Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe have reached a deal to share power. After mediating four days of talks in Harare, South African President Thabo Mbeki said the agreement would be signed and made public on Monday. Mr Mbeki did not give any details. Mr Tsvangirai has confirmed the deal, but Mr Mugabe has yet to comment.
The government and MDC had already agreed that Mr Tsvangirai would be PM with Mr Mugabe staying on as president.
Negotiations have been on-off since the end of July, but have stalled over the allocation of executive power between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, bitter rivals for a decade.
Aid hopes
Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was first to announce the breakthrough, telling reporters simply: "We've got a deal."
Later, Mr Mbeki told a news conference the two sides had agreed unanimously to form an inclusive government. He said: "I am absolutely certain that the leadership of Zimbabwe is committed to implementing these agreements."
The discussions are thought to have been deadlocked over how many ministries each party should have in a unity government, and how much power Mr Mugabe should retain.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC: "Both political parties are committed, it's our wish that the deal will be successful."
BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut says the agreement opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy. It is now the fastest shrinking in the world with inflation galloping to more than 11m%.
Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a controversial June presidential run-off election unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence. In the first presidential election in March, Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe, but official results say he did not pass the 50% threshold for outright victory.
Citing March's results, Mr Tsvangirai has said he should be head of government and lead cabinet meetings, while Mr Mugabe should be relegated to a ceremonial position.
Earlier on Thursday Gordon Brown, prime minister of the UK, the country's former colonial ruler, said any power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe would be judged by how much it reflected legitimate election results.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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" And Morgan Tsvangirai will be Inspector of Latrines..."
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's top judiciary official has issued a religious decree saying it is permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV networks that broadcast immoral content.
Along with just about anyone else they disagree with ...
The 79-year-old Sheik Saleh al-Lohan Lihedan said Thursday that satellite channels cause the "deviance of thousands of people."
Many of the most popular Arab satellite networks -- which include channels showing music videos often denounced as obscene by Muslim conservatives -- are owned by Saudi princes and well-connected Saudi businessmen. Al-Lihedan did not specify any particular channels.
Al-Lihedan is chief of the kingdom's highest tribunal, the Supreme Judiciary Council. Saudi Arabia's judiciary is made up of Islamic clerics whose decrees, or fatwas, on everyday issues are widely respected. Their fatwas do not have the weight of law. In the courts, cleric-judges rule according to Islamic law, but interpretations can vary.
Al-Lihedan was answering listeners' questions during the daily "Light in the Path" radio program in which he and others make rulings on what is permissible under Islamic law. One caller asked about Islam's view of the owners of satellite TV channels that show "bad programs" during Ramadan.
"I want to advise the owners of these channels, who broadcast calls for such indecency and impudence ... and I warn them of the consequences," he said. "What does the owner of these networks think, when he provides seduction, obscenity and vulgarity?"
"Those calling for corrupt beliefs, certainly it's permissible to kill them," he said. "Those calling for sedition, those who are able to prevent it but don't, it is permissible to kill them."
Among the most viewed Arabic satellite networks is Rotana, which airs movies and music videos. It is owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a billionaire businessman and member of the royal family whom Forbes ranks as the world's 13th richest person.
Al-Lihedan sparked controversy in the past by issuing a decree that Saudis can join jihadists to fight U.S. troops in Iraq.
#1
Ordinarily, I'd be outraged..... but the letters MSNBC keep appearing in my head.....
Posted by: Caesar Sperelet6449 ||
09/12/2008 14:33 Comments ||
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Ted Turner, Leslie Moonves (CBS), Jeff Zucker (NBC), Stephen McPherson (ABC), Peter Liguori (FOX), Judy McGrath (MTV), Jonathan Klein (CNN), Dan Abrams (MSNBC).
BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia was freed yesterday from her yearlong detention amid huge celebration and a grand reception given by thousands of party leaders, activists and supporters.
Just-released Khaleda announced to join the dialogue with the government and take part in the upcoming elections but asked the caretaker government to hold the stalled parliamentary elections first and withdraw the state of emergency. She just doesn't learn, does she? She's impervious to hints.
Later at a press conference, she also announced that her eldest son and the party's Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman would remain out of politics for two to three years as he would be abroad for treatment. "You must be thinking that I am very happy that I am free now. But I am not because we as well as the country are not well," a weeping Khaleda told the jam-packed press conference at the party's central office at Naya Paltan yesterday afternoon.
Khaleda, who was detained by the joint forces on September 3 last year, walked out of the makeshift special prison on the parliament building complex at about 11:30am upon getting bail in all the four corruption cases filed against her.
The BNP and its allies have since been demanding her release along with that of Tarique, who was released on bail on September 3.
With Khaleda's release, both the former prime ministers of the country detained in the caretaker government's much-hyped anti-corruption drives are now freed and back to their folds.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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Former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman last night flew to the United Kingdom for treatment hours after his just-freed mother's announcement that he will stay off politics until he recovers fully.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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Maybe, just maybe its time for Cuba to show some political flexibility. We're not the ones that are broke. We can carry on with the standoff quite comfortably.
President Hugo Chavez said his government has uncovered a plot to overthrow him and detained a group of alleged conspirators. The military said more than three suspects were detained, and Chavez accused them of trying to assassinate him with tacit backing from his political opponents and the United States.
A group of current and former military officers were recorded during tapped phone conversations discussing blowing up the presidential jet or bombing the presidential palace, Chavez said. He played some of the recordings during a televised speech.
I thought tapping phone conversations was unconstit ... oh, right, it's okay when Hugo does it.
"They're the same coup-plotters," said Chavez, who survived a failed 2002 coup. Without offering evidence, he said the suspected conspirators had support from "the political opposition ... the U.S. empire."
U.S. officials have repeatedly denied Chavez's accusations that Washington has backed attempts to overthrow him.
While the leftist leader has regularly accused opponents of trying to oust him, he has not recently given such a detailed account of any purported plot.
Chavez ordered his defense minister to investigate the alleged plot involving an active vice admiral and other former military officers. He said his intelligence services had been "following this for some time."
Military prosecutors were questioning several officers about their alleged involvement, Defense Minister Gen. Gustavo Rangel Briceno told a news conference. Rangel Briceno said Air Force Lt. Col. Ruperti Sanchez Caceres and Air Force Maj. Helimenas Jose Labarca Soto, along with a general from the National Guard, were among those being questioned. It was not immediately clear if the suspects were active or retired military officers.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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Remember the episode of the Twilight Zone called "The Mirror", with Peter Falk as the Central American dictator and the mirror that reflects the images of his assassins? This is life imitating art I think.
