Finance, credit cards and capitalism: Free trade or a free-for-all?

Is this what we call free trade, or is it just a free-for-all?

That credit cards, and the whole gamut of lenders, can do the things they have been doing, to everyone's ruin, is wrong. It is not merely unfortunate, nor unfair, but immoral, amoral, and capitalism in its crudest, egregious form. How such behavior can possibly be considered a free market is euphemistic at best.

A free market could be mistakenly defined, in finer print, as one that takes advantage of the poorest and [those who are] the hardest working for the lowest wages: that is capitalism at its worst. If that is free trade, then give me something BETTER than that. A free market would be one that considers all the rational and positive facets of the word "free": free to trade, free to live, free from illicit deception, etc. Free market ought not be defined as one party is free to do any damned thing they please no matter the result on others (including, as in the recent financial disaster, the results that impact all others).

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Missing Minds | Obama's Fannie Mae 'Connection' (Wash. Post - The Fact Checker)

Minds are missing, but no one at the Washington Post seems to notice.

This is from our "get over it, you silly PC dum-dum" file:

Washington Post's "The Fact Checker" cannot even get past pointing out skin color of people in an ad that regards economics by a presidential campaign. What is the point to giving credence to their fact checks, then? I put a comment under the piece at the site, but the idiocy of the piece goes beyond that one item. Going deeper into the uselessness of this fact check by the Post, says the super-brilliant Fact Checker: "The latest McCain attack is particularly dubious." Particularly dubious? How about the dubiousness of the fact check? Here's the first example from this Post "fact check" that makes my head ache:

The McCain video attempts to link Obama to Franklin Raines, the former CEO of ... Fannie Mae, who also happens to be African-American. It then shows a photograph of an elderly white woman taxpayer who has supposedly been 'stuck with the bill' as a result of the 'extensive financial fraud' at Fannie Mae."

My comment, taunting and crass, but not racist (except it would be, to irrational, knee-jerk PC liberals) seeing the context, was this:

Did you forget that Obama is half-white in his ethnic lineage? Or has he disavowed his, umm, whiteness? Curious that you point out the black and white skin color of the people in this video. Really, I suggest that the woman might be Hispanic. Oh, now that would be shocking! If you are so sure to offer the facts, try keeping to RELEVANT facts, too, Skippy.

This beautiful example of poor journalism only starts with pointing out the skin color of people, as if that is relevant. It then stumbles over its claim that McCain's camp is lying with a statement that shows Obama's troupe might be lying about the facts in the ad, and that Franklin Raines is definitely lying, within 100 words!

So what part is incorrect in the McCain camp's video? That they suggest Raines an adviser to the campaign? That's not accurate, but it is not an outright lie! The Post neglects to point out that the Obama campaign likely has -- and Raines definitely has -- lied in the matter, while the paper (seemingly by accident) actually demonstrates the lie:

Obama spokesman Bill Burton went a little further, telling me in an e-mail that the campaign had "neither sought nor received" advice from Raines "on any matter."

The piece then notes that Raines himself told a Post writer "that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said 'oh, general housing, economy issues.' "

So, how is it that Raines and the Obama camp are not lying, which is worse than stretching the truth, which is what McCain's ad does? Raines said that he got calls from the Obama team! Where is the "dubious" adjective attached to the Obama/Raines side? After the ad runs Raines says he is not an adviser, the BO club says the same thing, but Raines had said he did get calls for advice. OK, so Raines isn't flying to events with Obama, but the he did get calls. It's not an official role with the campaign, but it goes against the Obama campaign statement that "the campaign had 'neither sought nor received' advice from Raines 'on any matter.' " It would appear that they had.

Washinton Post, your bias is showing. Yet again! That, or you really need to start training your writers to see facts, and add them up.

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MSNBC struggles with political coverage reality, and liberal monotony loses

'Olbermonotony' crisis has been greatly reduced, according to MSNBC report


The place: MSNBC.

The issue: major election and political news anchoring.

The jilted gabbers:
> Chris "I do not act just like that guy on SNL" Matthews
> Keith "I used to be on ESPN just like Craig Kilborn!" Olbermann


Yes, in a disturbingly conscientious move that can only be categorized as FUNNY for all conservatives and respectable journalists, these two bigmouths have been tossed from the political landscape: One is an egotistical and demented blusterer of extreme liberal bias and wagon-circling who seems to be OK with publicly obsessing over Bill O'Reilly, the other is a likeable and less embarrassing candle bearer for Democrats who is recently being dragged down to the first one's level.

Thus, two of the most important opinion-shapers ever to put on makeup, fiddle with earpieces, get a little too friendly with Ariana Huffington during an interview, and make millions per year while shoving their childish opinions in viewers' faces, have been displaced. That these two were ever put behind the same huge desk is comparable to Hepburn and Tracy, or Dumb and Dumber, depending on your criteria.

If your criteria is jouralism, then MSNBC made the right move.

If your criteria is entertainment, then you are sorely disappointed by this move. You consolement can be found on Internet replays of his "best" stuff.

