Thursday, December 27, 2012

Rick Santelli Loses It Over The 'Fiscal Cliff' Live On CNBC (VIDEO)

Angry old white guy yells at a camera!
Rick Santelli Loses It Over The 'Fiscal Cliff' Live On CNBC (VIDEO): "CNBC's resident screaming head Rick Santelli is at it again, and this time he's got some strong words for Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

During a discussion on the so-called fiscal cliff on Thursday, Santelli grew louder, eventually shouting into the camera and overpowering CNBC contributor and trader Jim Iuorio, who was attempting to hold back laughter."







'via Blog this'

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Ron Paul vividly denounces NRA schools plan - POLITICO.com Print View

Whoa!  Paul is still out there!!
Ron Paul vividly denounces NRA schools plan - POLITICO.com Print View:


Outgoing Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) distanced himself Monday from a National Rifle Association proposal to place armed guards at every school, saying “government security is just another kind of violence.”
He said the federal government should not try to “pursue unobtainable safety” with state-sanctioned security and claimed Democratic and Republican lawmakers have “zero moral authority to legislate against violence.”

“This is the world of government provided ‘security,’ a world far too many Americans now seem to accept or even endorse,” Paul said in a statement on his website. “School shootings, no matter how horrific, do not justify creating an Orwellian surveillance state in America.”

'via Blog this'

Top 10 media stories of 2012 - POLITICO.com Print View

Top 10 media stories of 2012 - POLITICO.com Print View:
10. John King invites the wrath of Gingrich
9. Brian Ross’s Tea Party error
8. PBS capitalizes on Mitt Romney’s ‘Big Bird’ remark
7. The celebrity of Nate Silver
6. Roger Ailes tries to enlist Gen. Petraeus
5. CNN, Fox News bungle the Obamacare ruling
4. Candy Crowley fact-checks Mitt Romney
3. The rise of MSNBC
2. Karl Rove’s on-air meltdown
1. Sandra Fluke and Rush Limbaugh 
'via Blog this'

William Spengler's Note Before Killing Webster Firefighters: 'Do What I Like Doing Best, Killing People'

Bushmaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The year of the Bushmaster .

William Spengler's Note Before Killing Webster Firefighters: 'Do What I Like Doing Best, Killing People': "William Spengler, who served 17 years in prison for the 1980 hammer slaying of his grandmother, armed himself with a revolver, a shotgun and a military-style rifle before he set his house afire to lure first responders into a death trap before dawn on Christmas Eve.

"He was equipped to go to war, kill innocent people," Pickering said.

The rifle he had was a military-style .223-caliber semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle with flash suppression, the same make and caliber weapon used in the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., Pickering said."

'via Blog this'

Monday, December 24, 2012

Tearful President Obama Attends Daniel Inouye's Memorial Service – CMOH awardee

The noticeably emotional President attended the late Senator's funeral services in Hawaii on Sunday.

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Larry Downing / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Photo Cory Lum-Pool / Getty Images

Image by Photo Cory Lum-Pool / Getty Images

Image by Photo Cory Lum-Pool / Getty Images

Image by Photo Cory Lum-Pool / Getty Images

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

Image by Hugh Gentry / Reuters

2 Firefighters Killed in Western New York - NYTimes.com

It's a Trap!



2 Firefighters Killed in Western New York - NYTimes.com: "Four firefighters were shot — two fatally — after responding to an early morning blaze on Monday in Webster, N.Y., about 12 miles northeast of Rochester, officials said.

The suspected assailant also died at the scene, the Webster police chief, Gerald L. Pickering said, though it was unclear if he was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot or by the authorities.

“It does appear that it was a trap that was set,” Chief Pickering said of the blaze that drew the firefighters. “Causative reasons, we don’t have at this time.”

One of the firefighters was “able to flee the scene on his own,'’ he added. “The other three were pinned down at the location.”"