#4
What concerns me is the withdrawal and removal of ambassadors.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday he is recalling his own ambassador from Washington and expelling the U.S. ambassador from Venezuela.
President Hugo Chavez said he was making the moves "in solidarity with Bolivia and the people of Bolivia."
"He has 72 hours, from this moment, the Yankee ambassador in Caracas, to leave Venezuela," Chavez told a crowd of supporters.
President Hugo Chavez has ordered the US ambassador to leave the country within 72 hours, in an act of solidarity with Bolivia, which also expelled its US envoy.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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The games have begun. Monday theirs will be gone, Hugo will probably recall his to beat us to the punch. Who will be next??
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
09/12/2008 1:38 Comments ||
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This is about the Saudi walkout. Hugo needs oil to be above 100.
#4
Wait a sec, is this about Bolivia OR Oil?
I'm kinda lost with the whole kicking out of ambassadors. Did we kick out the Bolivian ambassador to US because they kicked out ours?
The US has ordered the expulsion of Bolivia's envoy to Washington after Bolivian President Evo Morales ordered the US ambassador to La Paz to leave the country.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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War is the option when the political side fails. The State dept needs to get going on this before we find all our ambasadors in South America on a plane. Liking the new leader or not, we need to keep talking.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
09/12/2008 1:35 Comments ||
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Garbage - these tinhorn South American dictators are stamping their feet and holding their breath. No reason to pay special attention to them, unless you are suggesting that we lick their boots.
#4
Talking, what have we obtained from it in the past?
Very little. It wasn't talking that won WWI, WWII or the Cold War. We're not really that good at talking. But we're good at other, more direct measures.
#5
Shieldwolf, I would never kiss anyones ass or expect our ambassadors to. Nor was I sugesting an covert operation to overthrow this goon be curtailed. We have a diplomatic process, it is one of our elements of power, remember the DIME, and it does work well.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
09/12/2008 8:25 Comments ||
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More players being kicked out here than at a RedSox-Yankees game......
amlost need a program.
Adds some more details with state dept reaction
The United States said Thursday it will monitor two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers, which it described as "Cold War era assets," following their deployment to Venezuela. "It is something that we will watch very closely, as we have with the movements of other military assets for the stated purpose of this joint exercise," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
Besides the warplanes, Russia also plans to send warships to Venezuela for joint naval exercises in November.
"I would just note, for example, that our military assets in the region of the Black Sea, for example, are there to deliver humanitarian assistance," McCormack said. "I will leave it to the Russians and the Venezuelans to describe the purpose of their activities," he added.
The United States sent warships to the Black Sea to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia after Russia launched a military incursion there last month that has inflamed US-Russian tensions.
Asked if he was making a link between events on both continents, McCormack replied: "I am making no linkage whatsoever. I am just pointing out an interesting data point."
#6
MEDVEDEV now weighs in > warns that GEORGIA would've been attacked even iff Georgia was on a firm path to NATO Membership. Also claims that NATO is getting WEAKER as it gets closer to RUSSIA [Asia]???
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Armenia and Azerbaijan are willing to resolve their conflict over the Nagorny Karabakh region after talks in the two countries, Anatolia news agency reported Thursday. Armenia and Azerbaijan both have "an honest and sincere desire for a settlement," Gul told reporters on a flight back from talks in Baku.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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Seriously? That sounds unlikely.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
09/12/2008 9:09 Comments ||
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Unlikely, yes, but if it comes to pass it is of enormous consequence.
#5
ION RUSSIA KOMMERSANT > ROMANIA WANTS ANTI-MISSLE SYSTEM TOO, ostensib to protect the EU Countries, or at least BULGARIA, GREECE, + ITSELF; + CSTO TO CREATE BIG GROUP OF FORCES IN CENTRAL ASIA. Proto-planning for TEN RAPID REACTION BATTALIONS drawn from RUSSIA, KAZAKHISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, KRGYZHISTAN, + TADJIKISTAN.
* TOPIX > MEDVEDEV: WEST LINKS IN ASIA TO GET STRONGER, SSSSSHHHHHH via Russia.
HMMMMM, RUSSIA = the EU-WEST [but NOT NATO]???
* RIAN > RUSSIA'S SUBMARINES TO TEST-FIRE BALLISTIC MISSLES IN PACIFIC.
Local Chinese authorities in Xinjiang province said that Chinese authorities have imposed new restrictions on Muslim practices during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The restrictions include banning men from growing beards and women from wearing face veils as well as prohibiting local officials from fasting during the holy month, according to a report in the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat.
The article said that local authorities visit mosques twice a week to make sure the new rules are being followed.
According to local websites in China, other laws have been imposed ostensibly to maintain security and stability during the month of Ramadan. These include forbidding students and teachers from fasting, preventing retired civil servants from entering mosques, and banning restaurant closures during typical fasting hours.
A statement posted on Xinjiang's official website defended these measures as a way to combat terrorism and the prevalence of religious education that they say incites violence. "We have to prevent religious people from communal rituals [like the daily taraweeh prayers] and religious gatherings that could destabilize the region," said the statement.
The government also warned against trying to force anyone to fast, in reference to preachers who discuss the Muslim obligation of fasting and the benefits it entails.
The restrictive measures came in the wake of recent violent attacks in the province that left 20 policemen dead. The authorities blamed fundamentalist groups who fight for the independence of the province and the declaration of an Islamic state. One such group, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, is considered a terrorist organization by the government of China, the United States, and the United Nations.
China accuses Islamists of trying to restore the 19th century Islamic nation of East Turkestan, which China annexed in the 1880s, in Xinjiang province. After the Communists came to power in 1949, the Chinese government tightened its grip on the province and changed it name to Xinjiang, which means "the new city," in reference to turning it away from Islam towards atheist Communism.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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The chicoms are assholes, but we could learn a few things from them. Like how to be bigger assholes. That probably wouldn't hurt us a bit.
From NRO - Because we can't have too many sane people reminding us the Obama campaign is full of idiots:
The day after 9/11, as part of its "get tough" makeover, the Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer, without caring why he doesn't use a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:
"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail." What? The POTUS can't find anyone in all America to do that for him? Should the POTUS type and mail his own letters too?
Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):
McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball. Emphasis added.
