Friday The 13th Wild Card — 3/13/09

53 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

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  cantyoureadthesigns on March 13 at 10:30 a.m.

  Not good news for the newspaper biz…

  “Many Wouldn’t Care If Local Paper Folded

  March 13, 2009

  -By Mark Dolliver

  NEW YORK As struggling newspapers scramble to find fresh ways to monetize their content in the Internet age, a new report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press suggests they have a fundamental problem with many of the people in their markets — something along the lines of “he’s just not that into you.”

  One question in the survey (conducted earlier this month) asked respondents how much they’d miss their local newspaper if it shut down. While 33 percent said they’d miss it “a lot,” a tepid 25 percent said “some.” And more than four in 10 said “not much” (16 percent) or “not at all” (26 percent). Respondents were more likely to say that a shutdown of the local paper would hurt “civic life” a lot (43 percent) or some (31 percent).
  …”
  http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i781c3e0a48f6c1c28956817c918431b1

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  toadman on March 13 at 10:33 a.m.

  If our local paper folded, where am I supposed to get kindling for my wood fire in the winter?

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  Sisyphus on March 13 at 10:34 a.m.

  What a horribly misleading WSJ article. Obama’s polling remains steady with more than 2/3 favorable. Congress’ numbers are going up. Republicans are going down. http://dailykos.com/weeklytrends

  Polling composites can be found here.

  http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

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  Arch_Druid on March 13 at 10:35 a.m.

  When it comes to polls, Dave, and cantyoureadthesigns came up with one of his own, it depends on who you ask. If the poll takers phoned heavily GOP neighborhoods, and they aren’t that hard to locate, given CNN’s “magic wall” ref John King, then yes, I am sure that Obama’s polls would have fallen to earth.

  At the same time, the stock market is on the upswing, Citigroup is suddenly announcing that it is becoming profitable, GM doesn’t need more federal $$$$. Something must have worked regardless of people’s opinions.

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  hmoffsuite on March 13 at 10:48 a.m.

  Arch >> “Something must have worked regardless of people’s opinions.”

  I’ll tell you what worked, Arch. Yesterday, Obama said that the economic crisis might not be as bad as originally thought. Frankly, he had contributed to the weakness in the market by saying this crisis in the economy could turn into a depression. His negative talk served him well to create the necessary crisis to get all the bills and budget passed. So, now he is more optimistic. Regardless of his agenda, the market likes to hear that things not as bad as expected. That darn Rahm can really run an administration.

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  Sisyphus on March 13 at 10:56 a.m.

  We are presuming scientific polls Arch which is all I posted.

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  Arch_Druid on March 13 at 11:05 a.m.

  Well now, Hmoffsuite, before Citigroup now claims a profit, they went hat in hand to the federal gvt for those fed $$$. Before GM now claims it doesn’t need more billions in federal aid, it did go hat in hand to the Congress during the last months of the GW administration to insist on federal $$$. And after laying off thousands of workers, GM can now say it doesn’t need those federal $$$. Failing to disclose those facts, and your premise becomes misleading.

  Yeah, wouldn’t we want all scientific polls to be unbiased. Sisyphus.

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  hmoffsuite on March 13 at 11:15 a.m.

  Arch. Since you addressed me in your post, let me ask a question: What did you just say? I don’t get the point you might be trying to make.

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  Arch_Druid on March 13 at 11:23 a.m.

  Hmoffsuite, I believe you never do. Ever care to reread your posts in order to figure out the context of mine? I don’t think anyone’s posts disappear in a few seconds on a selective basis unless they get flagged.

  I am not in the mood for batting silliness around this morning. I am about to quit for the day; watch the Rick Sanchez portion of CNN’s Newsroom; get a TV din din going and afterwards take a nice long walk in the sunshine.

  So, suggest you find something worthy to discuss. The info I have comes from news reporting. Have a good day.

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  hmoffsuite on March 13 at 11:33 a.m.