'via Blog this'

Wayne LaPierre Frothing At Mouth During 'Meet the Press' - Business Insider


Wayne LaPierre Frothing At Mouth During 'Meet the Press' - Business Insider: ""This is a matter of logic, Mr. LaPierre," Gregory said. "Because anybody watching this is going to say,  'Hey, wait a minute. I just heard Mr. LaPierre say that we should try anything that might reduce the violence. And you're telling me that it's not a matter of common sense that if you don't have an ability to shoot off 30 rounds without reloading, that, just possibly, you could reduce the loss of life?"
"I don't buy your argument for a minute," LaPierre said. "There are so many different ways he could've done it."
In the interview, LaPierre also repeated his call to put armed officers in every school.
Here's another look at the froth:"

'via Blog this'

NRA's Wayne LaPierre On Meet The Press - Business Insider

NRA's Wayne LaPierre On Meet The Press - Business Insider: "NRA Chief Calls For National Database Of The Mentally Ill And Says: If You Want To Call Me Crazy, Then Call Me Crazy"

'via Blog this'

NRA Press Conference Post-Sandy Hook School Shooting - Business Insider

Another case of a republican blaming everyone else.  Iy's in the bloodstream!
NRA Press Conference Post-Sandy Hook School Shooting - Business Insider: "CEO Wayne LaPierre blamed many things in his press conference for the influx of mass shootings in the U.S. — everything from

  • gun-free school zones, 
  • the media, movies, 
  • violent video games, 
  • hurricanes, 
  • and a lack of government funding.

"

'via Blog this'

NRA Press Conference Post-Sandy Hook School Shooting - Business Insider

Another case of a republican blaming everyone else.  Iy's in the bloodstream!
NRA Press Conference Post-Sandy Hook School Shooting - Business Insider: "CEO Wayne LaPierre blamed many things in his press conference for the influx of mass shootings in the U.S. — everything from

  • gun-free school zones, 
  • the media, movies, 
  • violent video games, 
  • hurricanes, 
  • and a lack of government funding.

"

'via Blog this'

Navy SEAL Commander In Afghanistan Dies Of Apparent Suicide

Damn!!!  A leader kills himself?  These wars are hell.
Navy SEAL Commander In Afghanistan Dies Of Apparent Suicide: "Navy SEAL Cdr. Job W. Price, 42, of Pottstown, Pa., died Saturday of a non-combat-related injury while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

A U.S. military official said the death "appears to be the result of suicide." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the death is still being investigated."

'via Blog this' 

U.S. Shooting Deaths Since Sandy Hook Top 100

U.S. Shooting Deaths Since Sandy Hook Top 100:

 The night after Sandy Hook, a gunman pulled behind a car in Kansas City's east side and opened fire, striking 4-year-old Aydan Perea in the head. The boy had just gotten into his father's car.
“He was innocent and he was just lifeless,” said the first bystander to reach Aydan. “All my life I’ve never seen nothing so devastating. I’m unable to eat, I’m unable to sleep because I see this baby in my head."

'via Blog this'

Saturday, December 22, 2012

New York Post, New York Daily News Slam NRA's Wayne LaPierre



New York Post, New York Daily News Slam NRA's Wayne LaPierre: "The New York Post and the New York Daily News tore into the National Rifle Association on Saturday for the gun lobby's bizarre press conference held in response to the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre.

On Friday, the gun lobby broke its silence to comment on the Connecticut school shooting, which took the lives of 20 first-graders and six adults. In a widely-panned public appearance, NRA leader Wayne LaPierre blamed gun violence on everything from video games to the media, and advocated placing an armed officer in every school in America."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Daniel Inouye's career - Photos - 28 of 28 - POLITICO.com



Daniel Inouye's career - Photos - 28 of 28 - POLITICO.com: "A look at the career of Hawaii Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye (1924-2012)."

'via Blog this'

Daniel Inouye honored in Capitol Rotunda - Scott Wong - POLITICO.com

Daniel Inouye honored in Capitol Rotunda - Scott Wong - POLITICO.com: "Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye joined a rarefied group of Americans on Thursday, becoming just the 32nd person in the country’s history to be given the honor upon their death of lying in the Capitol Rotunda. Vice President Joe Biden, Cabinet members, lawmakers and dozens of tearful staffers bid a final “Aloha” to Inouye during a solemn ceremony in the stately Rotunda. It was the same space where a freshman senator from Hawaii stood under the dome nearly 50 years ago and listened to the “shuffling of feet” as people quietly paid their respects to a fallen president, John F. Kennedy." 'via Blog this'

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Assault Weapon Ban Would Have Never Passed If It Wasn't For Ronald Reagan


The Assault Weapon Ban Would Have Never Passed If It Wasn't For Ronald Reagan: "In 1994, former President Ronald Reagan's health was still good enough for him to, occasionally, participate in politics, and his agenda that year was clear: Helping President Bill Clinton pass the Assault Weapons Ban.
Reagan had been an ardent supporter of stricter gun laws after his presidency for intensely personal reasons, as he wrote in a 1991 op-ed in the New York Times entitled "Why I'm for the Brady Bill.""