In a similar vein I guess it's an outrage that the blind governor of New York David Patterson doesn't know how to drive a car. After all, transportation issues are pretty important. How dare he serve as governor while being ignorant of what it's like to navigate New York's highways. Works for me. And I'm sure Mr. Idiot Pfeiffer would be glad to contribute to that commercial too, right? What's that I hear - crickets?
There are myriad reasons not to vote for the manchurian candidate Obama, not the least of which is he surrounds himself with people as clueless and classless as himself.
Ptui.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/12/2008 20:33 ||
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Barack's staff is doing great work .....for McCain
"Morons, I'm surrounded by morons"
/Strother Martin
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/12/2008 20:48 Comments ||
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Barack should can every last one of these morons and hire whoever else he can immediately.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
09/12/2008 20:55 Comments ||
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So, it turns out that the pig is Obama's staff.
#4
They're doing exactly what Obama said he would do: strike hard and personal. Today Obama himself said it's fair to question just which country McCain puts first.
#5
Mike, you're assuming he disapproves of the commercial's message.
I suspect he does disapprove - but only of getting caught with his zipper down. Again.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/12/2008 21:04 Comments ||
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The NRO article links to an AP story. That story reveals more idiot Obama camp moves. Get this, they're going to run an ad knocking McCain for how long he's been in Washington.
Gosh, Molly, I wonder what the McCain camp can use to counter that.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
09/12/2008 21:08 Comments ||
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Keeping Karl Rove busy, writing the scripts for both sides, though he only wants one side to win.
#12
I'd really like to believe that Obama's staff is inept, and that's all that's behind this.
But think about this for a second. You have the "flip Hillary the bird--oops, I was just scratching my ear" incident in the primaries. Then you have the lipstick on a pig thing. Now this.
Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is deliberate action.
I'm starting to come 'round to the sense that beneath that smooth, sophisticated, very polished exterior Obama, there's a truly nasty s.o.b. that sneaks out through the cracks now and again. If I'm right--I'd prefer not to be, I'd rather assume the best about people, even ones I'd crawl over broken glass to vote against--expect to see more of the same, especially if the polls keep trending against him.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/12/2008 23:30 Comments ||
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"expect to see more of the same, especially if the polls keep trending against [Obama]"
I sincerely hope so, Mike.
Disgusting as it is, McCain and Palin, being adults, can take it.
Nobama, being a whiney-assed communist mental 4th grader, can't.
It's entertaining watching him implode, even if in so doing he and the MSM his camp insult and trash McCain and Palin. As I said, they can take it, and are probably enjoying the spectacle of his ignoring the First Rule of Holes as much as we are.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that was Governor Palin delivering the last shipment of fuel for the DNC backhoe fleet. :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/12/2008 23:45 Comments ||
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I think that at least a significant portion of the MSM will turn on Obama if this goes on much longer. When it becomes obvious that he's going down they'll try to salvage something of their reputations by ripping him apart.
Sean Hannity took issue with Charlie Gibson's interview with Gov. Sarah Palin yesterday, calling his question on her religious comments "out of context" and "totally misconstrued."
Now, he'll get the chance to conduct his own interview.
Hannity will interview Palin on Tuesday in Cincinnati on the campaign trail. The interview will air in two parts on Hannity & Colmes on Tuesday and Wednesday at 9pmET. It will be Palin's first cable news interview, and second after Gibson's.
Greta Gets First Interview with 'First Dude'
While ABC's Charlie Gibson is busy with Gov. Sarah Palin's first interview, FNC's Greta Van Susteren can claim a related "first." She sits down with Palin's husband, Todd Palin, for his first mainstream media interview since his wife was named VP.
Van Susteren interviews Palin later today and it will air in two parts, on Monday and Tuesday, on On the Record at 10pmET.
She has been anchoring her program from Alaska all week, the only anchor on cable news to do so. Earlier this week she interviewed Palin's sister, Heather Bruce, and she has posted behind-the-scenes pictures and information on her blog (including a look at Palin's old office as Mayor of Wasilla).
How about you name it something like...the Strategic Air Command maybe?
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Air Force will consider consolidating under a single command all responsibility for management of its nuclear weapons arsenal.
Gates made the statement at a Pentagon news conference where an advisory group was releasing its recommendations on ways to improve the Air Force's handling of its nuclear weapons mission.
He said the advisory group, led by former defense secretary James Schlesinger, is recommending that a new Air Force command be created to consolidate the nuclear weapons responsibilities. Gates also said that while the Schlesinger panel makes a convincing argument for this, he is not certain about it. He said it will be a matter for Air Force leaders to consider and decide.
#2
Here's a basic, perhaps stupidly so, question -
Does the Army have any nuclear arsenal? I recall the nuclear artillery shells from decades ago, but does the current Army command have a separate nuclear component, or is it left to the USAF, and USN-sub service?
#5
Good news is that an USMC NCO Cabal strike force retrived a good deal of the US Army fissile material, most of it is hidden in holes various on Paris Island Depot. Moved each day, sometimes more than once.
"Now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work," Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Aug. 28 in his convention acceptance speech. He told the crowd in Denver: "I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons."
Obama's campaign website is even more specific. Under the heading "Fighting for Pay Equity," the women's issues page laments that, "Despite decades of progress, women still make only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. A recent study estimates it will take another 47 years for women to close the wage gap with men at Fortune 500 corporate offices. Barack Obama believes the government needs to take steps to better enforce the Equal Pay Act..."
Obama's commitment to federally mandated pay equity stretches from the Rockies to Wall Street and beyond. And yet it seems to have eluded his Senate office. Compensation figures for his legislative staff reveal that Obama pays women just 83 cents for every dollar his men make.
A watchdog group called LegiStorm posts online the salaries for Capitol Hill staffers. "We have no political affiliations and no political purpose except to make the workings of Congress as transparent as possible," its website explains. Parsing LegiStorm's official data, gleaned from the Secretary of the Senate, offers a fascinating glimpse at pay equity in the World's Greatest Deliberative Body.
The most recent statistics are for the half-year from Oct. 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008, excluding interns and focusing on full-time personnel. For someone who worked only until, say, last Feb. 29, extrapolating up to six months' service simplifies this analysis. Doubling these half-year figures illustrates how a year's worth of Senate employees' paychecks should look.
Based on these calculations, Obama's 28 male staffers divided among themselves total payroll expenditures of $1,523,120. Thus, Obama's average male employee earned $54,397.
Obama's 30 female employees split $1,354,580 among themselves, or $45,152, on average.
Why this disparity? One reason may be the under-representation of women in Obama's highest-compensated ranks. Among Obama's five best-paid advisors, only one was a woman. Among his top 20, seven were women.
