Huckleberries Online

End Of Vacation Wild Card — 8.10.10

Posted by DFO

Aug. 10, 2010 5:41 p.m. • 30 comments

I usually realize how hard it is to keep the wheels turning here at Huckleberries Online HQ when I return from vacation. It takes a day or two or three to get back into the rhythm, especially trying to post items while listening to Scanner Traffic. I heard something about a young coyote being located this morning. But didn’t catch where. That’s a sign that I’m no where near operating at full speed today (as is evidence by the fact that I still haven’t compiled the AM Headlines). Great vacation, that took me to central California for a family wedding. I’ll be up to speed by tomorrow or Wednesday. So hang in there. Now, for your Wild Card …

30 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Kage_Mann on August 10 at 9:37 a.m.
Ex-Senator Stevens of Alaska, was one of 9 people aboard a plane that crashed last night. He survived a 1978 plane crash that killed his first wife.
JeanC on August 10 at 9:49 a.m.
Welcome back DFO :)
ilovecda on August 10 at 10:12 a.m.
Welcome back!
DFO on August 10 at 10:12 a.m.
Thanx, JeanC; I’m using only one scanner so far today because it’s hard to concentrate on two, as I usually do. I have compiled only 3 little items so far this morning for the Scanner Traffic report. Pretty pathetic. Also, I need to come up for a new poll of the day question … without having any idea what’s been going on for the last 2 weeks or so around here (other than McCrory getting in hot water and Rachel Dolezal qutting).
nic on August 10 at 10:12 a.m.
Oh, this is epic.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp=38637981�
DFO on August 10 at 10:13 a.m.
Thanx, Blogmistress.
dustinhurst on August 10 at 10:15 a.m.
DFO - Welcome back. IR’s hits took a hit in your absence.
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 10:29 a.m.
Nice to have you back, DFO. Although, Cindy did a great job of looking after things while you were away. This item from USA Today really got my attention today. Particularly in view of the fact that since Obama has been in office, he has added about 250k government jobs while the economy has lost about 3.5 million in the private sector. Something is wrong with this picture.

“Federal workers earning double their private counterparts”

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/income/2010-08-10-1Afedpay10_ST_N.htm
DFO on August 10 at 10:49 a.m.
@ Phaedrus … I notice that you’ve been doing battle w/Dan & Mary re: Bill McCrory’s possible legal stumble on the Coeur d’Alene Press online site. You must have a pretty strong stomach: http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_14cff151-2682-5ee1-9b02-1dfc894f7507.html
Phaedrus on August 10 at 10:56 a.m.
Welcome back, DFO. Guess I’ll have to start being nice to hmODSuite. Dang!
Phaedrus on August 10 at 10:59 a.m.
Dan, Mary & Gary Ingram, it would appear. Not to mention that thoroughly distasteful woman from Hayden (whose son was fired as a football coach for cheating!) It doesn’t take a strong stomach, but I do for guilty for enjoying it so much. ;-)
Phaedrus on August 10 at 11:01 a.m.
Chris Edwards, a budget analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, thinks otherwise. “Can’t we now all agree that federal workers are overpaid and do something about it?” he asks.—

hmODSuite has been pimping this topic for months, nothing new here; he just hates it when folks make a living wage.
DFO on August 10 at 11:07 a.m.
I notice that OpenCDA.com hasn’t posted anything since Saturday. Has the legal action involving McCrory spooked them?
brentandrews on August 10 at 12:06 p.m.
Love Those Brazilian Visitors, HATE When They Urinate In Cups and Leave Them On the Bar at Disney / Via allive.com / here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-house-of-blues-urine-20100809,0,2389228.story
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 12:15 p.m.
Phaedrus >>> “hmODSuite has been pimping this topic for months, nothing new here; he just hates it when folks make a living wage.”

A living wage is one thing. Overpaying employees with OUR money is another entirely. And, Obama is giving them a 1% raise in this economy. He sure likes to keep his union people happy. Needs the votes, I guess.
brentandrews on August 10 at 12:23 p.m.
hmoffsuite, there was a good column in the Times this week suggesting we may be in for class war in the very near future due to the incredible burden public employees are putting on the private sector taxpayer, and the vast growing disparity between what “retirement” means to you and I, and what it means for our public employees. We can’t even begin to reign in the federal government until we do something about runaway costs in our states and municipalities, where the governments are run by our friends and neighbors. Government bloat begins at home. But where will it end? Article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/your-money/07money.html
brentandrews on August 10 at 12:30 p.m.
I don’t think mmoff hates to see anyone make a living wage. Where’s the beef to that argument? Nobody in government gets a raise this year. Period. Or we’re gonna scream.
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 12:42 p.m.
This item is taken from the Wall Street Journal. I encourage each reader here to take a look at it. It explains a great deal for those that don’t quite understand the problem.