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Deanna Swenson, Clackamas County elections worker accused of ballot tampering, says prescription drug clouded her thinking | OregonLive.com

Deanna Swenson, Clackamas County elections worker accused of ballot tampering, says prescription drug clouded her thinking | OregonLive.com: " Deanna Swenson, the former Clackamas County elections employee accused of ballot tampering, apologized to her family and community this afternoon and said a prescription drug she was taking at the time of the incident clouded her cognitive thinking."

'via Blog this'

State Department creates time-travel themed video game - POLITICO.com


State Department creates time-travel themed video game - POLITICO.com: "The Obama administration on Wednesday announced the launch of a new video game designed to teach foreign students about American life, language and culture.

"Students explore American culture through puzzles, activities, and adventures in an interactive world," the State Department announced in a release."

'via Blog this'

Muslim brothers sacrifice big NFL paychecks for spiritual journey to Mecca - Rock Center with Brian Williams

Muslim brothers sacrifice big NFL paychecks for spiritual journey to Mecca - Rock Center with Brian Williams: "Put simply, this is just another striving, improbable, poetic American Dream story: How a family, venerating work and education, traveled from the notorious South Central LA of “Boyz In The Hood” to settle in Spielberg Americana in the shadow of the soaring San Bernardino Mountains—a family with not one but two brothers recruited to play Division I football at Washington State University, followed even more notably by NFL careers. " 'via Blog this'

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Obama briefed on Connecticut school shooting

Barack Obama news: A Living Diary of the Obama Presidency - POLITICO44 - POLITICO.com: "President Obama is being updated throughout the day on the Friday shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, White House press secretary Jay Carney said. The president was first notified of the shooting at 10:30 a.m. while in the Oval Office and is continuing to get information on the status on the ground. Carney couldn't say whether Obama would speak about the incident. "If we get more information and as we get more information, we'll certainly provide it to you," he said." 'via Blog this'

Sixteen US Mass Shootings Happened in 2012, Leaving at Least 88 Dead

Here is a list of every fatal mass shooting that’s taken place since January 1—defined as multi-victim shootings where those killed were chosen indiscriminately. The tragedies took place at perfectly random places—at churches, movie theatres, soccer tournaments, spas, courthouses and, now, an elementary school. But given the frequency of these awful events, perhaps in the long view their occurrence isn’t so random after all—it’s predictable.

February 22, 2012—Five people were killed in at a Korean health spa in Norcross, Georgia, when a man got into an argument and opened fire inside the facility.

February 26, 2012—Multiple gunmen began firing into a nightclub crown in Jackson, Tennessee, killing one person and injuring 20 others.

February 27, 2012—Three students at Chardon High School in rural Ohio were killed when a classmate opened fire.

March 8, 2012—Two people were killed and seven wounded at a psychiatric hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when a gunman entered the hospital with two semiautomatic handguns and began firing.

March 31, 2012—A gunman opened fire on a crowd of mourners at a North Miami, Florida, funeral home, killing two people and injuring 12 others.

April 2, 2012—A 43-year-old former student at Oikos University in Oakland, California, walked into his former school and killed seven people, “execution-style.” Three people were wounded.

April 6, 2012—Two men went on a deadly shooting spree in Tulsa, Oklahoma, shooting black men at random in an apparently racially motivated attack. Three men died and two were wounded.

May 29, 2012—A man in Seattle, Washington, opened fire in a coffee shop and killed five people and then himself.

July 9, 2012—At a soccer tournament in Wilmington, Delaware, three people were killed, including a 16-year-old player and the event organizer, when multiple gunmen began firing shots, apparently targeting the organizer.