Again, on average, Obama's female staffers earn just 83 cents for every dollar his male staffers make. This figure certainly exceeds the 77-cent threshold that Obama's campaign website condemns. However, 83 cents do not equal $1. In spite of this 17-cent gap between Obama's rhetoric and reality, he chose to chide GOP presidential contender John McCain on this issue.
Obama responded Aug. 31 to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's Republican vice-presidential nomination. Palin "seems like a very engaging person," Obama told voters in Toledo, Ohio. "But I've got to say, she's opposed -- like John McCain is -- to equal pay for equal work. That doesn't make much sense to me."
Obama's criticism notwithstanding, McCain's payment patterns are the stuff of feminist dreams. McCain's 17 male staffers split $916,914, thus averaging $53,936. His 25 female employees divided $1,396,958 and averaged $55,878.
On average, according to these data, women in John McCain's office make $1.04 for every dollar a man makes. In fact, all other things being equal, a typical female staffer could earn 21 cents more per dollar paid to her male counterpart -- while adding $10,726 to her annual income -- by leaving Barack Obama's office and going to work for John McCain.
How could this be? Uhh....ahh....he's a hypocrite?
One explanation could be that women compose a majority of McCain's highest-paid aides. Among his top-five best-compensated staffers, three are women. Of his 20-highest-salaried employees, 13 are women. The Republican presidential nominee relies on women -- much more than men -- for advice at the highest, and thus, best-paid levels.
If anyone on McCain's Senate staff is unhappy, McCain's male staffers might complain they seem to get a slightly raw deal.
In short, these statistics suggest that John McCain is more than fair with his female employees, while Barack Obama -- at the expense of the women who work for him -- quietly perpetuates the very same pay-equity divide that he loudly denounces. Of all people, the Democratic standard bearer should understand that equal pay begins at home.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields ||
09/12/2008 09:57 ||
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Not to be picky, but suppose one controls for seniority? Obama's female staff may be younger than his male staff. Of course, that begs another question.
#6
interesting that the Seattle PI would comment on this. Hmmm. It could be that McCain's team is about to get this information out and Obama's apologists are trying to get ahead of it? Since there wasn't a defense for Obama in the article, I have to think that the female editors at the Seattle PI found this fit for print. Bad news for Obama that they dared to do so.
Democratic jitters about the US presidential race have spread to Capitol Hill, where some members of Congress are worried that Barack Obama's faltering campaign could hurt their chances of re-election. Party leaders have been hoping to strengthen Democratic control of the House and Senate in November, but John McCain's jump in the polls has stoked fears of a Republican resurgence.
A Democratic fundraiser for Congressional candidates said some planned to distance themselves from Mr Obama and not attack Mr McCain. "If people are voting for McCain it could help Republicans all the way down the ticket, even in a year when the Democrats should be sweeping all before us," said the fundraiser, a former Hillary Clinton supporter. "There is a growing sense of doom among Democrats I have spoken to . . . People are going crazy, telling the campaign 'you've got to do something'." Yeah...but I don't think Obama's likely to put a sock in it any time soon...
Concern was greatest among first-term representatives who won seats in traditionally Republican districts in the landslide of 2006. "Several of them face a real fight to hold on to those seats," the fundraiser said.
Tony Podesta, a senior Democratic lobbyist, said members of Congress were "a little nervous" after Mr McCain shook up the race with his choice of Sarah Palin as running mate and intensified attacks on Mr Obama. "Republicans have been on the offensive for the past two weeks . . . You don't win elections on the defensive." Or on the offensive as practiced by the DailyKos/DU crowd, either....
The campaign manager for a first-term Democratic congressman from a blue-collar district in the north-east rejected suggestions that Mr Obama had become a liability. He said his candidate would reach out to Republicans and avoid attacks on Mr McCain.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields ||
09/12/2008 09:35 ||
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By a starnbge coincidence, jus today Gallup's poll for Congrees gives the Democrat having a mere 3% lead down from double digits just a few weeks ago.
#3
It couldn't be because they haven't done a goddamned thing since being elected could it? They had their chance to craft an energy bill and other things that would have had some impact on voters, but they didn't. So screw em.
#4
Intrade.com has McCain winning. They have a better prediction record than the polls.
Posted by: Formerly Dan ||
09/12/2008 13:01 Comments ||
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The Trunks don't have to win Congress, just whittle it down to a margin filled with DINOs. Then if the Congressional Trunk leadership [I know an oxymoron] showed as much imagination as McCain, they'd back one of the DINOs as Speaker [DINOs + Trunks = dethroned Nancy]. Saw that done in the NM Statehouse. Cleared the place of some old hacks, who decided to pack it in after that.
#8
Get some Republican newcomers to ride into office on McCain's coattails and suddenly you have the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives all turning red. Get enough Republican senators and McCain has an easy time with SCOTUS appointees. And there'd be nothing like a bumper crop of freshmen representatives to keep McCain honest about immigration. OK, folks. I'm beginning to come around.
"Would you, as president, do the same and would you name Senator Obama to your cabinet for National Service?" McCain paused for a beat before replying with a smile: "Yes
I've been searching for ways to vote for this duplicitous RINO old coot, and Palin had me nearly swayed. Now this, given his history of chasing the ridiculous idea of bi-partisanship I would think he is at least half serious.
You're not making this easy on me John.
It takes congressional action to create a cabinet position. And then it has to have appropriations to fund it. It'll be a while ....
#3
Face it, a "National Service" cabinet post would be one of the most useless, meaningless, toothless places you could put the Godly Community Organizer. It would turn up sweet the maniacs who would otherwise be screaming conspiracy and vote-theft and trying to gin up riots on university campuses.
But yeah, it's a 'get drunk and vote for McCain' morning. Didn't help that they weren't letting us make campaign calls yesterday on account of the 9/11 remembrance.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
09/12/2008 8:54 Comments ||
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#4
Remember the Surgeon General? You get a fancy uniform, an office and requisite number of secretaries, and make public service announcements. IIRC, iaw the Constitution, you can only hold one federal office at a time, that would mean the Senate seat would open up from IL. You guys didn't catch that one. :)
Move the man to someplace where he can do less damage and make way for the opportunity to throw the dice for something better. Ambassador to Belgium would be another good job opportunity as well.
