An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Morning Coffee 09/08/08
US government takes on big role in mortgage market
Uncle Sam has just become the 800 pound gorilla in the U.S. mortgage market. The Bush administration’s announced Sunday it was seizing troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a bid to help reverse a prolonged housing and credit crisis.
But private analysts worried that it may not be enough to stabilize the slumping housing market given the glut of vacant homes for sale, rising foreclosures, rising unemployment and weak consumer confidence.
Other than the fact that the gubmint has been that ‘800 pound gorilla’ for a LONG time, this is one more indication that they no longer belong to WE, the People. No doubt, to much glee on the left. 
Russia Sets War Games in Caribbean
With American-Russian relations declining to the point of Cold War-era posturing, Moscow is sending ships to the Caribbean.
If the scheduled joint exercises with the Venezuelan navy take place, the maneuver would be one of Russia’s most provocative exercises in the Western Hemisphere since the Soviet Union supported Marxist guerrillas in Nicaragua and El Salvador — and could entangle the Kremlin in the Monroe Doctrine, which holds that the Europeans should keep out of the American hemisphere.
Well, now, I don’t know about you, but I just don’t feel too comfortable with two dictatorial type regimes, headed by egotistical lunatics, playing “games” in my neighborhood.
Sloppy school records may cost Metro $35M
Now, district leaders have about a month to show they’re trying to account for how past federal dollars were spent and to agree to future improvements outlined by the state.
“We’re not going to release dollars if there is a fear they would not be spent appropriately,” said Rachel Woods, spokeswoman for the state Department of Education. “However, if they document a good-faith effort, if they’re transparent, then we would probably not freeze funds.”
Metro’s federal funding from last year will expire at the end of this month, and its application for new money — which is used for salaries, benefits, teacher training and several other programs — has not been approved.
This is a darn good reason for the federal gubmint not to be involved in state and local gubmint. Do it their way, or ya don’t get money. Seems to me that all that money that goes to the feds, should be kept right here in the state, instead of feeding the fatcats in D.C. Oh, and the school districts might want to hire someone who is just a wee bit more meticulous in their record keeping.
Ohio microwave-baby mom to be sentenced
An Ohio mother convicted of killing her infant daughter in a microwave oven is about hear her punishment.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman is scheduled on Monday to sentence 28-year-old China Arnold.
A jury spared Arnold from the death penalty last week after it couldn’t reach a consensus. That leaves sentencing options of life in prison without parole, or with parole after at least 25 or 30 years.
Now just why did the ’spare’ her from the death penalty? I am of the mind they should have shoved HER sorry ass in a large microwave, and slow roasted her, from the inside out! I have NO sympathy for that POS.
Palin Finalized 20-Year Quest for Pipeline Deal in First 20 Months
In her first 20 months as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin completed a deal for a natural gas pipeline that had been a top economic goal for the state for nearly two decades.
After battling oil companies and leading lawmakers over the project, Palin signed the bill on Aug. 27, 2008. The deal grants a Canadian company $500 million in state funds and permission to build a $36 billion pipeline to transport natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope to the continental United States.
Isn’t it amazing what strong leadership can do in a relatively short time? Y’hear that Queen Moonbat (aka plastic woman)???? THAT is what leadership looks like!
Iran solidifies control over Hizbullah
According to the officials, following the Second Lebanon War, Iran decided to step up its involvement in the Hizbullah decision-making process and has instituted a number of changes to the terror group’s hierarchy, under which Nasrallah has to receive Iranian permission prior to certain operations.
“There is real Iranian command now over Hizbullah,” a top IDF officer said. “This doesn’t mean that Nasrallah is a puppet, but it does mean that whenever he pops his head out of his bunker he sees an Iranian official standing over him.”
This is what you get with the ‘wait and see’ folks. I don’t think Iran being in charge of yet another terrorist bunch is a good thing for ANYONE, but most especially, Israel.
A state representative is touting a recently released report about the effectiveness of Tennessee’s public prekindergarten program as further evidence that it should be eliminated and its money directed elsewhere.
Proponents of the program, however, say the report proves that prekindergarten narrows achievement gaps between 4-year-old participants, many of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and their peers who were not in the voluntary program.
Just call me old fashioned, but I think a 4 year old should still be at home with his/her mom, instead of in a public indoctrination system that is failing miserably when it comes to actually teaching kids. Many values have been lost in the public education system.
US air power triples deaths of Afghan civilians, says report
Civilian deaths in Afghanistan from US and Nato air strikes have nearly tripled over the past year, with the onslaught continuing in 2008 and fuelling a public backlash, a leading human rights group says today.
The report by Human Rights Watch says that despite changes in the rules of engagement which had reduced the rate of civilian casualties since a spike in July last year, air strikes killed at least 321 civilians in 2007, compared with at least 116 in 2006. In the first seven months of this year at least 540 Afghan civilians were killed in fighting related to the armed conflict, with at least 119 killed by US or Nato air strikes, such as this July’s attack on a wedding party which killed 47, says Human Rights Watch.
As best as I can figure, there are NO civilians in such a war. If I invite murderous thugs into my home, that makes just as culpable as they are, in such a war. The deaths of real innocents are on the heads of those who use them as shields.
MSNBC shake-up: Olbermann and Matthews no longer anchoring
Less than two weeks ago, MSNBC president Phil Griffin was still defending the network’s anchor team to Politico, despite reports of turmoil behind-the-scenes and on-air squabbles. At the time, a high-ranking MSNBC journalist told me the network was “about to blow up.
Well, here’s the blow up! The NY Times reports tonight that Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann will no longer anchor during upcoming political news events, as network insiders reveal more about what’s been happening.
After months of accusations of political bias and simmering animosity between MSNBC and its parent network NBC, the channel decided over the weekend that the NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host David Gregory would anchor news coverage of the coming debates and election night. Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews will remain as analysts during the coverage.
THAT’S what they call a ’shake up’??? Replacing Olberdouch and Tingles Matthews with an even MORE leftist ‘bat? Oh, c’mon, couldn’t they get Hugo Chavez??
PLEASE tell me that “An Ohio mother convicted of killing her infant daughter in a microwave oven” is a misprint. PLEASSSSEEEE!
I’m going to be sick.
@A new voice:
No, sadly, that is not misprint. I really wish it was.