July 20, 2012—James Holmes enters a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises and opens fire with a semi-automatic weapon; twelve people are killed and fifty-eight are wounded.

August 5, 2012—A white supremacist and former Army veteran shot six people to death inside a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before killing himself.

August 14, 2012—Three people were killed at Texas A&M University when a 35-year-old man went on a shooting rampage; one of the dead was a police officer.

September 27, 2012—A 36-year-old man who had just been laid off from Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, Minnesota, entered his former workplace and shot five people to death, and wounded three others before killing himself.

October 21, 2012—45-year-old Radcliffe Frankin Haughton shot three women to death, including his wife, Zina Haughton, and injured four others at a spa in Brookfield, Wisconsin, before killing himself.

December 11, 2012—A 22-year-old began shooting at random at a mall near Portland, Oregon, killing two people and then himself.

December 14, 2012—One man, and possibly more, murders a reported twenty-six people at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, including twenty children, before killing himself.

 

http://www.thenation.com/blog/171774/fifteen-us-mass-shootings-happened-2012-84-dead#

Bloomberg jabs Obama's call for 'meaningful action' - POLITICO.com

Bloomberg jabs Obama's call for 'meaningful action' - POLITICO.com: "New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg isn't satisfied with President Obama's promise Friday to take "meaningful action" to prevent future mass shootings.

"[T]he country needs him to send a bill to Congress to fix this problem – and take immediate executive action," he said in a statement in his capacity as co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "Calling for 'meaningful action' is not enough. We have heard that rhetoric before. What we have not seen is leadership – not from the president and not from Congress. That must end today. This is a national tragedy and it demands a national response. My deepest sympathies are with the families of all those affected, and my determination to stop this madness is stronger than ever."

"

'via Blog this'

White House petitioned on gun control - POLITICO.com

White House petitioned on gun control - POLITICO.com: "In the hours after a 20-year-old wielding a semi-automatic assault rifle gunned down 20 children in Connecticut, a petition on the White House web site calling for stricter gun laws drew more than 100,000 signatures.

The petition was one of nearly a dozen created after the shootings Friday in Newtown, Conn.

"The goal of this petition is to force the Obama Administration to produce legislation that limits access to guns. While a national dialogue is critical, laws are the only means in which we can reduce the number of people murdered in gun related deaths," the creator, identified only as "David G.," wrote."

'via Blog this'

McCarthy to 'embarrass' Obama on guns - POLITICO.com

McCarthy to 'embarrass' Obama on guns - POLITICO.com: "McCarthy (D-N.Y.), the foremost gun control advocate in Congress, said she spoke with White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew before Election Day and told him she will exert pressure on the White House to push for gun control legislation.

“I said, ‘Jack, I know the president is going through an election and I’m telling you after the election I’m coming out full force,’” McCarthy told POLITICO Friday. “I was just giving the White House a heads up that the gloves are off on my side and I was going to do everything I possibly could. … If that meant embarrassing everybody, that’s what I would do.”"

'via Blog this'

Gohmert wishes principal had gun

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said Sunday that lawmakers need to keep an open mind when discussing gun control and that having more guns, rather than fewer, would help protect citizens in future situations like the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.

"Every mass killing of more than three people in recent history has been in a place where guns were prohibited," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "They choose this place, they know no one will be armed."

 

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/12/gohmert-time-for-openminded-conversation-on-guns-152091.html?hp=l2

Children in Connecticut School Were All Shot Multiple Times - NYTimes.com


Children in Connecticut School Were All Shot Multiple Times - NYTimes.com: "The gunman in the Connecticut shooting blasted his way into the elementary school and then sprayed the children with bullets, first from a distance and then at close range, hitting some of them as many as 11 times, as he fired a semiautomatic rifle loaded with ammunition designed for maximum damage, officials said Saturday."

'via Blog this'

Anonymous Attacks Westboro Baptist Church Over Plans to Picket Sandy Hook Funerals | Betabeat

Awesome!!!! I would volunteer my computer systems to be Bots against Westboro (WBC)!



