A report of paid circulation for the top 25 newspapers shows that only two, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal, showed increases in the six month period ending March 31, 2008.
link:Editor & Publisher
Monthly Archives: April 2008
National Energy Day
Everybody is talking about energy today. It’s like a tug of war between those that want energy and those that don’t. President Bush is talking about getting some. Using ANWR for its intended purpose, oil & gas drilling, and building more refineries. Without more refineries, all the crude oil in the world won’t help the supply if it can’t be refined. And, thanks to the environmentalist movement, it has been thirty-two years (1976) since a new refinery has been built in the United States. President Bush from the Rose Garden today . . .
I’ve repeatedly submitted proposals to help address these problems. Yet time after time, Congress chose to block them. One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand. Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home.
The cost of a gallon of gas has become news, as is the economy, and not so much Iraq. Everyone, and two out of three presidential candidates, would like to see lower gas prices, or so you would think? The fact is the environmentalist lobby and those anti-capitalists that have the ears and wallets of Washington actually like high gas prices. They’d be even happier if the prices keep going up. It is believed that they would reach nirvana when everyone quits buying it.
The logo of the environmental movement seems to be the polar bear. The environmental wackos use polar bear images in all of their propaganda. But I digress. Also in today’s news is this effort, by ‘environmentalists,’ to put a stick in the spokes of oil production, based on whether the polar bear remains on the endangered species ‘list.’ Polar bear populations are growing, have been for years.
Whether the polar bear remains means this . . .
If it is listed, campaigners will argue that anything that might impinge on the creature’s habitat, such as recently announced plans for oil and gas exploration off the Alaskan coast, must either be cancelled or put under much more rigorous scrutiny.
And if it is not listed? They lawyer up . . .
[t]o keep it off the list entirely – an option which would immediately lead to further legal action from the conservation coalition.
You like the high cost of gas, and food? Thank the environmental ‘movement’ and spineless politicians that refuse to stand up to them.
related links: ANWR 101 | ANWR | US ordered to act on polar bear | The White House
Olbermann, Rush Calls For Riots
What happens when people who don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh criticize him? It can manifest itself in the person of Keith Olbermann who last night accused Rush of trying to start rioting at the Democratic national convention.
If Olbermann listened to Rush enough to get to know him, he wouldn’t have shown us just how shallow he is in this characterization of Rush. The context is that Rush was playing his CinC USOC role, based on what ‘democratics’ would do if the super delegates went contrary to the popular vote. Obama had the popular vote at the time. It is not a stretch to think that the convention would degrade just like it did in 1968. Especially since there is an activist group in Denver called ‘Recreate ’68.’
The Most Ridiculous Item Of The Day award goes to Keith Olbermann at pMSNBC.
video link
related link: Maggie’s Notebook
Coulter, Obama, Ayers
On one hand, Obama pals around with terrorists. On the other hand, Hillary pals around with James Carville. Advantage: Obama.
That, and the rest of Ann Coulter’s take on Sen. Obama’s association with the domestic terrorist Bill Ayers.
Pelosi's Religious Act
In typical Liberal fashion, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) exhibits her religious roots by fabricating what she claimed were quotes from the Bible.
You have to ask yourself, does this performance portray deeply held religious beliefs, or was it a political act meant to appeal to religious voters? You know, those bitter and out of touch Americans.
When you consider that she has used this ‘quote’ in several communications and appearances on ‘Earth Day’ and for similar liberal conservationist audiences, what she is actually doing is trying to give the environmentalist wackos some religious creds, no matter how fake it is.
On Earth Day, Nancy Pelosi quoted the Bible: “The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, ‘To minister to the needs of God’s creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.’ On this Earth Day, and every day, let us honor the earth and our future generations with a commitment to fight climate change.”
There’s a problem with her quote. It does not exist in the Bible. No surprise. Liberals see things in the U.S. Constitution that are not there either.
h/t Michelle Malkin
New York Times Co. Stock, Junk?
‘Moody’s Downgrades New York Times Co. To Notch Above Junk‘ is the headline in Editor & Publisher. Times are bad for the Times. Advertising revenue is down and is expected to continue in that direction, and until when is any one’s guess. Some would argue that a notch above junk is being generous.
