Smiley Faces

From McClatchy Newspapers: Sniping and snide remarks are out on Capitol Hill. Being nice — and seeking common ground, or at least appearing to — is suddenly in. Since returning from their summer recess earlier this month, lawmakers have heeded the strong message from an infuriated public: Stop squabbling, fix the economy and act like…

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Poverty Party

(Illustration found here). Being poor is getting further down and dirty. In an age where money is getting scarce for those on the bottom rung of the economic ladder, the prospects for any kind of decent future are quickly sucking down the financial drain. On Tuesday, the US Census Bureau released it annual poverty outlook…

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Negation of the Negative

As Hurricane Irene slammed into Cape Lookout, North Carolina, early this morning, the storm had weakened, but wow the size and water content. Flooding not necessarily from seawater is a major threat: “Water is the No. 1 killer,” retired National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield said Friday afternoon. “That’s going to cause the greatest loss…

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Jobs and Wall Street

(Illustration found here). Yesterday’s suck hole on Wall Street is most-likely a harbinger of an anxious future. Scared of all kinds of money-entangled shit, the stock market cratered more than 500 points, the Asian markets following with the European markets this morning still tracking downward. Oops, we were wrong: “The conventional wisdom on Wall Street…

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Ceiling Wax

Despite that most-heralded, most-joyous news from President Obama last night on a debt ceiling compromise deal, US peoples shouldn’t be so happy, in fact, they should have an attack of great financial fright. Obama helped create a monster even in the eyes of his own: “This deal does not even attempt to strike a balance…

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USA — RIP

“It is an unfortunate human failing that a full pocketbook often groans more loudly than an empty stomach.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Illustration found here). Early Sunday and deep, wet fog here on California’s north coast, but unlike a lot of other shit going on right now, my natural environment will get better, much better:…

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