Anonymous Attacks Westboro Baptist Church Over Plans to Picket Sandy Hook Funerals | Betabeat: "In a video uploaded by KY Anonymous, the hacker collective states:

We will not allow you to corrupt the minds of America with your seeds of hatred. We will not allow you to inspire aggression to the social factions which you deem inferior. We will render you obsolete. We will destroy you. We are coming.

Anonymous also published the private information of many Westboro members, including email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses. A tweet sent by Westboro member Margie Phelps indicates that the group believes gay marriage is to blame for the shootings in Connecticut."

'via Blog this'

Members of Westboro Baptist Church Announce That They Intend to Demonstrate, Be Total Assholes in Newtown


Members of Westboro Baptist Church Announce That They Intend to Demonstrate, Be Total Assholes in Newtown: "Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of that hateful conclave of Jesus-crazed humanity known as the Westboro Baptist Church, tweeted less than a day after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting that she and her Book of Revelation reading group "will picket Sandy Hook Elementary School to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment." "

'via Blog this'

Friday, December 14, 2012

Newtown, Connecticut, School Shooting (Breaking Updates) - The Daily Beast


Newtown, Connecticut, School Shooting (Breaking Updates) - The Daily Beast: "Twenty-seven people, including 20 children, are believed to be dead when a gunman opened fire at a Connecticut elementary school. See photos from the scene, culled from Twitter."

'via Blog this'

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Ann Coulter Attacks Latinos In Column, As Conservatives Seek To Reach Out To Hispanic Voters

Rubio shouldn't be able to fit this!  

Ann Coulter Attacks Latinos In Column, As Conservatives Seek To Reach Out To Hispanic Voters: "Republicans looking to reach out to Latinos may want to avoid the advice of Ann Coulter.

The conservative pundit penned a column Wednesday in which she lashed out at the “deluge of unskilled immigrants pouring into the country” and portrayed Latinos as a lazy “underclass” looking for a government handout. Coulter titles the piece “America Nears El Tipping Pointo,” presumably to make a virtue of her ignorance of the Spanish language."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Voter Suppression In Florida - Business Insider


Voter Suppression In Florida - Business Insider: "Former Florida GOP leaders admit the party intentionally created the state's new voting law to keep Democratic voters away from the polls, according to a blockbuster report in The Palm Beach Post.

Former Gov. Charlie Crist and former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer, both of whom are on the outs with the party, admitted "that fraud concerns were advanced only as subterfuge for the law’s main purpose: GOP victory," the Post reported Sunday."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

George W. Bush: Immigration Reform Needed To Boost Economy

George W. Bush: Immigration Reform Needed To Boost Economy: " President George W. Bush stressed the importance of immigration on Tuesday at a speech in Dallas, throwing himself back in the ring as the debate over reform heats up in Washington.

"Immigrants come with new skills and new ideas. They fill a critical part in our labor market. They work hard for a better life," Bush said at the event, hosted by the George W. Bush Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas."

'via Blog this'

Papa John's, Applebee's And Others Pay Huge Price For Anti-Obamacare Politicking - Forbes


Papa John's, Applebee's And Others Pay Huge Price For Anti-Obamacare Politicking - Forbes: "It turns out, the pizza eating public did not approve.

Indeed, so serious was the reaction that Schnatter was forced to publish an op-ed piece where he sought to convince us that he never really intended to cut back worker hours but had simply been speculating on what he might do in response to the legislation.

According to YouGov BrandIndex,  a leading marketing survey that measures brand perception in the marketplace (called “Buzz”), Papa John’s had good reason for concern as the pizza chain’s brand identity has plummeted from a high of 32 on election day, to a remarkably low score of 4 among adults who have eaten at causal dining restaurants during the past month."

'via Blog this'

Sunday, December 2, 2012

GOP group rejects Minuteman candidate - POLITICO.com


GOP group rejects Minuteman candidate - POLITICO.com:


The influential Lincoln Club of Orange County has released a statement opposing GOP Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a former leader in the anti-illegal immigration group known as the Minutemen, who announced last week he would form an exploratory committee to run in 2014.
From Robert Loewen, president of the group of conservative donors and business leaders:
Assemblyman Donnelly’s views on immigration do not represent the views of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, nor do I believe he represents the views of most Republicans or Californians. We cannot support Republicans who continually target immigrants, who are members of our community, as scapegoats for their own political advantage. It’s time for all elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, to stop dividing our state along ethnic lines and start looking for practical solutions to the problems that affect all of us.”
As Orange County Register columnist Martin Wisckol writes, “You know your Republican campaign for California governor is in trouble when the first attack on your candidacy comes from fellow Republicans.”


