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Thursday wake-up and smell the coffee

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Myiq2xu

There’s not a lot of news today unless you want to discuss events in Arizona. Let’s start with this not-cheerful news:

2010 home foreclosures top 1 million for first time

Banks seized more than a million U.S. homes in one year for the first time last year, despite a slowdown in the last few months as questions around foreclosure processing arose, a leading firm said on Thursday.

Banks foreclosed on 69,847 properties in December, bringing the year’s total to 1.05 million, topping the prior record of 918,000 homes seized in 2009, real estate data firm RealtyTrac said.

In 2008 we bailed out the banks. This is how they return the favor.

Pentagon chief huddles with allies about NKorea

South Korea would be within its rights to retaliate if North Korea mounts an attack, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, but the United States wants Seoul and its neighbors to try to head off a North Korean provocation that could lead to war.

The United States fears that the risk of war is rising between U.S. ally South Korea and the heavily militarized and increasingly unpredictable regime in North Korea, which the Pentagon also considers a looming threat to the mainland United States.

Some problems don’t seem to have solutions.

Some cheerful news:

Haley takes oath as SC’s first female governor

Nikki Haley has taken the oath of office, becoming South Carolina’s 90th governor and the first woman to run the state.

Maybe one day we’ll even have a woman president.

These guys don’t watch FOX News:

NOAA: 2010 Tied For Warmest Year on Record

According to NOAA scientists, 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record, beginning in 1880. This was the 34th consecutive year with global temperatures above the 20th century average. For the contiguous United States alone, the 2010 average annual temperature was above normal, resulting in the 23rd warmest year on record.

This preliminary analysis is prepared by scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., and is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides government, business and community leaders so they can make informed decisions.

If we all watched Seah Hannity then global warming wouldn’t exist.

What were you doing 18 years ago?

S.F.: Man wrongfully convicted of 2 murders freed

To the cheers of family and friends, Caramad Conley took his first steps as a free man outside San Francisco County Jail on Wednesday after serving 18 years for a double-murder conviction that a judge ruled had been arrived at through perjured testimony.

Last month, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Marla Miller ruled that San Francisco police and prosecutors had failed to reveal to Conley’s defense team before his 1994 trial that the city had paid thousands of dollars and provided the use of a house to the star prosecution witness, police informant Clifford Polk.

Miller cited what she called “voluminous evidence” that Polk, who is now dead, had lied on the stand when he said he was not in a city witness protection program and therefore receiving benefits.

Polk testified that Conley had confessed to him about the April 8, 1989, drive-by shooting on Third Street that killed Roshawn Johnson and Charles Hughes and injured 13 others.

Miller also found that then-homicide investigator Earl Sanders, who would later become police chief, had stood by in court while Polk lied.

“I find that Sanders knew the testimony was false and did not correct it,” Miller wrote.

Now it could be argued that even though the informant committed perjury Conley could still be guilty but as far as I’m concerned police misconduct like that should be a Get Out of Jail Free card.

Do not click this link unless you have a strong stomach:

Paul Mason, World’s Fattest Man, Prepares to Sue Government for Letting Him Get Fat

Don’t look at me like that. I warned you.

Today in History:

1969 Beatles release “Yellow Submarine” album
1968 Beginning of Tet-offensive in Vietnam
1957 Wham-O Company produces the 1st Frisbee
1559 Elizabeth I crowned queen of England

Famous Birthdays:

1983 William Hung
1977 Orlando Bloom
1961 Julia Louis-Dreyfus
1931 Charles Nelson Reilly

Famous Deaths:

2009 Patrick McGoohan
1985 Carol Wayne
1978 Hubert Humphrey
1929 Wyatt Earp

I would tell you all to have a great day but you guys don’t every listen to me anyway. Besides, I hate cheerful people.

Here’s the birthday boy in action:

Filed under: General |

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66 Responses

  2. myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 7:32 am said:

    Joseph Cannon’s cross-country pictorial:

    Hell-Hound across America — or: A Winter’s Tail

    Joesph moved from Riverside to Baltimore, traveling for several days in a packed minivan.

  3. native1, on January 13, 2011 at 7:34 am said:

    I’m sure a “Well worded Militia” is protected in the constitution. It is to protect us from the “silent majority”.

