It was with a sense of shock and disgust that the Watchdog watched a full fifteen-minute segment, uninterrupted by commercials, of an interview at 8:00 AM by MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” of Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, the program’s chief sponsor.
Although probably meaning well, Shultz spoke inanities having recently demanded a reduction in deficit spending and today endorsing stimulus and a broader social network. Which would he have?
The Austrian School [of Economics] is far outside the mainstream and has nothing intelligent to say about modern economies. The financial bailouts were regrettable but anyone with a clue knows that they were absolutely necessary. Banks are not hardware shops.
The Watchdog (a/k/a Robert Field) and S. Richard Gray (a/k/a “his honor the mayor”) worked together over a decade ago on an important community public health matter and have had a cordial relationship ever since, although not always agreeing.
From the HUFF POST: …For Emily V. Gordon, a therapist and Huffington Post blogger, it may because men don’t have the sort of support women do post-divorce: “In my experience as a therapist and as a friend, it seems that the majority of the breakup resources available are for women and not men.
Those of us who dared to ask serious questions during the inception and development of the downtown Lancaster taxpayer-financed hotel and convention center project were often called “naysayers”, implying that we didn’t know what we were talking about. Time has proven that we were indeed wrong in some ways, while we were quite correct in many others.
From USA TODAY: The keepers of the Internet have become acutely concerned about the Web’s core trustworthiness. Hackers cracked three companies that work with the most popular Web browsers to ensure the authenticity of Web pages where consumers type in sensitive information, such as account logons, credit card numbers and personal data.
From the INQUIRER Editorial: While the facts surrounding a suspicious or violent death rarely are pleasant, hiding them from public view – as a renewed legislative push in Harrisburg by Pennsylvania coroners would do – will not alter that fact.
PATRIOT-NEWS: Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson said she would have a seat at the decision-making table if the state were to take over the city.
She learned just before the state House approved an amendment to takeover legislation on Tuesday that wouldn’t be the case.
So…are you suggesting that the best way for this country to find sound fiscal footing is for the government to spend, spend, spend??? I’m reminded of the closing line in the classic movie ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’………………… “Madness”!!!!!!
The Foreign Corrupt Practice Act is becoming an issue because Rupert and James Murdoch and their company, News Corp, are under investigation for violating the law by bribing police in the U.K. to tape phones of hundreds of people including government officials, the royal family, a kidnap victim, families of killed soldiers and others.
From the READING EAGLE: …The Issue: State Republican leaders want to end the practice of awarding Pennsylvania’s electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis. Our Opinion: Apportioning votes by congressional district would hurt the state’s clout and may not have the political impact supporters might expect.
The Watchdog accompanied his wife to her class reunion of Harvard Business School alumni and, after two days of reticence, found himself over dinner once again immersed in controversy.
He was sitting near two business leaders, one who works with a company involved in mineral extraction and the other the CEO and principle stock holder in one of our nation’s foremost exporters in his field.
From NEWSMAX: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is reconsidering his decision not to enter the 2012 presidential race — and he says he will let top Republican donors know within days about his plans, Newsmax has learned…
While working out this morning, I watched as either Joe Scarborough or Harold Ford, Jr. (I don’t recall which) lampooned the notion that Rick Perry was responsible for the job growth in Texas. The speaker credited Texas’ rich resources and ample supply of cheap labor due to the influx (some illegal) of migrants from Mexico and points south.