#5
I listened to that exchange last night. McCain wasn't (I think) serious. The moderator was pushing for the idea of a cabinet-level national service position and asked "would you appoint Barack Obama to that position in your cabinet?" McCain's response was more along the lines of "As long as I'm president, yeah, he can have the job of National Community Organizer."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/12/2008 9:22 Comments ||
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#6
Secretary of the Department of Shucking and Jiving.
#1
Low class, she proves it time after time. The left is degenerating to the point where violence is their next step. It has gone way past speaking their minds, I see bad things in the not so far off future from that bunch.
#2
They do talk a good game, and I hear what you're saying, but "RECREATE '68" kinda fizzled. It looks, and I do hope, that the only thing these idiots can do is run their collective mouths.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
09/12/2008 7:23 Comments ||
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#3
They are fucking deranged and are as every bit as dangerous as the fools running after the Nazis, Lenin, and Mao. They follow a "Great Leader" and a "Glorious Cause". Those that don't need to be "re-educated" or removed so not to taint the common man.
They are getting to the point of being like a rabid dog.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields ||
09/12/2008 9:22 Comments ||
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#9
Le's remeber that quote from the third season of "Friends":
"Baywatch is just a bunch of pretty people running"
Apparently she thinks that stooping while wearing a low cut swimsuit made her a great actrees and that a beging a great actress made them a superior person.
She became an American Citizen in late April 2008.
IIRC, in her autobiography there is a chapter entitled "A History of My Breasts" in which she states that all the cosmetic surgery there was done in the US using american made parts (she has had more than one operation so I'm not sure which one she was talking about).
#11
OKay, lets start with the fact that she's with PETA which indicates she really doesn't question what she's been told but reacts emotionally. Second we have the fact that she did not offer her opinion on Palin until asked (unlike Matt Damon, at least the clip of his seems to indicate he's volunteering the info or pitching a movie to Disney).
So Pam's emotional, not that smart, and was asked a loaded question that was guaranteed to get on national news. That doesn't make her a bad person, just easily led and misled.
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/12/2008 12:50 Comments ||
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#13
Maybe she thought The One's reply of 'its a paygrade above me' didn't work either. It's context Pam, context. It probably would have worked for you. /snark off
#14
Gag me, Swamp Blondie. I looked at your link out of curiosity and now I wish I hadn't. I am fully aware that low life like that exists. Looking at their websites just depresses me.
#16
And bigjim, I don't think you need to worry about these people becoming violent. That'd be much too inconvenient for them. What? You think you could get these airheads outta bed, away from their drugs, their mansions, their limos, their wine and cheese parties long enough to do anything but whine about Sarah? These people are degenerate, get it? Sick, twisted and weak. The danger is that their illness will spread to healthy people who will then end up unable to do anything but watch it on TV.
#19
For any mouse: First there were the matching tattoos, then the public declarations of love and now it seems Lindsay Lohan will marry her le$bian lover.
Just days after DJ Samantha Ronson announced at a gig that Lindsay would be her wife by the end of year, the Mean Girls star is sporting this sparkler on her wedding finger.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
09/12/2008 17:54 Comments ||
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#20
CHEERS TV SHow > NORM + CLIFFIE > "CATFIGHT vs. KITTENFIGHT" episode.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's (Heavy) Hand in Government Affairs
This week's government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac marked the shutdown, apparently, of one of Washington's most robust influence machines. Together, the two mortgage buyers spent nearly $200 million on lobbying and campaign contributions over the last two decades, throwing their weight around more like corporations than the government-sponsored enterprises they were. And when Fannie and Freddie faced collapse, those in government were there to help, ironic considering that for so many years the companies' political strategy was to avoid government involvement in their business. So how much did Fannie and Freddie's contributions and lobbying contribute to Congress's hands-off approach? That's hard to determine, but we do have hard data to measure the companies' investment in politicians. Not only have more than 350 current members of Congress collected a total of $4.8 million in campaign contributions associated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since 1989, but 28 lawmakers had up to $1.7 million of their own money invested in the companies last year.
#1
Many people had portions of their retirement plans invested in Fannie & Freddie, e.g. S&P500 index plans, and so lost a portion of those savings when the two stocks fell to zip. The two companies were dumped off the S&P500 2 days ago without ceremony. They've been a fiasco for a very long time.
#2
The market cap on the two companies has been shrinking for months, if not years. The damage to stockholders is a fact on the ground. Part of the reason for the government intervention was to maintain the two companies' required capitalization by injecting government money via new preferred-stock purchase.
If our mutual fund managers were invested in those dogs, it's our own damned fault. I'll have to see what kind of damage my 401k took in the next quarterly report. Hopefully not too much. I don't pay too much attention to the precise investments of my mutual funds, but since I tend more towards utility, energy, index, and international growth funds, I can hope that the damage was limited to the index funds.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
09/12/2008 9:03 Comments ||
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#3
The only thinking index fund managers are supposed to do is to rebalance the stock holdings as company stock values increase or decrease, or companies are added or subtracted from the index. I'm just glad the management team that got the organizations into trouble -- and spent so much of the profits on lobbying -- are gone. Despite their golden parachutes, we can hope they'll be prosecuted for their demonstrated malfeasance.
#4
-- There is a school of thought for investors saying things like the S&P500 index funds were good basic investments for the long-term, due to very low expenses. This was probably good advice for a stable economy, however, this has not panned out over the last 10 years or so -- the S&P 500 has underperformed simple things like Tbills & CDs.
--- I could see the real estate crisis coming over a year ago. When I saw FNM & FRE in the S&P500 along with financial institutions deeply implicated in the upcoming collapse, I bailed in 8/2007 & sold all my 401X & IRA stock mutual funds, saving myself quite a bit. I had lost money with the dot com bust & was determined not to let it happen again.
We're in for a very bumpy ride. Make sure your bank deposits are under the FDIC limit & diversify your bank accounts.
#9
I'm afraid our amns retirement fund is going to suffer due to bias confirmation via some nifty data mining.
You cherry picked your years of comparison. You chose a ten year period (for shorter than most anyones investment horizon) with a bastard of a bear market. Now go back and check the ten years before that. Or better yet, check it against a more normal 30+ year time horizon.
From 1972-2005 the S&P has had an annualized return of 12.7%. Comparing that with bond returns and the huge penalties from cashing out of retirement funds early......
Posted by: Mike N. ||
09/12/2008 21:35 Comments ||
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#10
Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results is on most printed investment advice I've read. Everyone seems to ignore it.
-- A 30 year investment horizon is nice for people who expect to live longer than that. I don't. It is a nice debating point for people who profit from selling financial instruments.