  4. myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 7:47 am said:

    Just Your Typical Would-Be Assassin

    “There is no profile of an American assassin,” forensic psychologist Robert Fein and his co-author Bryan Vossekuil, former head of the Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, emphasize. But the Tucson attacker, Jared Loughner, is pretty typical. Of the 83 attackers analyzed, 71 were male, 63 were white, 41 had never married, 47 had no children, about half had some college education, and about half were unemployed at the time of their attacks. “Almost all subjects had histories of grievances and resentments,” note Fein and Vossekuil.

    Politics apparently plays very little role in most attacks and would-be attacks against public officials. The researchers found that “fewer than a tenth of subjects who acted alone were involved with militant or radical organizations at the time of their attack or near-lethal approach.” Instead, they seek notoriety, revenge for perceived wrongs, death at the hands of law enforcement, to bring attention to a perceived problem, to save the country or the world, to achieve a special relationship with the target, to make money, or to bring about political change. Less than a quarter of the attackers developed escape plans. In fact, more than a third wished or expected to die during their attack.

    • jjmtacoma, on January 13, 2011 at 10:13 am said:

      I never commented on this in the past days – didn’t fit the conversation – but based on some of the notes released, I think Loughner wanted to be killed at the time of the shooting or that he thought he would kill himself.

  5. myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 7:55 am said:

    From Blogstalkers:

    Can I summarize Myiq2xu?

    I hate that nigger

    I used to take great fun in mocking that site. These days I am just done with it.

    Comment by justlen on 01/13/11 at 02:49 AM

    • Three Wickets, on January 13, 2011 at 7:58 am said:

      Somebody’s been reading their Huckleberry Finn.

    • myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 7:59 am said:

      Justlen was banned from here years ago. He likes using the N-word, it’s what got him banned in the first place.

      But since he’s an Obama supporter it’s okay, he just projects it onto someone else.

      He reminds me of a sex-crimes prosecutor I once met who liked looking at the evidence in child porn cases.

    • DandyTiger, on January 13, 2011 at 10:57 am said:

      Let me guess, he assumed Obama was liberal based on the color of his skin. Starting to get a clearer picture of many Obots.

      • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 12:19 pm said:

        Kos and Arianna (former Repubs) just lead em by the nose with talking points.

        They’re WORSE than “Peoria.”

    • ainnj, on January 13, 2011 at 8:40 am said:

      guess this should not be a surprise considering the hateful, violent posts we all saw all over the web aimed at Hillary Clinton during the primaries…posted by other democrats no less!

      I do like these words to live by that the site owner I think of the blog you linked posted:

      “Which brings me to a third principle. You can’t take it back on the internet.”

    • ellie, on January 13, 2011 at 8:41 am said:

      The guy commenting at Legal Insurrection who gave his granddaughter the advice that she shouldn’t post anything anywhere that she wouldn’t send to him or her grandmother is a keeper.

    • votermom, on January 13, 2011 at 8:42 am said:

      Entitlement.

  7. votermom, on January 13, 2011 at 8:48 am said:

    Can I talk about Plain’s video? A lot of people have said that the left gives her all this power by attacking her, but I think I didn’t really understand what they were saying until I watched the video.
    That video is a like an 8 minute audition of “how I will lead the country in times of national crisis.” And I can just see, in my head, Simon Cowell saying, “you ARE the next American Idol/President.” And also in my head, I can see the other GOP presidential wannabes tearing their hair out because they never got an audition. (Has anyone checked on the state of Mitten’s coif today?)

    • yttik, on January 13, 2011 at 9:24 am said:

      I agree, that video packed some real political power. And the media and the morons have played right into it. This morning I can’t remember the darn campaign/memorial slogan that was printed on thousands of tee-shirts and bumper stickers, but I sure can remember “blood libel.”

      • votermom, on January 13, 2011 at 9:32 am said:

        I think it’s a political milestone for her.

        • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 10:17 am said:

          MSNBC is still trashing her this morning.

          Either they didn’t hear the President’s message last night, or…..

          Permission has been given (wink wink) to disregard the pretty words and continue the trashing.

          No wonder they have lousy ratings.

