Ok, I voted for Barack Obama and I really him. But for goodness sake, I don’t need to know every friggin’ move he makes. I can understand covering his first 100 days in office, but do we need to follow every 24 hours of his day? You would think President Obama was an alien from outer space and no one had ever seen the likes of him before. What will he do next? Oh my God, he took off his jacket!

Can we stick to the serious news please?

I was reading the article, Life savings gone, ‘Madoff-ed’ best-selling writer back at work – CNN.com. It was about Alexandra Penny, who is a “best-selling” author was one of Bernard Madoff’s victims. About 10 years ago, on the suggestion of a friend, decided to invest all her savings with Madoff. She thought it would be safe with him. She had been working and being diligent about saving her money since she was a teenager. She says, she worked and earned every penny herself, and had a fear of going broke and “becoming a bag lady.”

Apparently, she wrote a first hand account of being a “Madoff-ed,” and how she had to sale property to pay her bills on TheDailyBeast.com. She was surprised by the “vitriol” reaction of the readers who left comments. They called her “a privileged New York princess,” and said that she should “get a job.”

Based on an excerpt from the NY Post (12/24/08):

Of all the victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, Alexandra Penney might not be the most pathetic. Penney grew up privileged – her mother was Greek royalty, her father was a Harvard lawyer – in “a WASPy Connecticut suburb,” she writes on TheDailyBeast.com. She got rich writing such best sellers as “How to Make Love to a Man” and editing Self magazine. And she invested her fortune with Madoff, “that mother[bleep]er,” she calls him. But Penney sounds a bit like Marie Antoinette when she frets about her options: “I’d have to sell the cottage in West Palm Beach immediately. I’d need to lay off Yolanda [her maid] . . . I’d have to stop taking taxis . . . And how hard is it to give yourself a really good pedicure.” Such options have Penney contemplating suicide: “Would you believe the Hemlock Society no longer exists?” But she concludes on an up note – she learns how to buy a MetroCard. “Yesterday, I took my first subway ride in 30 years.” A true survivor.

What do you think? Do you/should we feel sorry for the rich and super-rich when they lose their fortunes? She is much better off then most of us—she has valuable items/property to sale and can work as a writer again. Consider, however, that whatever amount of money she lost, she did work for it. What do you think?

The other day, I came across this video. It is a complication of clips from different financial news channels—beginning in 2006. From time into 2007, Mr. Schiff was saying that a “financial storm” was brewing and that sub-prime mortgages were going to present a big problem. Every time he said that, other guests on the show called him crazy. This made me wonder, why did he see the signs and no one else did? Check out the video and see for yourself.

President-Elect Barack Obama, along with his wife Michelle, sat down with 60 Minutes for his first interview since winning the election. I just happened to notice the buzz about it on Twitter, otherwise I would have missed it.

Some may consider it fluff, but I thought it was a good chance to see them after the campaigning is done. They seemed relaxed there are touches of humor.

I was able to find parts of it in case you missed it. The color is a bit odd, but it’s the video I found.

UPDATE: If the video is no longer available on You Tube, you can view it on CBSNews.com.

Will.i.am is at it again. I’m sure you remember his “Yes We Can” video that became a “viral” sensation. Well, he is back with “It’s a New Day.” I still get chills thinking about Election night and it’s simply amazing how emotional people have been—myself included. It’s a turning point in American history. But I’ll comment more on my reflections later. In the meantime, enjoy the video—it’ll put a smile on your face.

On Meet the Press, General Colin Powell, former Secretary of State for the Bush administration gave his endorsement to Barack Obama. He looked beyond party affiliation, and the fact that he doesn’t agree with Obama on every point. He has a lot to say about both men—one he has known and admired for many years (even calls him friend), and the other, he has recently gotten to know. Powell’s comments say volumes about the character and leadership abilities of both men.

The interview speaks for itself. If embed doesn’t work, use this link.

It will be interesting to see how the GOP and McCain’s team try to spin this.

The Chicago Tribune has officially endorsed Barack Obama as the presidential candidate most suited to lead this country during these times of uncertainty. After reading their endorsement, I felt hopeful that there are still people in this country that are able to exercise logic.

Though I don’t base my vote on newspaper or media endorsements, I do find it interesting that this is the first time in the history of newspaper that the editorial board has ever backed a Democratic Presidential candidate. What I find fascinating and amazing is their reason for not backing the Republican Presidential nominee. They compare it to their decision to back Progressive Party nominee Theodore Roosevelt over the Republican nominee William Taft in the 1912. At the time, their decision was “driven by outrage at inept and corrupt business and political leaders.” (If you have the time I would recommend reading the whole article.)

In reference to McCain and the Republican Party, the Chicago Tribune writes…

The Republican Party, the party of limited government, has lost its way. The government ran a $237 billion surplus in 2000, the year before Bush took office — and recorded a $455 billion deficit in 2008. The Republicans lost control of the U.S. House and Senate in 2006 because, as we said at the time, they gave the nation rampant spending and Capitol Hill corruption. They abandoned their principles. They paid the price.

We might have counted on John McCain to correct his party’s course. We like McCain. We endorsed him in the Republican primary in Illinois. In part because of his persuasion and resolve, the U.S. stands to win an unconditional victory in Iraq.

