Golly, it seems that McCain's webmasters never bothered to take down the Mississippi debate page from their web site.
Maybe....just maybe, this stunt was designed to trap Obama into accepting a debate postponement, and then calling him for being a follower, not a leader?
Just saying.
I don't think McCain ever meant to skip the debate at all. This was a bad attempt at a trap.
And if McCain somehow does not show-up to the debate, then oh my god, he is really stupid.
McCain is always such a drama queen. Is this what we want in a president?
No convention today! ... OK, it's on! ... The economy's sound... No, wait, it's going to fall apart unless I go to Washington tomorrow! ... We need a commission! ... We need to fire somebody! ... Get me Andrew Cuomo! ... I want ten more debates! ... But let's postpone the one we've scheduled! ... Do you get the impression a McCain presidency would be a bit exhausting?
Now he will have to go, of course, which would naturally lead to a snyde remark from Senator Obama (if he has the balls):
"Nice to see you Senator. I heard a rumor that you wouldn't show-up. But I know you always keep your engagements. Country first, right?" [Big Smile]
And why is McCain's left eye blinking wildly? Is that something I have to look forward to when I'm nearing 80?
This just in: McCain wants to postpone the Friday presidential debate so he can focus on getting the Bernanke-Paulson $700B scam passed. This is his way of trying to act serious about the economy.
McCain just announced that he is 'suspending' his campaign Thursday morning and will not be attending the debate.
What? Now he's serious about the economy? Now he wants to resume casting votes in the Senate? Can't he multitask? Isn't he a warrior? Can't he work in Washington in the afternoon, and then get his private jet over to Mississippi for the Friday night debate? Is the Senate going to be in session Friday night?
How would John McCain's presence in Washington Friday night have an influence over anything?
That's why the debate was chosen for a Friday night. Because almost nothing fucking important ever happens on Friday night.
I sincerely hope Obama does not agree to postpone the debate. He can take questions from Jim Lehrer in a solo performance and score major points.
This is pure bullshit.
If there ever was a moment for Barack Obama to go back into 'Mohammad Ali' mode, the time is now.
"Senator McCain, you had better be in Mississippi Friday night, or I'll go on television without you. You and I have a date, John McCain, and America doesn't like people who break dates! I'll be there. If you show-up, the debate will go-on. If not, America will know who cut and ran!"
Fast-forward to the 7:00 minute mark before this video disappears from the Internet again:
The Nation's Max Blumenthal provides some background:
On September 20 and 21, I attended services at the church Sarah Palin belonged to since she was an adolescent, the Wasilla Assembly of God. Though Palin officially left the church in 2002, she is listed on its website as “a friend,” and spoke there as recently as June 8 of this year.I went specifically to see a pastor visiting from Kiambu, Kenya named Thomas Muthee. Muthee gained fame within Pentecostal circles by claiming that he defeated a local witch, Mama Jane, in a great spiritual battle, thus liberating his town from sin and opening its people to the spirit of Jesus.
Muthee’s mounting stardom took him to Wasilla Assembly of God in May, 2005, where he prayed over Palin and called upon Jesus to propel her into the governor’s mansion — and beyond. Muthee also implored Jesus to protect Palin from “the spirit of witchcraft.” The video archive of that startling sermon was scrubbed from Wasilla Assembly of God’s website, but now it has reappeared...Next week, I will post an exclusive video documentary [on my blog] that will shed further light on Palin’s relationship with Muthee and the religious right in Alaska. Stay tuned.
I am late in receiving this terrible news. But apparently my favorite late night eatery, Grace, was seized by the NY state department of taxation around August 7th. This sucks. For ten years, it was the best place to grab a martini and burger at three in the morning (or on a quiet Sunday evening watching Sunday Night Football). It was the restaurant and bar that served the downtown restaurant and bar industry.