Moody’s Investors Services believes . . .
the publisher’s free cash flow leverage will remain “significantly weaker” in 2008 than expected.
And . . .
The ratings firm assigned a “stable outlook” to the Times Co., saying it expects “greater revenue stability in 2009 as digital media generates more revenue and cyclical economic pressure eases.
I think it is wrong to expect that the downturn or recovery of the Times is part of anything cyclical like the economy. The Times’ downfall is self-inflicted by its product. And Mayor Bloomberg denies an interest in bailing them out by buying into it. Says he doesn’t want to get into the paper business. He may be a liberal but he’s not stupid.
Never fear, I’m sure there’s someone in Dubai interested in taking things over. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. al-Jazeera could make it official and just become a major investor. I mean, cutting out the middleman can be more efficient.
I love it how the free market works.
related link: Moody’s Downgrades New York Times Co. To Notch Above Junk| Mayor Bloomberg, I’m Not ‘Times’ Savior
AWOL Workers Close Camden Schools
Camden educators should be ashamed of themselves for this incident, forcing the schools to close because some key personnel didn’t show up for work. From the janitor to the school principle, the harm union activism causes to our children ought to make the case for putting the kids first, giving the parents a choice as to who and where they want their kids to be educated. In Camden, if the kids are learning anything, it is the fact that their place in the Camden school system is at the bottom of the totem pole, instead of the top.
It was a mad scramble for many Camden parents yesterday when the city’s 33 public schools had “emergency” closings at 12:45 p.m. due to a shortage of custodial staff.
“We had an inordinate number of people in key positions who did not come to work,” district spokesman Bart Leff said, noting that the district was legally required to have at least one licensed janitor in each school.
A ‘licensed’ janitor? The bureaucratic morass that unions and politicians create is just the tip of the iceberg on the problems facing Camden schools.
related links: No-shows shut Camden schools | Corrupt Educators, A Camden Tradition | NJE3, Camden moves to stop walkouts at schools
Best Cheesesteak In Philly
Congratulations to John’s Roast Pork, 14 E. Snyder Avenue, for winning the Best Cheesesteak in a contest judged by local celebrities. And this was for their cheesesteak. Their ‘Pork Italian” is out of this world. Definitely a ‘must do’ on your next visit to the City of Brotherly Love.
Rated 5 Grease Stains
related link: Philly celeb judges name best cheesesteak | John’s Roast Pork | After 45 cheesesteaks . . .
Judge Rejects Fraud Claims Against State Farm In Katrina Lawsuit
As a follow-up to mass tort attorney Dickey Scruggs’s bribery charges in his class action lawsuit for Hurricane Katrina victims, adding insult to injury, he also loses his case against State Farm for fraud. But wait, there’s more! Any attorney that worked with Scrugg’s in this lawsuit can not represent any policyholder against State Farm in any Katrina related claim.
The case was a key lawsuit filed by embattled tort attorney Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, who sued on behalf of dozens of storm victims claiming that State Farm routinely denied claims based on bad faith and fraud. Scruggs has since pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in an unrelated case and no longer represents storm victims.
Senter ruled earlier this month that attorneys once affiliated with Scruggs on the case could no longer represent any policyholders in lawsuits against State Farm over Katrina damages. The judge said the attorneys knew Scruggs paid two sisters who once worked for Renfroe $150,000 a year and planned to use them as so-called “whistleblowers” after they secretly copied thousands of storm damage reports. Senter said “these payments were clearly improper.”
Do you think it’s part of a conspiracy like this guy?
related link: Lawyers Being Rounded Up, In US? | Lawyers Bribing Judges?
Freedom, WordPress.com Take Another Hit
On the ‘you don’t realize how good it is until it’s gone’ front, all of wordpress.com blogs in Brazil are close to being banned. So, were is the outrage?
According to Brazil: Bloggers united against WordPress.com ban by Global Voices,
WordPress.com blogs are or soon will be banned due to a judge in Brazil ruling against a WordPress.com blogger featuring a YouTube video embedded in the blog of a couple having sex.