'via Blog this'

Saturday, December 1, 2012

A First: Pennsylvania State Rep. Mike Fleck Comes Out

Republicans are Gay too!

A First: Pennsylvania State Rep. Mike Fleck Comes Out: "Pennsylvania now has an out LGBT lawmaker — a few weeks earlier than expected.
"Coming out is hard enough, but doing it in the public eye is definitely something I never anticipated," Pennsylvania state Rep. Mike Fleck said to the Huntingdon Daily News in a groundbreaking interview. "I’m still the exact same person and I’m still a Republican and, most importantly, I’m still a person of faith trying to live life as a servant of God and the public. The only difference now is that I will also be doing so as honestly as I know how.""

'via Blog this'

Friday, November 30, 2012

Casper College Attack: 3 Dead In Wyoming After Apparent 'Bow And Arrow' Attack



Casper College Attack Update: Suspect, victims in Wyo. slayings had relationship, say police - Crimesider - CBS News: "CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Police say there appears to have been a relationship between the suspect and victims in the deadly attacks that left a total of three people dead at Casper College and in another neighborhood in the Wyoming city Friday morning."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Who Created the Voter-Fraud Myth? : The New Yorker


Who Created the Voter-Fraud Myth? : The New Yorker: "Republicans who support tighter voter security say that they are not seeking political advantage. But last summer Pennsylvania’s Republican House Leader, Mike Turzai, was caught on tape boasting to colleagues that the state’s new I.D. law was “going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.” Earlier this month, a state judge suspended the controversial law’s implementation until after the 2012 election; a federal court has done the same with South Carolina’s new I.D. law."

'via Blog this'

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Obama, Oregon State basketball team visit food bank - POLITICO.com

Bam!  The First Family!

Obama, Oregon State basketball team visit food bank - POLITICO.com: "President Obama and the Oregon State men's basketball team visited a Washington D.C.-area food bank Wednesday.

"The First Family will continue their annual Thanksgiving tradition and participate in a service project at the Capital Area Food Bank. They will be joined by family and friends including members of the Oregon State men's basketball team. The First Family will pack and distribute bags of food to children and seniors served by the Food Bank," the White House said."

'via Blog this'

Saturday, November 24, 2012

National Guard soldiers and airmen face unemployment crisis - latimes.com


National Guard soldiers and airmen face unemployment crisis - latimes.com: "The Obama administration has helped reduce the unemployment rate for all recent veterans, from 15% nearly two years ago to 10% last month, by developing online tools to help returning troops find jobs, working with employers to increase recruitment and retention, and signing into law tax credits for hiring veterans.

But the rate remains stubbornly high for National Guard members and military reservists. Some employers are reluctant to hire them because, unlike other veterans joining the civilian workforce, they can be called up again."

'via Blog this'

Christie pegs New Jersey's Sandy damage at $29.4 billion

Now that's a big ask!!  In my assessment: Oh, now they get it!  If more people were displaced (like if a major disaster happened in Virginia) and their bank account disappeared with replacing destroyed items, and their insurance companies bailed out on those policies, maybe people would appreciate FEMA, and Federal assistance funds.

Christie pegs New Jersey's Sandy damage at $29.4 billion:


"This preliminary number is based on the best available data, field observations, and geographical mapping," Christie said in a statement released Friday evening. "I will spare no effort and waste no time to rebuild and restore our tourism industry, our transportation and utilities infrastructure, and the lives of our citizens for the long term."
The estimate is considered a crucial step for Christie, who recently consulted with governors from Louisiana and Mississippi about working with the federal government after Hurricane Katrina, as he makes his case for federal funds to aid in rebuilding New Jersey's storm-ravaged coastline and cover losses incurred during widespread power outages.
How much of that money New Jersey will see is hotly debated. Republican Rep. Chris Smith warned this week that while the maximum federal assistance for an individual is $31,900, the average following last year's Hurricane Irene was $8,000.


'via Blog this'