Monthly Archives: October 2008

Google’s Time Machine

Posted on October 11, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

Goole has a Time Machine. Search the web as it was in January 2001.

Posted in Internet | 1 Comment

OK, This I Don’t Like

Posted on October 11, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

In Evidence that we should freak out, episode I, RC3 points me to Grain piling up in Canadian ports | FP Passport:

Still think the global credit crunch is all about the TED spread and collateralized debt obligations? Think harder. Export-bound grain has started piling up in Canada as sellers have begun refusing to trust the credit lines and financial institutions linked to their foreign buyers.

The problem is that Canada's export cargoes don't get loaded until buyers can prove their ability to pay — proof that has been increasingly hard to come by in the wake of bank defaults and shrinking credit markets worldwide. Unable to get credit lines, many buyers have left the grain market, generating big losses for Canadian shippers. Add to this the greater costs that shippers now shoulder because of delayed payments, and the picture starts looking pretty bleak.

Krugman is right (again): if the IMF crowd can't pull something fierce-looking out of the hat this weekend, next week is going to be a real shocker.

(But I find Evidence that we should freak out, episode II much less convincing. That sounds more like an investment opportunity than a looming disaster.)

Posted in Econ & Money | 2 Comments

Video: Taddeo Smacks Down Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Social Security

Posted on October 11, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

Thanks to Eyeonileana (FL-18: Annette Taddeo instructs incumbent on Social Security) for the link to this video:

I wish everyone in the 18th Congressional District could see this: Democrats are sometimes accused, occasionally even with justice, of fear-mongering on Social Security. But with this incumbent it's all true: she really does support 50% privatization — and if she'd had her way, in the future people who depend on Social Security would be very very vulnerable.

Posted in Politics: FL-18 | Comments Off on Video: Taddeo Smacks Down Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Social Security

Panel Says Palin Abused Power in Troopergate

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

Now does he dump her from the ticket? I'm guessing he doesn't.

Posted in Politics: The Party of Sleaze | 2 Comments

Friday McBush/McSame Bashing

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

News about the Hate Talk Express.

Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Monday

desperate.jpg

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Posted in Politics: McCain | Comments Off on Friday McBush/McSame Bashing

Local Congressional Race Update

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

Lots going on on the local political scene.

FL-18

  • Ileana Ros-Lehtinen defended her support for privatizing Social Security at a recent candidate's forum. (See Rivals spar at only meeting.) Imagine if your social security — or even only half of it as Ros-Lehtinen has proposed — were in today's stock market.
  • Annette Taddeo points out that Ros-Lehtinen Took $939,044 in campaign contributions from financial, real estate, and other special interests.
  • Ros Lehtinen won't debate Annette Taddeo — their only joint appearance was that candidates' forum — where they told her all the questions in advance.
  • Good Taddeo spot:
  • The latest poll shows Taddeo improving, but with a long way to go. The Telemundo 51 poll shows Taddeo behind 48-35, 13 points down, with 17 percent of the voters undecided. In June, a Bendixen poll had Ros-Lehtinen leading by 27 points. Taddeo is leading among independent voters 39% to 36%, with 25% still undecided.
  • Usually, I'd say a gap like that was too much, five weeks before the election. But given the state of the economy, the fact that IR-L remains under the 50%+ that spells safe incumbent, I think there's still everything to play for. And that social security comment ought to bother people here. (Who in their right mind wants social security in this stock market?)
  • And here's an old video — from March. Even then, Taddeo was pretty good. And she's better now.

FL – 25

  • Polls are looking better and better for Joe Garcia.

FL – 21

  • I hear Raul Martinez's polls look even better than Joe Garcia's…
Posted in Politics: FL-18, Politics: FL-25/FL-27 | Comments Off on Local Congressional Race Update