-- The levels of corruption and self-dealing in many publicly held companies have not fully surfaced.
-- I did not cash out of my retirement funds early. I just sold my S&P 500 index investments & shifted the $ to equally protected CDs and Tbills, all within my retirement funds which remain untouched and untaxed. If other investments look better in the future, I'll buy some. I won't be buying anything contaminated with housing or financial institutions for a few years, at least.
WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate's top Democrat will press for passage this year of a U.S.-Indian civil nuclear cooperation accord, his spokesman said Thursday, boosting prospects for the landmark agreement to be ratified before President Bush leaves office. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who met Wednesday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "will try to find a way to move it forward" this year, spokesman Jim Manley said. The accord, one of Bush's top foreign policy initiatives, would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by shipping atomic fuel to India in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors.
The support of lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Senate and House is crucial because only about three weeks remain before Congress is scheduled to recess for the year to campaign for Nov. 4 elections. The Bush administration needs lawmakers' help to overcome a law that says Congress may not ratify the accord for 30 working days after receiving it. Without passage of legislation to scrap the waiting period, Congress does not appear to have enough days left to ratify the deal.
The House's top lawmaker, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, mentioned the requirement of a "waiver" to strike the 30-day waiting period and said Thursday: "I hope that that work can be done so we can take it up." Pelosi, a supporter of the agreement, noted, however, "We don't want it to be a precedent for saying many more countries will join" the nuclear club.
Sen. Joe Biden, the Democrats' vice presidential candidate and a supporter of nuclear cooperation with India, said the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which he chairs, could review the agreement in a hearing as soon as next week.
Also Thursday, the White House announced that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet with Bush later this month in Washington as the two leaders push for approval of the accord.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/12/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
My final conclusion of this interview was that I was shocked and disgusted with the sexism displayed. Charlie Gibson's "look me in the eye" immediately offended me on a level I'm not used to being offended on. Where did he get off patting her on the head like that? I tried and could not imagine him asking Obama (or any other professional) that question in that tone.
But in the end, she kicked his behind and left the heel of her stiletto sticking out his, um.. nevermind.
When she gave her comment about Lincoln, I had this sense that Charlie Gibson was just one of many nameless, faceless, opponents whom she had shot down and left strewn upon the roadside.
I had this vision of her stopping briefly as she left the studio to put another notch in her lipstick case.
#4
I thought she was tense and a bit forced in the first questions. Gibson was clearly taken aback that she didn't show any humility about taking the VP / President role. I was expecting some words along the lines of "leading this great country is an honor and a challenge that I believe I'm up for blah blah". She did come across as a bit pitbull-ish in her "I didn't blink" response IMO.
That said, there was a real gotcha tone to the interview. She wasn't given a chance to lay out a position or talk at any length. No doubt Gibson felt that doing so would just allow her to recite memorized speeches. But with the obvious editing in which some of what she had to say was chopped off, combined with his egregious mis-representation of her comments in church about Iraq, I'd have to say that this wasn't Gibson's best performance as an interviewer on the national stage under pressure.
Sarah Palin held her own even with Charlie Gibson's continuous attempts to get her to make a gaffe. She didn't waffles one bit on national security and support of allies.
The whole "Is it worth it to defend Georgia" meme just displays the lack of principles on the leftist MSM plate.
Yes, it is worth it to defend democracy. It is a matter of principle. If you have no principles you are an empty vessel, a hollow shell, which will be filled with whatever the rationalization du jour happens to be.
One wonders exactly what would be 'worth it' to the talking heads of the media.
Go Sarah!
DanNY
Posted by: DanNY ||
09/12/2008 8:57 Comments ||
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#6
Many people in the U.S. don't quite realize what it means to live that close to Russia. I grew up in Anchorage and we understood that Elmendorf and Fort Rich would be targets of any first strike. Russian aircraft often tested the warning systems to the north and west. We had air raid drills in school.
(On the positive side sometimes we would get to see the anti aircraft systems tested against drones over the mountains. Seeing a missile rise and blow up an aircraft is unbelievably cool to 10 year old boys.)
Palin has a completely different mindset than Gibson on security.
#7
Gibson had the opportunity of a lifetime and career to interview her if she becomes Vice-President. He squandered it by coming of as chauvinistic and condescending and being what Hillary supporters see the dhimocrats doing to their spectrum of the voting block.
Good job Charles, you just swung the female voters 10 more points in Palin's direction.
Chauvinistic pig.
#9
charleys 1st segment interview with Sarah, was clouded by charlies ambitious auditioning.
While Sarah wanted to talk about political reform, which is the essence of why Sara is so popular, charlies objective was that of auditioning for water boy, of strident inquisitor. A position open, since the retirement of a string of exit stage left anchors. Someone needs to give ABC, the definition of RO/RS=CF.........
the interview was nothing but a face making audition by charlie.....imagine that....go fish.
#11
Didn't get to see the whole thing. But from what I did see I thought Gibson was just trying really hard not to give the impression that he was pitching softballs. I mean, give him a break. Would you have preferred Katie Couric? And Sarah didn't blink. She has A-type written all over her. Pit bull, indeed. Can't wait to see what she does to Biden.
#12
Aside from misquoting her on the "Holy War" line of questioning and bringing up a very hazy "Bush Doctrine" I thought the content of Gibson's questions was fair.
Gibson's distortion of the quote from Palin's church address was way out of bounds. She did a very nice job of addressing it though and, I think, gave an answer that no one will quibble with outside the looniest of the far left or the ranks of militant athieism.
It wasn't reasonable to expect Gov. Palin to know to which particular incarnation of the Bush Doctrine Gibson was referring; one Bush himself enunciated, something tacked on by the media, his critics, his supporters, or some third party? The question is overbroad, fodder for a library full of dissertations and theses rather than a brief interview response. That said, Gov. Palin did stumble over the question and needs to improve her handling of situations where she's caught flat-footed or where the interviewer is laying an unclever trap.
Gibson's tone is one any attorney will instantly recognize: the petulant judge who might have read the complaint but who probably hasn't read the briefs and who is nevertheless intent on arguing his or her understanding of the issues with the attorneys anyway. The impatience, dismissiveness, condescention, arrogance, contant interruptions, and the like all fit the profile. I thought Gov. Palin did a nice job handling Gibson's attitude, it was intended to throw her off stride in hopes of bringing forth a careless statement and it didn't do so.