If you are Keith Olbermann's significant other or dog, you are in for a very rough week of paranoid ranting coming from the bed, shower, hall closet, and kitchen pantry.


This could be a promising boost for Chris Matthews. Considered a respectable yet liberally biased newsman -- until he was given the seat next to his now-former co-anchor Olbermann-- Matthews began to speak like a junior high "Most Popular" candidate trying to win over his shinier-faced pal when he was with the glassy-eyed ESPN alumna. I hope Matthews has enough sense to count his blessings in this turn of events.

Aside from when Fox News Channel launched -- touting its fair and balanced claims though they are generally leaning right -- this unselfish act by MSNBC of admitting bias and slightly downgrading its cause may be the most notable thing to happen since CNN first put out a signal that said "look out major networks, it's a 24-hour news world out there, and we're going to give you at least three hours of it!"

On the other hand, Microsoft just launched a major new advertising campaign, and the MS in MSNBC is of course meaing Microsoft ... so this could be all part of Microsoft's master plan to become a more likable, affable and tolerable provider of consumer and business technology.

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Obama dines with Sir Bon of Jovi

Barack Obama dines with donors at Bon Jovi's house - NJ.com

Jon Bon Jovi, an original if there ever was one (I can't say of what, however, as I don't understand his insistent popularity), held a little fund-raiser for Barack Obama at his New Jersey home. I had a lot of fun reading the comments under this article. As for the prospects of wealthy mic jockeys swapping side dishes with Obama, it makes me fear for the country's safety and sanity.

Like John McCain last month, Barack Obama visited New Jersey tonight not to seek votes but to reap cash.

After a public campaign event in Pennsylvania, the Democratic presidential nominee slipped into Monmouth County for two private fund-raisers -- including dinner at the home of rock star Jon Bon Jovi.

More than 100 people joined Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, on the lawn of their mansion by the Navesink River in Middletown.

"We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about," Obama said. "I don't believe in coming in second."

Obama's visit to New Jersey did not include any public appearances and media coverage of the fund-raisers was limited to a small pool of traveling reporters.

I suppose Obama went swimming in the small pool of reporters in the back yard? Giggling and smiling? Rubbing all over each other and singing newly written hymns about Obama?

The important thing is, the celebrities were all together: Bon Jovi and Obama. I think their names are word jumbles of each other. Jon Bon Jovi, Bajov Oboni, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Wait! It's Barack Obama and Obi-Wan Kenobi! There's the word jumbles! No, no, that's not it either, but it is darn close!

Sorry -- for a moment there I was trying to distract myself with something less frightening. It is creepy that Obama announced, again, that he refuses to come in second. I hope this doesn't mean he's going to call in some owed favors from the meaner kids on the south side of Chicago, against a certain stiff-shouldered war hero. Or, maybe he's hinting that he'll come in third, and the Green Party's Cynthia McKinney will get second place. Or perhaps McKinney will put some whoop-ass on McCain.

I don't know -- politics are just so difficult to understand unless you listen to the words they say and not just follow the slogans.

I am numb: a rock star with no interesting views -- and imitation as his greatest talent -- hosting a Democratic candidate. Sheesh, what I wouldn't give for the return of Sinatra and Kennedy. There was a real singer and a real speaker!

Bartender! Get me another one! Keep them coming until at least November! I think I am going to need to drink until January, just to dull the pain until it is over and done with.

- The Popper

Person Cynthia McKinney

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When the going gets tough, attack WTC... figuratively

New Orleans Mayor Takes Swipe At NYC, Nagin Cites Failure To Rebuild Ground Zero While Defending Katrina Clean-Up - CBS News

Ahh it was only two years ago that Ray Nagin confirned what many suspected in 2005: he's a jerk. It is hard to believe that one mayor could make such an spectable of his callousness, especially in a national TV interview, but then, Ray Nagin is no ordinary mayor. He's mayor of Chocolate City, as he put it.

In late August 2006, the first anniversary of the destruction of Katrina, Nagin found a reason to deflect questions of logistics and leadership away from himself and onto the Big Apple. Apparently the nearly instant death of almost 4,000 people is not even sacred to this man of the people. The chocolate people. Does that mean he thinks everone is an Oompa Loompa in Nola? For that matter, isn't Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Chocolate City? New Orleans is more like the Bare Breasts for Fake Pearls City, or the Bourbon City. How about the Southern Comfort City? That's where Southern Comfort was created, after all! (OK. I'll stop.)

(CBS) Confronted by accusations that he’s taking too long to clean up his city after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin defended himself by remarking on New York City’s failure to rebuild Ground Zero.

Nagin made the remarks in an interview conducted by CBS News National Correspondent Byron Pitts. (Click here)

Remember, New Orleans reelected him. He has had a chance to do it better, as everyone has, with Gustav, which luckily didn't create the misery that reached Katrina-sizes levels. So far, so good. Fortunately, not just the leaders learned a lesson from Katrina: folks respect nature a bit more after that one.

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