[Insert Anthony Bourdain voice-over here]
It was the insider's place to drink and dine on fine American food in Tribeca. And it had the longest natural wood bar in the city, at over 40 feet. Its menu staples were nothing fancy, but it was upscale pub food done right. They included a California-style chicken and goat cheese salad, 10oz burgers done with whatever toppings you wanted, white pizza topped with bacon and sausage, pulled duck sandwich, fish tacos, duck tacos, tuna tartar, popcorn shrimp, dangerous jalapeno poppers, and daily pastas and quesadillas. Its signature drink was the Grace Kelly, a late 1990s raspberry cosmo topped with champagne. But it had a solid list of whiskeys and ales available for the 'real drinkers' as well. And every now and then, owner Fred McKibbin would score a fine bottle of champagne or dessert wine that the nearby Tribeca Grill couldn't find. If you knew Fred personally, you had a connection to the downtown restaurant scene. And if you knew Jay, who was there between 2004 and 2007, you knew the best young bartender in town. Whatever happened to Jay?
[Switch back to Dhalgren's voice-over]
It was where celebrities were spotted dining after midnight, such as Joe Finnes, Rob Thomas, John Lurie, Adrian Grenier, and I believe Hugh Laurie at one point. It is where I took my girl on our second date, and several dinners and brunches. And it is where I often drank and dined with my buddy, D-Brown, on Monday nights. It could come back, but if Fred the owner owes the state big bucks, it is unlikely.
No freakin' way!
Today the men who run our country for the next three months, Ben Bernanke and Richard Paulson, formally asked the American taxpayers to bend over and take a platinum phallus to their anuses. Think I'm exaggerating?
They are demanding $700 Billion for the public to purchase worthless mortguages, or else, they say, the country will suffer greatly.
'Give us the money or the country gets it!!'
But the treasury does not have the cash. If this goes through, the US would have to borrow $700 Billion.
If this mortgage bailout plan passes through Congress, we're beyond screwed. How, you ask? Here are some well-informed opinions:
Paul Krugman, NY Times (registration required): Cash for Trash
Sadly, No!: Light 'Em Up, 4 reasons why the package should not be approved.
Dave Lindorff: The Bailout Will Kill The Dollar
Sadly, No!: Forget buying a banker. Buy a Progressive.
Bernie Sanders: No Bailout on the backs of the middle class.
Henry Blodget: Bernanke and Paulson - Here's why we're screwing you.
Howard Rodman: Buffet will make money on his investment in Goldman Sachs, but we won't.
Dalghren here. I spent last weekend (September 13-15) in charming Bermuda. It was my first time there. While it is not the secret beach paradise Vieques is, it still exceeded my expectations. It is a friendly, historic, expensive, lazy island, where dark rum flows liberally (and money laundering used to).
I could write about the rich 400-year history, the unique architecture, the island's use of cisterns for fresh water, the amazing Royal Naval Cemetery, the many beautiful pink sand beaches, or the resorts and expansive golf courses. But this post is about the luxury items owned by the local Bermudians - their cars. Bermuda, comparatively speaking, is one of the most eco-conscious places I've been to. They export scrap metal, use their landfill efficiently, and their electric power plant is nearly invisible. They also have their own bottling / canning plant for all major soft drinks, which recycles bottles and cans over and over.
But with insurance and re-insurance being their biggest industry, Bermudans have very high salaries (an average income of $70,000 per year, in fact). And those who find the island's thousands of scooters to be inadequate can import their own cars. There is a one-car-per-household limit, and all cars are registered with 5-digit numbers shown on their generic license plates. And to make these cars usable, there are no car rental chains on the island. Tourists may only rent scooters if they wish to drive themselves anywhere.
So what cars do Bermudans import? Mainly A-segment cars. Internationally, cars are separated into size classes, A, B, and C.
'A' cars are what we Americans call 'sub-compact.' 'B' cars are typically 'mid-size' cars and SUVs. And 'C' cars are the full-size luxury sedans, wagons, and SUVs. I might one-day be able to produce a sideshow using Brightcove, but for now, here's a list of the A-segment (and some B-segment) cars of Bermuda:
Endurance Runners (cars purchased in the 1980s and still on the road):
I remember only three cars from the 1980s.
The venerable BMW 3-series (of course). A B-segment saloon.
The BMW 5-series (I'll always remember Norman Mailer owned one in Massachusetts). Technically, this is a C-segment car. But yesterday's C-segment is today's B-segment.