“Why I’m Not Hiring”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704017904575409733776372738.html
Sisyphus on August 10 at 1:14 p.m.
LOL hmoff. Can’t resist anything that blames Obama. Now the health care crisis is his fault? Here’s the rate of increase before HCR.

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt33/katskahnne/cumulative-changes-in-health-insurance-premiums-inflation-and-workers-earnings-1999-2008.jpg

If his premium went up 28%, he’s a lousy businessman cause he’s getting gouged. The cost of health care only increased 7.9 %. Of course we could have instituted much better cost savings if we’d implemented the public option.

And the author omits this critical piece of information in his analysis.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=223666,00.html

If the author doesn’t know about all these benefits and tax breaks and loan opportunities which can help him grow his business - all brought to him by Obama - then maybe he should simply fire his accountant and grant his employee the freedom of becoming a 1099 employee and let her do her own taxes and withholding. Maybe if he did she - and her new accountant - might discovery that Obama has lowered the witholding rates and given her a $400 Tax cut.
JohnA on August 10 at 1:46 p.m.
Welcome back, DFO, and thanks for linking that article about the Harrison annexation of Powderhorn. It only took three years on my part for the city, and about twice that long for Rand Wichman at Powderhorn, but the Council got it done.

And they got it right. Facing millions to upgrade their wastewater and water facilities, plus crumbling streets and other infrastructure, their constituents have a funding partner in Powderhorn. Including the entire annexation in their urban renewal district was a wise move, too, considering that some $30 million should flow to it over the next twenty years to fix those problems.

It is curious to me, however, that the Press refers to the project’s opponent, Bev Twillmann, as a Harrison resident. She lives ten miles away, for God’s sake, at Carlin Bay. It’s also curious to me that she has any credibility, having come from somewhere else to subdivide her little piece of paradise and now wanting to close the door behind her.

Finally, it is refreshing that the 287 residents of Harrison have an elected leadership, headed by Mayor Irish, to deal with their issues, no longer listening to those who don’t live there.
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 3:10 p.m.
Sis >> “LOL hmoff. Can’t resist anything that blames Obama.”

My point in posting that item wasn’t to point a finger of blame at Obama. Merely to demonstrate the devastating effects of ALL governments on small business and their employees alike. Levels and levels of tax burden. I could say, however, that all the additional requirements that have been added by Obama certainly don’t help the situation. Sure, health care was a problem before Obama. Whether he will really, in fact, have lightened the load for businesses with HCR is still to be determined since many businesses still don’t know the total impact due to the complexity of HCR. Most business owners believe it will actually increase their costs. The $400 tax break you mentioned isn’t something I would be bragging too much about. Pretty much a token gesture that sounded good in the sound bite when it was announced.
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 4:15 p.m.
“Economist Gary Shilling estimates that 58 percent of the American population is dependent on the government for “major parts of their income,” including teachers, soldiers, bureaucrats, welfare, and Social Security recipients, public housing beneficiaries, and the employees of government contractors. On current trendlines, that could rise to an astounding 67 percent of the population by 2018.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/whytheeconomyisaddictedtogovernmentaid
Phaedrus on August 10 at 5:51 p.m.
“Economist Gary Shilling estimates that 58 percent of the American population is dependent on the government for “major parts of their income,” including …

And let’s not forget all those white-haired Tea Baggers living off the government teat.

http://blogs.ajc.com/cynthia-tucker/2010/03/29/government-hating-tea-partiers-love-their-government-checks/
Phaedrus on August 10 at 5:52 p.m.
My point in posting that item wasn’t to point a finger of blame at Obama.—HmODSuite

I don’t believe you and nobody else should either. You have destroyed any credibility you ever had, on this point.
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 5:59 p.m.
Phaedrus >> “HmODSuite”

Cute. Very juvenile, but cute. “the nice thing about youth is sooner, or later, you outgrow it” Some take longer than others. When you finally do grow up, Phaedrus, you might find it rather enjoyable. Many of us do.
OrangeTV on August 10 at 6:08 p.m.
I’d rather be young and snarky forever than grow up to be a joyless, penny pinching old republican…
brentandrews on August 10 at 6:09 p.m.
An invitation to robbery, a pipeline into our homes for every kind of pornographic filth, a broad-band connection into our personal lives for the public at large. History’s Biggest Scam @ Chronic Discontent - here: http://chronicdiscontent.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/historys-biggest-scam/
Phaedrus on August 10 at 6:11 p.m.
I’ve heard that it’s possible to grow up - I’ve just never met anyone who’s actually done it. ~
Meredith Grey
hmoffsuite on August 10 at 6:21 p.m.
Otv >>> “I’d rather be young and snarky forever than grow up to be a joyless, penny pinching old republican…”

If you only knew. If you only knew. :~)
Bubblehead on August 11 at 9:54 a.m.
Former Representative Dan Rostenkowski just passed away; he was the powerful Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee until forced to resign because of mail fraud charges: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/08/11/4868580-former-rep-rostenkowski-dead-at-82-?ocid=twitter

That’s two…

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About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.