What is the top financial center in the world?
According to the Xinhua-Dow Jones International Financial Centers Development Index, the top ten financial centers in the world, as of 2012, are:
Happy 2013, everyone! Let's start this year's musings with some light-hearted fare. I'm sure things will turn south soon enough. You'll need to get your geek on for this first item.
Milky Way - A new study suggests that the Milky Way galaxy is home to at least 100 billion alien planets. Have you noticed that more often than not, we refer to planets as "alien planets"? I wonder if all those alien planets refer to Earth as that one "human planet"? The findings are based on the study of a five-planet system called Kepler-32, which lies about 915 light-years from Earth. The five worlds were detected by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, which flags the tiny brightness dips caused when exoplanets cross their star's face from the instrument's perspective. The Kepler-32 planets orbit an M dwarf, a type of star that is smaller and cooler than our sun. Are you with me so far? We're not done just yet. The five Kepler-32 worlds are similar in size to Earth and orbit quite close to their parent star, making them typical of the planets Kepler has spotted around other M dwarfs. So the Kepler-32 system should be representative of many of the galaxy's planets. Kepler-32 worlds have diameters ranging from 0.8 to 2.7 times that of Earth, and all of them orbit within 10 million miles of their star. By comparison, Earth circles the sun at an average distance of 93 million miles. For our astrologically challenged readers, what this basically means is that the planets these guys studied are pretty similar to the Earth, which makes the comparison a bit more newsworthy. M dwarfs are the most common star in the Milky Way, accounting for about 75 percent of the galaxy's 100 billion or so stars. Researchers calculated the odds that an M-dwarf system in the Milky Way would have this orientation, then combined that with the number of such systems Kepler is able to detect to come up with their estimate of 100 billion planets. The galaxy may actually harbor many more planets than the conservative estimate implies, perhaps 200 billion, or about two per star. These researchers probably kill more brain cells over their morning coffee, than I have in my entire brain, so why is it that the best they can do is a guess that could be off by as much as 100% or more? If it was me, I'd stick with 100 billion and wait for someone to prove me wrong. Seriously, how many naysayers will have access to the Kepler Space Telescope?
Admiration - Gallup has run its most-admired man and woman survey since World War II, and in the 2012 edition. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and U.S. President Barack Obama kept their top positions among those asked a simple question: “What man that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most?" Don't get me wrong, I admire the heck out of Clinton and Obama. I just find it hard to believe that a nation as politically divided as the United States can't find anyone else to admire than the woman and man that makes most conservatives cringe at the very mention of their names. Clinton was named as most-admired woman for the 17th time since she became a national figure in 1992. In the current rankings, Clinton had 21%, followed by First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Condoleeza Rice. Eleanor Roosevelt held the previous record when she was named 13 times as the most-admired woman. The only two women to finish ahead of Clinton in that 20-year period were Mother Teresa (twice) and Laura Bush (once). Obama was named most-admired man for the fifth time. Obama had 30% of the polling for men, followed by Nelson Mandela, Mitt Romney, the Reverend Billy Graham, George W. Bush, and Pope Benedict XVI. President Dwight Eisenhower was named 12 times in the survey as most admired. No offense to Hilary and Barack, but as admired as they might be right now, they have a long way to go in order to contend with the big guns. The Reverend Billy Graham has appeared in the top 10 list 56 times. Queen Elizabeth II has been in the top 10 list 46 times.
Congress - In a recent survey, Public Policy Polling found that Congress; approval rating is mired at 9%. If you ask me, that actually seems a bit high. 85% of respondents said they disapproved. I don't buy it. There is no way these guys found people who actually think Congress is doing a good job? The survey pitted Congress against a series of unpleasant things or unpopular people, and the results were not flattering for lawmakers. First, the good news. Congress is more popular than telemarketers (45 to 35%), the deadly ebola virus (53% to 25%), gonorrhea (53% to 28%), the Kardashians (49% to 36%), Lindsay Lohan (45% to 41%), communism (57% to 23%), disgraced Democratic former Senator John Edwards (45% to 29%) and North Korea (61% to 26%). Good news is a relative term. I think that comparing Congress to the ebola virus speaks volumes in and of itself. And now, the bad news. Here are some things Americans have a higher opinion of than Congress: head lice (67% to 19%), colonoscopies (58% to 31%), cockroaches (45% to 43%), Nickelback (39% to 32%), NFL replacement refs (56% to 29%), and root canals (56% to 32%). Speaking from personal experience, colonoscopies are getting a bum wrap here getting compared to Congress. That crap they make you drink the day before clears you out far more effectively then any of the health spa de-tox programs and costs a lot less too. The procedure itself isn't too bad either. It's the part after you wake that kind of sucks, the feeling that you have been violated in some unspeakable way. And how about a shout out to Nickelback? It has be to somewhat comforting to the band that there is a group out there more hated than they are. That should take away some of the sting of being the most hated band that has sold more than 50 million albums.