I saw two Subaru Justy's. Proof that the ECVT transmission, which was predicted to last just 100,000 miles, can last a lot longer than that. Amazing, really.
1990s cars still on the road:
The 1990s are not well-represented in Bermuda, either. But I recall seeing three fine examples.
Renault Clio (2nd generation)
Skoda Octavia (1st generation). This is actually a B-segment car, but is still seen around Bermuda.
Mazda 323 Mk II Sports Sedan. A rare car, indeed. But I saw several in Bermuda.
Contemporary Cars of Bermuda (the vast majority of cars on the road):
Most Bermudians drive cars produced during this decade. And these are the most interesting cars, as luxury features from the B-Segment have trickled-down to the A-segment due to market demand and cost-cutting in car manufacturing. And we are seeing better designs. We haven't seen bold or clever designs for A-segment cars in roughly 20 years.
Car fanatics might remember the Nissan 'Pike Factory' series from the late 1980s (the Pao, Figaro, BE-1, and S-Cargo). The practice of creating niche microcars on a shared platform continues today, and arguably has become fun again.
The most common car, it seems, is the first-generation Mazda 2, a sibling of the current Ford Fiesta and European Ford Fusion.
And the second-generation Mazda 2 is there as well. A hot new 2010 model, which shares its chassis with the next-generation Ford Fiesta.
The Suzuki Swift is still produced.
The European Ford Fusion. In Mexico, this is known as the Fiesta until the next-generation Fiesta is produced there in 2009.
There were a couple of Volkswagen Polos.
The popular new convertible is the Renault 206 Cabrio.
The Peugeot 206, the basis for the champion rally car.
And it's successor, the Peugeot 207.
The second-generation Renault Megane hatchback is there (third-generation coming soon).
And the Megme's cousin, the Nissan Tida (known as the Nissan Versa in the USA).
My girl loved the Nissan March. It should be noted that because the March is based on the old Nissan K10 platform, it is related to the cute 'Pike Factory' cars introduced in Japan 20 years ago. And like those cars, the March is unique, stylish, and is extremely appealing to women drivers.
And finally, a family mover that I thought was beautifully designed - the Honda FR-V. I am not a minivan guy, but it was hard not to admire the FR-V for maximizing interior space in a car slightly larger than a Ford Focus. It looks like a Fit, except it's fatter. It might be the widest new car available in Bermuda. I am no fan of front bench seating for three (or minivan-style, dash-mounted shift levers), but it is interesting that the FR-V is available with an old-school front bench seat. Besides the ugly Fiat Multipla, it is the only 6-passenger microvan in the world.
Sarah Palin keeps on lying and lying and lying. I'm close to calling her a pathological liar. Remember last week when she told Charles Gibson that she didn't hesitate or blink when McCain asked her to be his running mate? Here she is last night on Hannity and Colmes:
HANNITY: All right. You said when you were asked to be Senator McCain's running mate that you didn't hesitate, you didn't blink. Tell us about the call, when that came.PALIN: Well, I found out about the actual selection just a couple of days before you guys all did. Getting that nod was quite an experience, of course, because I knew that Senator McCain and his team had been doing a heck of a lot of research and vetting of many names.
So, of course, it's the utmost honor is what I felt when he actually said, do you want to help me do this? And I said, absolutely. Let's get in there and let's reform. We'll shake some things up.
HANNITY: What was your family's reaction? Was there time to huddle and have a hockey team meeting?
PALIN: It was a time of asking the girls to vote on it, anyway. And they voted unanimously, yes. Didn't bother asking my son because, you know, he's going to be off doing his thing anyway, so he wouldn't be so impacted by, at least, the campaign period here.
So asked the girls what they thought and they're like, absolutely. Let's do this, mom.
Oddball, as seen on Countdown, September 15th, 2008. Keith Olbermann takes a a jab at the Mets and a laugh at an unlucky groundhog:
Bill Maher, opening monologue, September 12th, 2008. It includes the rarely-seen alternate angle of Sarah Palin's response to the 'Bush Doctrine' question:
Bill Maher interviews Paul Begala, September 12th, 2008:
Bill Maher, New Rules, September 12th, 2008:
Copyright 2008 NBC Universal and Time Warner / HBO.
