign began an affair with a staffer several months after he separated from his wife. When Ensign reconciled with his wife, the sources said, he gave the aide a severance package and parted ways.

Sometime later, a Nevada source said, Ensign met with the husband of the woman involved and had what this source described as a positive encounter. Sources said that the man subsequently asked Ensign for a substantial sum of money – at which point Ensign decided to make the affair public.

EnsignÂ’s office did not return calls for comment, but the senator told the Associated Press Tuesday: "I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions."

I do like that he admitted it the moment the blackmailer attempted to pressure him. That at least demolishes the affair as source of coercion or corruption.

At least he observed the First Rule of Holes. He stopped digging.

Thanks to Kurt.

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CA democrats seek to shutdown state's oil industry
— Purple Avenger

By imposing an almost 10% penalty tax on oil produced within California.

...Democrats yesterday suggested a $15 automobile license fee and said they may consider a 9.9 percent per-barrel charge on oil produced in the state...

This is the fundamental problem with a lot of democrats - they don't understand Newtonian physics and Econ 101. If you make selling native CA oil more expensive than say importing oil from elsewhere in the US or even [gasp] foreign oil, then the California oil wells are simply going to be shutdown because there are cheaper alternatives and the owners of those wells know that keeping their own oil in the ground longer ultimately makes it more valuable years down the road.

All this idiotic proposal will accomplish is a net decline in tax revenue. CA wells will be operated at minimal levels sufficient to pay property taxes and such, and with a chunk of CA production taken off the world market, oil prices will rise further than necessary, and the CA public will be double whammied by the tax revenue decline and higher gas prices.

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Paul Schaeffer Baits the Palins on Letterman?
Correction: More Likely Explanation Offered By Commenters
— Ace

I was a huge fan of Letterman, back when he was funny. So even though I can't find a cite to "prove" this, trust me, I watched the show almost every damn night when it was on at 12:30, and then for a year when it was on CBS, too.

Paul Schaeffer plays a game with Letterman and his guests -- an innocent, fun game. About half of the band's song choices contain a reference significant to the guest, the movie the guest is promoting, or a sketch that's being introduced. Sometimes they're obvious, sometimes they're subtle.

For example, if Pierce Brosnan were on promoting a James Bond film, Schaeffer might play "Secret Agent Man." A pretty obvious reference. Not really a good "game" prompt, as it's too easy. (Note: These examples are made up as "for instances" -- I don't remember the specific references in the songs Schaeffer chose for various guests.)

Often they'd be more subtle, relying on knowing the name of the band or recalling a single lyric from the song. If someone were on promoting a movie adapted from an Elmore Leonard book, for example, taking place in Florida (as many of his books do), the band might play "Walk on the Wild Side." The reference there is just to the lyric about someone coming from "Miami F-L-A."

Letterman and the guests would often give Paul the hat-tip and comment that they'd gotten the reference. If Jim Carrey were on promoting his role as The Riddler in the Batman flick, Shaeffer might play "96 Tears," which doesn't seem to have anything to do with The Riddler, until you realize the song is by a group with the odd name "? and the Mysterions," with that question mark a reference to The Riddler's question-mark spangled costume.

"Question Mark and the Mysterions," Carrey would say to Schaeffer as he sits down. And Schaeffer would say something about the band, and, while not expressly saying so, his tone says "You got it, sir."

Anyway: I'm not making this up. This was a longstanding habit of Schaeffer's and a game enjoyed by himself, the band, and Letterman. And the audience -- I enjoyed trying to figure out the reference. A lot of the time I couldn't, meaning either I just didn't know the lyrics or the guest's career well enough, or else there actually was no reference at all. After all, sometimes the band just wanted to play "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys," whether it contained a reference to a guest or not.

Whether or not Shaeffer still does it, I couldn't say. I imagine he does. He seemed to enjoy it. But I haven't watched the show in years so maybe he's abandoned the practice.

This is a long lead up to the song Schaeffer plays as Letterman offers his new, more user-friendly Apology 2.0. more...

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