'Dressed To Kill'

Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

Way Too Much Money

Let's tip our hats to Colorado legislators.

They have acknowledged something we all know to be true, $7.25 per hour is plenty of money, plenty.

Yahoo: Colorado's minimum wage becomes 1st in US to drop

Gingrich Lays A Massive Rotten Egg

Of all the insane blatherings from the right's mouthpiece du jour, Gingrich has outdone himself. That would be slithering under a bar set so low one must ooze their way under.

Wasting no time in attempting to capitalize on a failed terrorist attack with an intent to raise his wasted and pointless party from the ashes, Gingrich revitalizes the old Rove taunt of seeking therapy for terrorists.

Human Events: On Terrorism it's Time to Know, to Profile, and to Discriminate

In the Obama Administration, protecting the rights of terrorists has been more important than protecting the lives of Americans.

That must now change decisively.

Protecting the rights of terrorists - let's get to the point - how dare this son of a bitch talk this kind of bullshit.

I detest this man.

Then he is calling for active discrimination!

It is time to know more about would-be terrorists, to profile for terrorists and to actively discriminate based on suspicious terrorist information.

I am actually too angry to write.

I've seen garbage from the right, but this is a new low. Disgusting.

When High Is Low

The numbers seem rather catastrophic to me. 432,000 initial jobless claims filed last week is outrageous. They will spin the number to have it appear as a triumph.

CNN: Jobless claims fall to 17-month low

There were 432,000 initial jobless claims filed in the week ended Dec. 26, down 22,000 from the previous week's revised 454,000, the Labor Department said. The figure is the lowest since July 19, 2008, when there were 413,000 claims filed.

2010

I am going to vote for calling the new year - twenty ten. Two thousand ten is too many syllables. People always go for the short nickname anyhow.

I was just thinking how one short year ago we still had Junior as president. Thank god that monstrosity is packed and moved.

Obama's Presidency is the highlight of the year, despite his resemblance to another version of corporatist insider. He's still a vast improvement over the Cheney - Bush cabal.

The Sacramento Bee: Hail the new year, but what do we call it?

The decision as the clock strikes midnight is: Should we say "Happy two thousand ten" or "Happy twenty ten."

Reuters News Clips

The Market On New Year's Eve

At 8:30 a.m. futures are slightly up and oil is up as well, close to $80 per barrel.

One might suspect that today's market numbers will be the result of a tension between a sentiment to keep '09's rally going, oil being up, the weekly jobless claims report, and the fact that trading will be light and extra volatile.

We've had a relatively calm market all week, maybe recent history will help produce the same for today.

Recall how it was one short year ago. Everybody was worried sick about their investments if they had investments and the picture coming out was one of an economy on the brink of complete collapse. There has been improvement. We are in better shape.

CNN: Stocks set for early gain

The government's weekly jobless claims report is due before the market opens.

Reuters: Stock futures edge up as '09 ends, jobless data on tap

"For most people 2009 was the recovery from the abyss. We entered the year at amazingly pessimistic levels and with some very, very serious challenges toward keeping the financial system going."

'The Best Is Yet To Come'

Sinatra

I really love this song.

Executive Order

Click the link for the full order -

Less secrecy = more democracy

The White House: Classified National Security Information

This order prescribes a uniform system for classifying, safeguarding, and declassifying national security information, including information relating to defense against transnational terrorism. Our democratic principles require that the American people be informed of the activities of their Government. Also, our Nation's progress depends on the free flow of information both within the Government and to the American people. Nevertheless, throughout our history, the national defense has required that certain information be maintained in confidence in order to protect our citizens, our democratic institutions, our homeland security, and our interactions with foreign nations. Protecting information critical to our Nation's security and demonstrating our commitment to open Government through accurate and accountable application of classification standards and routine, secure, and effective declassification are equally important priorities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Limbaugh Hospitalized

As much as I dislike this person's politics and public persona, I wish him a speedy recovery.

CBS 6: Report: Rush Limbaugh taken to Hawaii hospital

TPMtv - GOP Criticism Of Obama

New Jersey Sea Level Rise

Thanks to GK for posting this on his blog @ The Beach.

Full Body Scanners

What can we say, hopefully technology will take care of this airplane bombing craziness.

Yahoo: Dutch to use full body scanners for US flights

Facebook Taunt

Curious thing would you agree - we now have social networking systems like Facebook and as a result a whole new era of irritations and conflicts of interest.

There is something remarkably short sighted about this particular activity. Taunting the police - hm not too smart.

CBC News: U.K. fugitive taunts police on Facebook

Convicted burglar Craig Lynch, 28, has been updating his profile regularly since he escaped from prison in Suffolk three months ago.

He has been mocking authorities for failing to find him and openly musing about moving across the Atlantic. His profile picture shows him making an obscene gesture at the camera.

'Baraka' 10/10

Final episode of this fine film, its mostly the credits. I think I'm going to post all of it again in the future.

Abdulmutallab

We are in the accusation and ass covering phase of the Umar Farouk Abdulmatallab vis a vis Yemen terrorist attack on Christmas.