Gov. Palin did a nice job of staying on point when Gibson, on multiple occasions, repeated the same question multiple times. That's an attempt to look for internal inconsistencies or to push a speaker off-point. It works when the speaker is speaking not from their own internal convictions but is instead searching for the approval of their questioner (as often happens with the ill-prepared). Gibson had no success with that tactic here which speaks highly of the depth of Gov. Palin's preparation.
Her body language conveyed a bit of nervousness to me but it didn't carry into her voice or facial expressions. To be visibly nervous but so completely in control is brutally difficult, even for professional speakers.
She does have a few verbal habits that she employs to create space while she mentally composes her response. Not nearly as offensive as Obama's constant stream of "well, uhhhhh, y'know, I ahhh" followed byaveryrapidclosetohisthought. Look for repeated phrases and "I do" with Gov. Palin; not offensive but she can clean up her speaking style by slowing down just a bit and avoiding the use of verbal techniques designed to create space.
I thought that overall she acquitted herself fairly well. She probably didn't change anyone's mind one way or another and the sound bites aren't damaging no matter how badly spun. Probably a C+ / B- performance but I expect that she'll improve very rapidly from here, you can see that coming and it's only a matter of time. But then last time I was asked to critique speakers I referred to one as "ill prepared, horribly presented and awfully dull" only to later learn that he was considered quite accomplished ... you should definitely salt my opinion to taste. ;)
The Muslim Fatah-controlled authority in Judea and Samaria is encouraging a "sharp demographic shift" in Bethlehem, where the Christian population went from a 60 percent majority in 1990 to a 40 percent minority in 2000, to about 15 percent of the city's total population today.
It is estimated that, for the past seven years, more than one thousand Christians have been emigrating from the Bethlehem area annually and that only 10,000 to 13,000 Christians remain in the city. International human rights lawyer Justus Reid Weiner, who teaches at Hebrew University, told the Jerusalem Institute for Global Jewish Affairs that, under the PA-Fatah regime, Christian Arabs have been victims of frequent human rights abuses by Muslims. "There are many examples of intimidation, beatings, land theft, firebombing of churches and other Christian institutions, denial of employment, economic boycotts, torture, kidnapping, forced marriage, sexual harassment, and extortion," he said. PA officials are directly responsible for many of the attacks, and some Muslims who have converted to Christianity have been murdered.
As people with "dhimmi" status, Christians living in Palestinian-controlled territories are not treated as the equals of Muslims. He says: "They are subjected to debilitating legal, political, cultural, and religious restrictions. This has become a critical problem for the Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza. Muslim groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad have built a culture of hatred upon the age-old foundations of Islamic society. Moreover, the PA has adopted Islamic law into its draft constitution."
In 2006, Hassan El-Masalmeh, a member of the Bethlehem City Council and local Hamas leader, publicly advocated implementing a discriminatory tax on non-Muslim residents. In late 2007 an evangelical pastor was forced to leave Ramallah under threats from Fatah gunmen, and soon after, his congregation dispersed.
"Tens of thousands of Palestinian Christians have left their ancestral homes and emigrated to North America, Central America, South America, Europe, and Australia. They flee to almost any country that will issue them a visa," Weiner said. "Neither the Palestinian Christian leaders nor the PA want to reveal accurate statistics. That would mean the extent of the emigration would become publicly known. They would then have to face questions about the reasons for this decline. It is currently estimated that the number of Christians living in Gaza totals only 1,500-3,000 amid 1.2 million Muslims. Probably less than fifty thousand Christians remain in all of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza together," he estimated. "Taybeh, a village located deep in the West Bank, is the only all-Christian village left in the PA. As a result of the perpetual violence, many residents of Taybeh have gone abroad and only 1,300 remain. The situation of these Christians has become grim."
"Incidents of Muslim men seducing' or kidnapping Christian girls have caused growing anxiety among the Christian population. In May 2004, a sixteen-year-old Christian girl from Bethlehem, who was a U.S. citizen, went missing for five days after being kidnapped by a 23 year-old Muslim. " The girl's family contacted the American Consulate in Jerusalem, and it was only thanks to their intervention that she was rescued and left with her family for the United States. The episode received virtually no international media coverage.
In another case, a Muslim family appeared uninvited on the doorstep of a wealthy Christian family in Judea and Samaria and demanded that the Christian family's daughter, known for her beauty, marry their son. Their son was already dressed up for his wedding, accompanied by the sheikh and fifteen Muslim men. To protect his family the Christian girl's father opened fire on the Muslim entourage, killing three and wounding ten. The girl's family immediately abandoned their home and fled abroad."
The PA was involved in the torture of two Muslim brothers from Samaria who adopted the Christian faith. The first brother was arrested by the PA secret police and accused of collaborating with Israeli and American intelligence. After the interrogation the police placed a cardboard sign on his back upon which was written, Najib the Christian.' Then he was told to curse Jesus.'" He eventually made contact with Israelis who arranged for him to hide in a bomb shelter in a Jewish community and was finally granted asylum in Norway.
His brother spent 21 months in a PA prison after being arrested on fabricated charges. He was held for seven months in underground solitary confinement. Weiner quotes his testimony before him thus: "I was beaten with sticks; they stripped me naked and made me sit on bottles, and on the legs of chairs that they turned upside down, and many, many other sadistic things that I am even ashamed to say. Many times they allowed lynch mobs like the Al-Aksa Brigades to come in and pull prisoners out of the cells. They were taken out and shot on the spot, their bodies then dragged through the streets for all to see." The young man was sentenced to be executed but was liberated from prison by the Israel Defense Forces. He lives in Israel but his wife and eight children remained behind and are under constant threat of harassment. He hopes to find asylum in Norway.
Another Christian convert, El-Achwal, was initially arrested on fabricated charges of stealing gold. He was kept in a tiny cell and regularly left without food or water for days on end. The torture he sustained during the interrogation required lengthy hospitalization. Weiner, who interviewed El-Achwal, said Ahmed "had suffered extensive and serious burns on his back, buttocks, and legs. The heated torture implement that was applied to his skin reminded me of similar medieval instruments." He was eventually freed but refused to renounce his Christian faith. One day he was beaten by a group of masked men affiliated with the PA security services, who also torched his car. His residence was firebombed and on January 21 2004, he was shot dead by masked gunmen who have never been arrested.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Legendary Beatles star Paul McCartney said he was pressed to cancel his upcoming performance in Israel, but reassured Israeli fans in comments published on Thursday he would go ahead with the planned concert.