          They, too, think Peoria is too stupid to see it.

          GAWD

          • WMCB, on January 13, 2011 at 10:21 am said:

            That’s his usual MO. Make “I’m not one of those nasty politicians, shame on all of them” statements, while having his supporters run around saying vile things.

            He did this repeatedly during the primaries, the above-it-all born-of-a-virgin act.

          • votermom, on January 13, 2011 at 10:22 am said:

            And he raises the sick!

          • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 10:40 am said:

            Yes, and inspires like Elmer Gantry.

            (cough cough)

    • DandyTiger, on January 13, 2011 at 11:02 am said:

      I agree. All this attention to Palin must really be pissing off the other likely candidates.

  8. Jerome, on January 13, 2011 at 9:08 am said:

    I will sweat that I heard a news story–I think it was on ABC nightly, but could have been our local (WLOS) news show–that Representative Gifford had, while alone in her room, arisen from her bed and gone downstairs, I think they said to visit the family members of some of the other victims. Although I’m unsure of exactly where I heard this, I do know that I was quite surprised when it wasn’t mentioned during the memorial/campaign speech, wherein Obummer got applause for relating how she opened her eyes right after his–I mean HIS–visit. Last nite was the first time I’ve watche a news show, and my very first OGreatOne speech, too, so it’s not surprising that I’m a bit addled this morning.

    • myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 9:22 am said:

      I think you’re mistaken. It’s gonna be a while before Ms. Giffords is up and walking.

      • Jerome, on January 13, 2011 at 9:26 am said:

        I know the story isn’t true, but I didn’t imagine it. I was just wondering if anyone else had heard it.

        • Teresainpa, on January 13, 2011 at 10:29 am said:

          yes, but it was another shooting victim. I think it was the woman who took the little girl to the rally. Her husband had to break the news to her that the child had been killed and I think she went down to visit other patients.

  9. Lex, on January 13, 2011 at 9:10 am said:

    I wonder why there’s so little discussion of how it has been S. Korea provoking the latest buildup to war.

    Starting with the fact that Lee Myung-bak leads the GNP, political heirs to Pak Chung-hee’s military dictatorship that was supported for close to fifty years by the United States. After his election in 2007, he immediately started scrapping the Sunshine Policy of engagement, established during the short time that the GNP has not been in power.

    The Cheonan incident might be the worst cock up of an investigation ever. Never mind that the Blue House sued anyone who questioned the official line. Let’s just take the “facts” as the ROK/USA presented them. A DPRK submarine slipped into a joint US/ROK antisubmarine exercise without being noticed, fired a torpedo (that missed, it was the bubble jet that sank the Cheonan), and got away without being noticed. The only verification offered is that two DPRK subs left port several days before the incident and returned several days after. Never mind that the initial call from the Cheonan was “grounded”.

    But if the official report is true, what does that say about the US and ROK Navy?

    Note that the ROK troops participating in the “exercises” are all wearing headbands that say “unification”. How does that jibe with S. Korea trying to defend itself?

    Also note that the West Sea Islands are supposed to be part of the DMZ. They’re not S. Korean territory according to the armistice. They were occupied by S. Korea at the end of hostilities. The DPRK still claims them. Also note the contours of a map in the area. Seoul says that the artillery exercise that provoked the shelling were pointed “West”. That’s pretty broad for military targeting, but with less than 11km between North and South there and irregular coastlines, we’re relying on the honesty of the ROK military that those shells were landing in ROK waters.

    Frankly, the whole thing stinks. Lee is doing his best to drag the US into a war with North Korea. We will be involved because we’re obligated by treaty, and because it’s unlikely that the ROK can handle the DPRK all by itself.

    None of this is to say that the DPRK is innocent or a fine regime. Only that we’re getting some might shady reporting on the situation.

  10. Jerome, on January 13, 2011 at 9:12 am said:

    I forgot to ask if anyone else had heard this ridiculous story….

    • yttik, on January 13, 2011 at 9:20 am said:

      I think that was a different recovering victim who snuck out of her hospital room. The media was playing fast and lose with the hyperbole last night, so it was easy to get confused.

  11. Three Wickets, on January 13, 2011 at 9:53 am said:

    Obama supporter on facebook.