One would suspect that little information will come out surrounding who was in the middle of the decision to let this guy slip through. One might suspect that several red flags were in place.

Also we are now reading that the plan to close Gitmo may be a casualty of this unfortunate episode. One would also suspect that this is more of a political cautionary decision.

McClatchy: Likely casualty of air plot: Obama's Guantanamo plans

Cascading reports that the alleged would-be bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had trained in Yemen, and that the plot was hatched by two former Guantanamo detainees, have even supporters of emptying the prison predicting a new impediment to their effort.

Nearly half of the 198 captives at Guantánamo are citizens of Yemen -- also the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden -- just south of Saudi Arabia.

McClatchy: Obama: 'Intelligence community' blew air bomber tip

Obama said..."It now appears that weeks ago this information was passed to a component of our intelligence community but was not effectively distributed so as to get the suspect's name on a no-fly list."

"When our government has information on a known extremist and that information is not shared and acted upon as it should have been, so that this extremist boards a plane with dangerous explosives that could cost nearly 300 lives, a systemic failure has occurred," he (Obama) said. "And I consider that totally unacceptable."

The Market On Wednesday

At 8:00 a.m. futures are moderately down. Its looking like Wall Street will open down a notch from yesterday's close.

Perusing the reports on why this is the case, one does not find a strong or compelling reason other than the notion that the few remaining investors in town for the week want to sell and make some profits. Its plausible.

This in between week, from 12-25 to 1-1 is always an unsettled time on many levels. Would you agree?

One could say that one thing to take from today's Wall Street reports is that nothing profoundly disastrous is being touted. That of course does not mean that its not there, or could be there, but its not stirring up fear and uncertainty at this point. One suspects the emphasis is on trying to promote a more optimistic outlook for 2010. Emotion still plays a role in affecting economic outcomes, isn't greed and emotion. Its the offspring of jealousy.

CNN: Stocks headed for lower start

Trading volume will likely be very low with many market participants out on holiday for the week, so small moves could cause major volatility during the shortened week on Wall Street.

Reuters: Stock futures fall with global stocks, year-end in focus

"There are some people that have made some money this year that have made some good bets, and at the end of the year they're going to take profits..."

'Sposa Son Disprezzata'

Cecilia Bartoli sings Vivaldi

I am a scorned wife
faithful, yet insulted
Heavens, what did I do?
Yet he is my love,
my husband, my beloved
my hope

'Lady Gaga Circa 2006'

Nikkei opens Lower On Wednesday

So far we've had a sideways type of week. Two more '09 days of trading to go.

Reuters: Nikkei weighed by JAL fall after hitting 4-month high

'Fear Merchants'

Avengers

Terrorism Victim

Very sad story here -

Johann Gokool was on the USS Cole when it was attacked by terrorists.

Nine years later Gokool, who lost his leg in the attack, has died. Relatives say Gokool's death is related to the attack.

There are a lot of people out there who escape from these attacks but often carry with them a great deal of trauma and fear.

McClatchy: Nine years later, USS Cole attack claims another victim

Relatives say he died in his bed, apparently during one of the violent panic attacks that had plagued him since the incident.

His younger brother found Gokool about 7 p.m. Dec. 23 in the house they shared. Medical examiners still haven't said what killed him, but relatives believe that a deadly attack stopped his heart.

TPMtv - Ron Paul And Ben Stein Argue Terrorism

Boy does this little clip trap some of the essential undecurrents surrounding America's view of terrorism. Ron Paul argues for trying to get at motivation. Ben Stein assumes psychotic behavior. Stein then goes on to accuse Ron Paul of being anti-Semitic to boot. In the process, the greatest helper in moving understanding forward is nowhere to be found. That would be considerate listening.

'Baraka' 9/10

Examining Goldman Sachs

Check out this clip at McClatchy on Goldman's moves on the sub prime mortgage crisis.

Goldman was in the center of causing the crisis, but also got out just prior to the recession. They then went on to make money betting that the mortgages would fail.

How does that happen?

Goldman Sachs' secret bets

McClatchy's Greg Gordon details how Wall Street colossus Goldman Sachs sold billions of dollars worth of risky bonds, while secretly betting that the housing market would drop and send the values plummeting.

The Market On Tuesday

At 8:40 a.m. futures are modestly up.

All indicators would point to another day of mild changes in the market at least initially.

Because many investors are on vacation, trading volume will be low, and this leads to more volatility.

Data on consumer confidence comes out this morning.

Are you confident? Are you consuming, Mr. and Mrs. Consumer? I am consuming, yet I'm only slightly confident, but I am happy.

CNN: Stocks looking for lucky 7th gain

After the opening bell, the Conference Board will release its December report on consumer confidence. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com expect a rise in the confidence index to 53 from 49.5 in November.

Reuters: Stock futures rise as home price, consumer data on tap

Stabilizing home prices are "absolutely essential...The way out of this is through housing."

'Bad Romance'

Lady Gaga