  Arch. I am not trying to be a smart alec, just trying to understand your point. Is it that since Citibank and Gm got federal money, and now don’t see a need for more? You have a problem with that? What facts needed to be disclosed? Perhaps the reason GM has laid off people is that they have a very strong incentive to make some profit. Layoffs are part of the agreement to make the business viable in the eyes of the government as they have a group looking over their shoulder. They have a mandate to cut costs a restructure to a profitable business model. Citibank? The money they got is being put to use, hopefully, and should help their profitabilty as well. I don’t see where I have been disingeneous.

• 

  nic on March 13 at 12:00 p.m.

  Weird Music news: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/main/slices/music/16233-huh

  Am I the only one creeped out by a Vanilla Ice / MC hammer reunion?

• 

  cantyoureadthesigns on March 13 at 12:11 p.m.

  Vanilla Ice?
  Frightening.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoWdYYKdbLI

  Cool website, nic, that
  http://www.relevantmagazine.com/index.php

• 

  sibulsky on March 13 at 12:52 p.m.

  Here’s a bumper sticker seen in a parking lot at KMC that’s thought provoking on so many levels:

  God bless our troops;
  especially our snipers.

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  toadman on March 13 at 1:25 p.m.

  hmo - I believe what Arch is trying to get across to you is that it seems more like the industries constantly asking for cash from the feds may have prompted Obama to think the Economy was worse than it actually was…to be sure, Obama was doom and gloom for a while.. but I was too, seeing as how all those industries seemed to keep telling us all “we ain’t got nuthin!”

  …and yet, now they do? WTF? That’s all I’m saying. Were I in Obama’s shoes, I probably would have thought the same thing.. and would have likely told people to go hide under their beds with their shoe boxes of pennies, until it all blew over…

  ;-)

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  toadman on March 13 at 1:27 p.m.

  So… essentially, not all Obama’s fault, see? Lies and douchebaggery of industry leaders, mostly…

  but.. blame shifting isn’t going to get us back on track here either….it’s time to stop that fignuttery and move on to what’s important.

  IRISH BEER!!!!

• 

  toadman on March 13 at 2:02 p.m.

  If you’ve been keeping up with the Jon Stewart, Jim Cramer war of words thing, you need to watch the unedited discussion they had last night on Stewart’s show. Start here:

  http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=221516&title=jim-cramer-unedited-interview

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  eagleeye on March 13 at 2:22 p.m.

  Jon Stewart was brilliant in his questioning of Cramer. He schooled Cramer big time. Leave it to Stewart to ask all of the hard hitting questions. All of the other talking heads were too afraid to do it. Similar to the spanking Stewart gave to Tucker Carlson a few years ago.

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  toadman on March 13 at 2:42 p.m.

  It’s amazing that it takes a comedian to ask the questions we ALL want to ask… including calling out the media by saying “this isn’t a f@!*king game.” Because it isn’t. Even Stewart’s show, which is billed as a comedy, is often one of the best “News Media Watchdog” shows around.

  He’s also not afraid to call Joe Scarborough “Doucheborough.” Brilliant.

  I say, “Keep it up Mr. Stewart.”

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  cantyoureadthesigns on March 13 at 3:05 p.m.

  Stewart cleaned Cramer’s clock without turning him in to a sympathetic figure, not that he deserves any, as Cramer’s just a new version of the carnival barking, snake-oil selling creep. Three times Cramer tried to brush off the criminal market manipulation he KNEW was happening by calling it “shenanigans”. Yeah, right. Stewart crammed that BS right down Cramer’s throat. It was beautiful.