"I was approached by different groups and political bodies who asked me not to come here. I refused. I do what I think, and I have many friends who support Israel," McCartney said in an interview with Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth. Who would have thought? I guess if you're that famous for this long, you can afford to ignore the whine-block.
Pro-Palestinian groups have frequently called on international academics and prominent cultural figures to boycott Israel over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Jewish groups have condemned cultural and academic boycotts as anti-Semitic. I wonder why? Maybe because it IS?
McCartney will perform hits from his Beatles days and his solo career during a September 25 concert in Tel Aviv as part of a series of shows that has taken McCartney to cities he never visited before. His security detail will be really something.
#2
Good for him, I guess. The best course would have been to completely ignore the threats and refrain from patting yourself on the back for going forward with the show.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/12/2008 12:16 Comments ||
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#3
Pro-Palestinian groups have frequently called on international academics and prominent cultural figures to boycott Israel over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
After reading the previous article I'd like to call on Israel to extend its occupation to include total control of Bethlehem until such time as the religion of Islam no longer has any adherents.
Note - This happened during Katrina when somebody realized that SC is at the end of one of the bigger pipelines. There's been no panic, and the price hikes have been minimal so far...but it's coming. What was kind of interesting though were the rumors that swept through here Thursday night that Venezuela and the Magic Kingdom had cut off our oil supply.
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The impending landfall of Hurricane Ike has caused issues with the price of gas and limits on the amount you can buy, according to officials.
"Hurricane Ike is projected to hit landfall in Texas Friday or Saturday and in anticipation of its storm path, refineries in the Gulf of Mexico have closed," said David E. Parsons, CEO and President of AAA Carolinas.
Michael Fields with the South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association says gas prices have risen throughout the day and will continue to do so on the wholesale and retail level. "Gas prices have gone up and some stations have placed a restriction on the number of gallons customers can buy because it is unclear right now how long the refineries will remain closed or if they will sustain any damage," Parsons said.
Fields has also heard of several stations in the state such as the Pee Dee, the Lowcountry and the Upstate that are rationing gas out to customers.
In Sumter, all Kangaroo gas stations are imposing at 10 gallon limit. At the Kangaroo on Broad Street, they have put up a sign asking customers to limit their gas purchases. An attendant at the station says they aren't enforcing the limit at the moment, but may have to Friday and over the weekend.
Fields adds that all this is a preemptive move with Ike because of what happened with Hurricane Katrina. He calls the current situation "volatile" and says there is a concern about how much fuel will be available after Ike hits. "The worst thing that could happen would be for motorists to flock to gas stations to top off their tanks," said Parsons. "That will worsen the situation before anyone knows what the damage will be. We encourage people not to panic, drive conservatively and don't take unnecessary trips until the damage assessment is completed early next week."
Parsons says this gas spike comes on the heels of the closing of some refineries in the past few days based on the expected path of Hurricane Gustav, which did not cause any major damage and the refineries reopened and put more oil into the pipeline.
Parsons said most refineries made significant changes to their oil rigs after Hurricane Katrina three years ago and these upgrades are designed to protect against hurricanes.
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
09/12/2008 05:34 ||
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#1
Vancouver BC radio this morning was saying that prices in Ontario had jumped ~ 13 cents a leter overnight, 'due to Ike.' no price change here north of Seattle this morning.
#6
My tank was alomost empty so I stopped to fill up as usual. Lines of cars and people filling every gas can they can get their hands on. Bugwits. It's up to 3.80 here (East Tennessee).
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
09/12/2008 12:54 Comments ||
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#7
So is there oil off the SC coast?
And with all the states gas tax revenues down, would drilling put some cash in state coffers?
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/12/2008 12:59 Comments ||
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#8
I went back to the same gas station where I filled my car at noon and now gas is4 bucks a gallon. Jeebus!
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
09/12/2008 16:08 Comments ||
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#9
DeaconMan, why did you go back? To get in line to top off?
#10
No, my truck had less than a quarter tank and I have to haul 2 horses to North Georgia on Thursday.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
09/12/2008 17:16 Comments ||
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#11
We were up $0.13, 3.29 to 3.42. This could last a long time, also. 30% of US gasoline comes from Houston. Not only does banking and restarting refineries cause lots of problems, the silting of the Houston ship channel may take quite a while. This could be ugly. Unless your campaign slogan is drill here, drill now. Refine here, build now.
#12
Last night Charlie Gibson cut Gov. Palin off when she started to say that her energy industry experience is directly relevant to national security. A quick look at Iran and Venezuela on the one hand and at the economic impact of high gas prices on the other hand makes it clear she was right and he was covering for the O.
#3
Lehman is already dead. Let's not go throwing cash into their coffin. When their stock gets cheap enough, someone will buy them. If not, who cares. Lehman means nothing.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
09/12/2008 11:35 Comments ||
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#4
Exactly Mike.
Saw a vid of Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan) say about buying Bear Sterns "There's a difference between buying a house and buying a house on fire."
#5
I hope the home loan business doesn't go back to the way it used to be, where you couldn't get a loan unless you could prove you didn't even need one. That would be a pretty big price to pay for all these assholes to do the biggest smash and grab I've ever seen. They get the money, we get screwed, how much more capitalist can you get Pebbles?
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia was freed yesterday from her yearlong detention amid huge celebration and a grand reception given by thousands of party leaders, activists and supporters.
President Hugo Chavez said his government has uncovered a plot to overthrow him and detained a group of alleged conspirators. The military said more than three suspects were detained, and Chavez accused them of trying to assassinate him with tacit backing from his political opponents and the United States.
Democratic jitters about the US presidential race have spread to Capitol Hill, where some members of Congress are worried that Barack Obama's faltering campaign could hurt their chances of re-election. Party leaders have been hoping to strengthen Democratic control of the House and Senate in November, but John McCain's jump in the polls has stoked fears of a Republican resurgence.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's (Heavy) Hand in Government Affairs
WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate's top Democrat will press for passage this year of a U.S.-Indian civil nuclear cooperation accord, his spokesman said Thursday, boosting prospects for the landmark agreement to be ratified before President Bush leaves office. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who met Wednesday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "will try to find a way to move it forward" this year, spokesman Jim Manley said. The accord, one of Bush's top foreign policy initiatives, would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by shipping atomic fuel to India in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors.
The Muslim Fatah-controlled authority in Judea and Samaria is encouraging a "sharp demographic shift" in Bethlehem, where the Christian population went from a 60 percent majority in 1990 to a 40 percent minority in 2000, to about 15 percent of the city's total population today. 