    We’re going to be slaughtered in our sleep while he presses flesh and smiles with his choir. The violent events of the last three years demands a leader who is prepared to get in the trenches and strike back. Instead we’re going to watch pres obama “converse” with bill o’reilly during half time of the super bowl. No one has a “conversation” of substance with crazy bill. I’m saddened by the weakness our president is showing. Taking the high road is a strategy you employ when you are out gunned. When your cannons are larger then theirs, you destroy them for firing on you. Mr president still thinks he is a community organizer. Someone needs to whisper in his ear “you’re mister big now; it is they who should be scattering when you stomp through the streets.”

    • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 10:15 am said:

      What can I say? Sheesh.

    • DandyTiger, on January 13, 2011 at 11:09 am said:

      Oh dear. So many misunderstandings and erroneous assumptions, it’s hard to know where to start. First, why would they assume he could ever do a job bigger than a community organizer? Second, since when has he ever taken the high road? Sure he says things, but his actions and those of his flunkies are what you measure.

  12. gweema, on January 13, 2011 at 10:13 am said:

    test

  13. gweema, on January 13, 2011 at 10:14 am said:

    The most recent post is not accepting comments?

  14. tar and feathers, on January 13, 2011 at 10:37 am said:

    Headline News:
    Scientists plan Uranus probe
    … the mission would offer the first close-up view of Uranus in 25 years.
    http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/Cool-Astronomy/2011/0107/Scientists-plan-Uranus-probe

    [I think they do that on purpose…]

  15. myiq2xu, on January 13, 2011 at 11:26 am said:

    US Banks Reporting Phantom Income on $1.4 Trillion Delinquent Mortgages

    The giant US banks have been bailed out again from huge potential writeoffs by loosey-goosey accounting accepted by the accounting profession and the regulators.

    They are allowed to accrue interest on non-performing mortgages ” until the actual foreclosure takes place, which on average takes about 16 months.

    All the phantom interest that is not actually collected is booked as income until the actual act of foreclosure. As a resullt, many bank financial statements actually look much better than they actually are. At foreclosure all the phantom income comes off gthe books of the banks.

    This means that Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, among hundreds of other smaller institutions, can report interest due them, but not paid, on an estimated $1.4 trillion of face value mortgages on the 7 million homes that are in the process of being foreclosed.

  16. Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 1:30 pm said:

    Backlash begins.

    Sharpton caller calls it like it is, shuts Sharpton down.

    http://bit.ly/fwXf7A

    • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 2:13 pm said:

      It’s about falsely blaming Sarah.

      • votermom, on January 13, 2011 at 2:15 pm said:

        Thanks for the link, Mary.
        People can tell it’s BS.

        • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 2:37 pm said:

          Sorry it’s from a “rightwing” website, but the truth is the truth—-and MSNBC doesn’t post videos like that.

          I actually found it on Hot Air. As an Independent (was a lifelong Dem until they screwed Hillary) , I try to read both sides.

          Used to be a Blue Dog, like Gabby. Now Independent. When the party returns to what the Clintons stood for, I might return. 🙂

          Thanks!

    • djmm, on January 13, 2011 at 3:11 pm said:

      “For her to get all this blame, they must be scared of her!”

      The caller seems like a very smart man. Thanks, Mary!

      djmm

  17. Erica, on January 13, 2011 at 1:58 pm said:

    Secret confession: I adore William Hung. Happy Birthday William!

  18. Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 2:30 pm said:

    In other news, 445,000 file jobless claims. Back to the 2010 numbers.

    And Moody’s (not that I trust them) says the country is in danger of losing our AAA status if we don’t bring down the deficit.

    Sigh…..

    • DandyTiger, on January 13, 2011 at 2:35 pm said:

      Yea, I just heard about those numbers. I figured the uptick from last time was mostly temporary holiday works and more people giving up. Looks like that was right.

      In the end, no matter what else is happening or who likes who, it will be jobs/economy. And I’m not sure it will be better by the ’12 elections.

      • Mary, on January 13, 2011 at 2:40 pm said:

        Didn’t Bernanke himself say 4-5 years until “full” recovery?

        Even then, many people will be under-employed.

        Beans and rice. Rice and beans. Sigh….

Comments are closed.