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  hmoffsuite on March 13 at 3:51 p.m.

  toad >>” it seems more like the industries constantly asking for cash from the feds may have prompted Obama to think the Economy was worse than it actually was…”

  In other words, the companies lied to the Feds about how bad it was, purposely misleading and overstating the problem? That is an angle I hadn’t really thought about and you might be right. But, if the companies were crying ‘broke’ why would they fly the private jets to DC. They should have ‘thumbed it’, the trip, that is. As far as Cramer goes, I really don’t care for it but have found that if he recommends a stock, you can usually let it pop for one day and then short it, cause it got an artificial Cramer bump. Most always goes right back down, works most of the time. fwiw.

• 

  Me on March 13 at 3:51 p.m.

  toadman - I’m with you - forget that green beer stuff - I want a Guiness!

• 

  marmitetoasty on March 13 at 4:18 p.m.

  HAPPY RND…….. I know you dont do this over there but its HUGE over here…….. so HAPPY RND anyways to you doodles…..

  And even in the recession times that Britain finds itself in….. this past week and especially today has found that over 32 million 8 hundred thousand and 4 hundred and 11 quid (£32,800,411 or $65.5) was raised for those children in need both here in the UK and in Africa….

  Its a huge day here, and every single school in the country takes part and every shop and office and business do different FUNNY things (hence its called comic relief) throughout the day…… our infant schools all had to dress in red and even spray their hair red and then take in a quid sponser money for the privildge….. so much and all moneys raised GO towards such worth causes……

  Im gobsmacked that so far, and the total over the coming days will rise so much higher, have raised more then $65 million for those so deserving….

  http://www.rednoseday.com/about_rnd

  Wearing me red nose squigie thingie with pride today and with a little bit of shame for having so much when so many have so little……..

  x

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  Sam on March 13 at 4:43 p.m.

  Hey - any lawyers here wanna help me out? I need information about vehicle impoundment/reimbursement regarding Idaho law. I know, odd question. I’m clearly bad at researching this myself.

  samwtaylor@gmail.com

• 

  Sam on March 13 at 5:21 p.m.

  My solution has been found! Everyone can disregard this above.

  *shuffles off screen*

• 

  Escapee on March 13 at 6:19 p.m.

  Vanilla Ice/MC Hammer are back? For what, the “Vanilla Hammer” tour?

• 

  OrangeTV on March 13 at 7:40 p.m.

  OK all you long time local HBOers, I need your memories again.

  I’m slowly piecing together an article about a big Rock Music Festival that brought 15,000 naked, stoned hippies and innocent bystanders together in Farragut Park on July 2-5, 1971. It was billed as the “Universal Life Church Picnic” but was, by all reports, incredibly wild and resulted in drug busts and much heavy-duty moralizing by the governor and others at the time. Seems to have really shaken up sleepy old North Idaho at the time.

  I’ve got some copies of old CDA Press articles and a few other tidbits a reader sent me from the web. Now need to figure out how to look at old SR copies from back then, since the library had nothing. DFO - is there an archive somewhere in your building?

  Anyway, more importantly I’m gathering memories from anyone willing to share them if you can recall this festival at all. I’m especially curious to know what bands played - in the Press, they speculated Grand Funk Railroad and Iron Butterfly, but that seems a bit lofty. I have a hunch it was mainly local “talent”.

  One the articles I came across mentions the involvement of Kootenai County Republican Committee Chairman Gary Ingram, who apparently accused Gov. Andrus of not appropriately reacting to the whole drama or something like that. Is that the same Gary Ingram who drops in here?

  Email me at orangetv@yahoo.com if anyone has any memories or further details they’d like to share.

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  Arch_Druid on March 13 at 11:06 p.m.

  Hmoffsuite, I found it fantastic that you basically came to the same conclusion that I had initially offered. I pay attention to the news, GM cut a lot of jobs to ahem, get back into the black. They don’t now have to declare bankruptcy protection. They don’t need a few billion more dollars. Because they followed federal guidelines. Ya betcha.

  Wish the same thing had been true for AIG.

  I even agree with you that the big 3 auto makers shouldn’t have flown those private jets begging for billions of dollars.

  How about that, a bit of “socialism” that actually worked!

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