It is, though, hard to figure John McCain these days. He argued that President Bush’s tax cuts were fiscally irresponsible, but he now supports them. He promises a balanced budget by the end of his first term, but his tax cut plan would add an estimated $4.2 trillion in debt over 10 years. He has responded to the economic crisis with an angry, populist message and a misguided, $300 billion proposal to buy up bad mortgages.

McCain failed in his most important executive decision. Give him credit for choosing a female running mate–but he passed up any number of supremely qualified Republican women who could have served. Having called Obama not ready to lead, McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. His campaign has tried to stage-manage Palin’s exposure to the public. But it’s clear she is not prepared to step in at a moment’s notice and serve as president. McCain put his campaign before his country.

In reference to Barack Obama, they clearly state that they don’t agree with all his policies, but they feel he is the best candidate to run the country. And this is where logic instead of simple blind support comes in. Of Obama and his candidatecy the Chicago Tribune writes…

[...] We know first-hand that Obama seeks out and listens carefully and respectfully to people who disagree with him. He builds consensus. He was most effective in the Illinois legislature when he worked with Republicans on welfare, ethics and criminal justice reform.

He worked to expand the number of charter schools in Illinois–not popular with some Democratic constituencies.

He took up ethics reform in the U.S. Senate–not popular with Washington politicians.

His economic policy team is peppered with advisers who support free trade. He has been called a “University of Chicago Democrat”–a reference to the famed free-market Chicago school of economics, which puts faith in markets.

———————–

Obama is deeply grounded in the best aspirations of this country, and we need to return to those aspirations. He has had the character and the will to achieve great things despite the obstacles that he faced as an unprivileged black man in the U.S.

He has risen with his honor, grace and civility intact. He has the intelligence to understand the grave economic and national security risks that face us, to listen to good advice and make careful decisions.

…It may have seemed audacious for Obama to start his campaign in Springfield, invoking Lincoln. We think, given the opportunity to hold this nation’s most powerful office, he will prove it wasn’t so audacious after all. We are proud to add Barack Obama’s name to Lincoln’s in the list of people the Tribune has endorsed for president of the United States.

Source: ChicagoTribune.com

I really hadn’t been following all the news and coverage about “Joe the Plumber” the day after the debate. But I found a story that caught my attention. I now understand why “Joe the Plumber,” whose real name is Samuel Wurzelbacher, is so concerned about his taxes being raised—especially since he has a tax lien against him by the State of Ohio. After all this is over, he might not be so happy with all the media attention that has been cast his way by John McCain.

According to the NYTimes:

[...] Thomas Joseph, the business manager of Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics, based in Toledo, said Thursday that Mr. Wurzelbacher had never held a plumber’s license, which is required in Toledo and several surrounding municipalities. He also never completed an apprenticeship and does not belong to the plumber’s union, which has endorsed Mr. Obama. On Thursday, he acknowledged that he does plumbing work even though he does not have a license.

His full name is Samuel J. Wurzelbacher. And he owes back taxes, too, public records show. The premise of his complaint to Mr. Obama about taxes may also be flawed, according to tax analysts. Contrary to what Mr. Wurzelbacher asserted and Mr. McCain echoed, neither his personal taxes nor those of the business where he works are likely to rise if Mr. Obama’s tax plan were to go into effect, they said.

…Mr. Wurzelbacher told reporters that the company he works for, Newell Plumbing & Heating, has two full-time employees: himself and the owner, Al Newell.

Neither Mr. Newell nor Mr. Wurzelbacher responded to telephone calls. And Mr. Wurzelbacher has provided only vague information on his and the company’s finances since talking to Mr. Obama. But if the plumbing business remained a two-person company and the net proceeds — after deductions for business expenses — were shared by the two men, both incomes would most likely fall well below the top tax brackets on which Mr. Obama wants to raise rates, as would the company itself.

Both, in fact, would probably be eligible for a tax cut, said Bob Williams, senior research associate at the independent, nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, though the cut would probably be greater under Mr. McCain’s tax plan than Mr. Obama’s.

According to public records, Mr. Wurzelbacher has been subject to two liens, each over $1,100. One, with a hospital, has been settled, but a tax lien with the State of Ohio is still outstanding.

Hey, who knows… Maybe he might end up with his own reality show that will let the viewers follow him on his quest to owning and running a plumbing business–or maybe finally getting his license.

Source: NYTimes.com

So, the McCain campaign, in their sleazy, nasty way, want to accuse Barack Obama of guilt by association and label him a terrorist. They have been doing this—mainly through Sarah Palin and Cindy McCain—and stirring up fear and hatred among their crowds. Well, let’s turn that mirror on the accusers and see what we find.

Thanks to Keith Olbermann for taking on the task…

Can McCain think clearly? He is letting his “Rove” campaign leaders drag him around so bad he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going. He used to be a likable guy—before he sold his soul to the devil to win this election (at any cost). He needs to slow down. Really. While speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, he referred to the crowd as, “my fellow prisoners.” If he’s elected president, will he have a “flashback” and have us in another war? This is the person I DON’T TRUST to lead.