The House of Lehman has fallen. The banking, trading, and asset management units will eventually be sold. But about half of Lehman's employees will eventually be told to stop reporting to work. Here are some videos. I like them all.
The employees of 25 Bank Street speak:
On a funny note, here's Sal and Richard making light of all this:
The Lehman 1928 Christmas party show. A rare film:
Here they come...the independent, 527 attack ads against John McCain. When Planned Parenthood gets a jab in, you know there's going to be a lot more organizations to quickly organize and release ads like these. These are great.
From the Defenders of Wildlife PAC:
From the Planned Parenthood PAC:
Good to see. It is no longer taboo to suggest that we move-on from "9/11."
Keep them coming, Barry. And keep them all pointed at McCain. Let Joe handle Governor Palin.
Lehman employees huddle in a conference room this morning at its European headquarters at 25 Bank Street, London.
The last four days have been dramatic at the House of Lehman. Over the weekend, negotiations for Korean bank KBD to buy the firm's Asset Management division fell-through. The stock price dropped 40% on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday morning, Lehman announced their third quarter losses, with Dick Fuld personally opening the 8am CFO conference call. The firm also announced the spin-off of their commercial mortgage business.
What was striking about yesterday's conference call (listen here) was how Dick was announcing that the firm was 'de-risking' its balance sheets and deals. De-risking? That's a new Lehman word. For a CEO who preached the fundamentals of risk management during the late 1990s and early 00's, yesterday must have been the bleakest day of his career. By using this new word, he publicly acknowledged that the firm had partied too much, risked too much, and was now in danger of becoming history thanks to billions lost in bad US and UK residential mortgages and new developments.
And de-risking in the third quarter might mean that it is too little, too late.
Lehman was hoping to sell either control of Neuberger Berman, or NB as a whole. They wanted bids to be placed yesterday. But today, CEO Dick Fuld is reportedly shopping the firm. There are only two firms I know of that could buy Lehman - Nomura in Japan or HSBC in Hong Kong/London. There is a rumor that Goldman Sachs could also buy Lehman for it's top-talented traders and bankers. But no matter which way this ends, most of Lehman's 20,000 remaining employees are going to have to seek new jobs, and soon.
Here are the latest headlines as they come-in today:
Reuters: Lehman Shares Drop As Wall Street Questions Survival
Reuters: Lehman CEO Fuld Finds Reputation At Risk
Reuters: Lehman Faces Hard Bargaining To Sell Neuberger Berman (We now think that the entire firm (Lehman, "the firm") could be sold within days.)
Reuters Quote: Lehman teetering on the edge of 'penny stock' territory.
New York Times (Registration Required): Tough Fight For Chief At Lehman
Update 12:33EDT: Morgan Stanley's Equities Research department has just suspended its ratings and price targets for Lehman stock. Either they think the stock activity is too crazy to know what is going on, or they know big news that is yet to be reported on Bloomberg, Reuters, and CNBC.
Seven years ago today, I walked out of my Lehman office shortly after American Airlines Flight 11 hit the building (1WTC). On the walk back home to Brooklyn, one of my co-workers speculated if the firm would go out of businesses if the insurance companies evoked the 'Act of God' clause. After some discussion, we concluded that wouldn't happen. Three days later, many of us were back to work as the markets re-opened, and we knew then that the firm would survive.
Now, on another beautiful, sunny September day, the firms survival as an independent investment bank is highly unlikely.
Courtesy of Movie-List.com: A Tribute to Don LaFontaine.
A report says that the Asset Management division buyout negotiations with Korea's KDB has fallen-through. True or not, Lehman (Quote: LEH) has sunken to a new low - under $10 per share. The House of Lehman cannot stand independently for long at that price.
In the meantime, Lehman employees brace for a third round of layoffs this year (another 1,400 are expected to be released). And the firm plans a conference call to discuss third quarter losses and their plan for the next two quarters at 08:00 tomorrow, Wednesday September 10th.