Fred's Note: My, my but it has been a busy year. It's hard to believe we started off the year with more GOP presidential candidates than you could count on both hands and that "Gangnam Style" wasn't even a figment of someone's imagination yet. As we bring 2012 to a close, let's take a short trip down memory lane...
January - Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney wins the New Hampshire primary and becomes the front runner for the GOP nomination for President of the United States. Romney's momentum is short-lived as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich crushes him by 12 points in the South Carolina primary. And so begins a ratings bonanza for late night comedians and a financial windfall for anyone owning a television or radio station in any one of many so-called battleground states. The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia runs aground near an island off the west coast of Italy and at least 30 passengers drown after a bungled rescue and evacuation of more than 4,200 passengers and crew. Modern technology aside, how hard is it to avoid a freaking island in broad daylight? It's not like these guys were in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night surrounded by hard to see icebergs (more on this in a couple of months).
February - I don't know about you, but for me the biggest headline of this month was that a certain blogger with a wicked smart sense of humor turned 40. Singer Whitney Houston, 48, drowns in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles after suffering a "cardiac event" caused by long cocaine abuse. No one ever -- or probably ever will -- sing the Star-Spangled Banner as well as she did at the Super Bowl after 9/11. A 17-year old black teenager, Trayvon Martin, is shot and killed in a gated community in Orlando, Florida by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator. Zimmerman alleged that he suspected the hoodie-wearing Martin of "being up to no good". The case sparked a national debate over racial profiling and hoodies. Yeah, hoodies are the problem here.
March - In Kandahar, Afghanistan, a U.S. soldier slips out of his base and, in a two-hour rampage, allegedly murders 16 Afghan civilians in their homes, setting fire to some of the bodies. And in that one moment, a almost destroys the goodwill that the U.S. had been building with the Afghan people for the better part of a decade. Mitt Romney continues to lead Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum in the GOP primaries but fails to connect with more-conservative voters. Boyfriend is just getting warmed up. Failing to connect with a lot of people will become a pretty familiar theme for the Romney campaign.
April - Rick Santorum suspends his presidential campaign, having run out of money. Don't you just hate when that happens? George Zimmerman is charged with the second-degree murder of Trayvon Martin. North Korea test-fires a long-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, but the missile disintegrates shortly after takeoff, dealing a blow to new leader Kim Jong Un's efforts to fill the platform shoes of his father, the late Kim Jong Il. You know what they say--if at first you don't succeed, collaborate with another pariah state (Iran) until you do. During the centenary commemoration of the sinking of the Titanic, young Twitter users express their shock that the film of the same name was based on a real event. You'd think by know, we'd all be used to fact that technology as contributed to the dumbing down of humanity in ways we never thought possible. Nope, not yet.
May - Newt Gingrich suspends his presidential campaign and Mitt Romney official clinches the GOP presidential nomination by winning the Texas primary. Barack Obama becomes the first U.S. president to state his support of same-sex marriage. Lest you forgot, this announcement came shortly after Joe Biden became the first Vice President to publicly announce his support of same-sex marriage. I'm sure this is just another happy coincidence. In France, voters weary of unemployment and austerity measures brought on by the euro crisis, replace Nicolas Sarkozy with the Socialist Party's Francois Holland, who vows to raise France's top tax rate to 75%. By comparison, letting those tax cuts expire for the wealthiest folks in the United States, doesn't sound so bad, does it?
June - In Britain, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne. Atta girl, Lizzie. Three more years and you will be number one all time. In Egypt, Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood is elected president in the nation's first democratic elections since the fall of dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Yup, just as the CIA drew it up, I'm sure. The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 decision. Chief Justice John Roberts cast the deciding votes ruling that the law's "individual mandate" is in effect a simple tax on the uninsured, and thus constitutional under Congress's broad taxing power. Oh sure, hindsight makes this sound totally understandable, given Roberts desire to keep his legacy intact, but who had this guy casting the swing vote before the decision was released? Anyone?
July - The Summer Olympics are held in London. American swimmer, Michael Phelps wins his 19th career gold medal, becoming the most decorated Olympian in history. Show off. Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland announce the discovery of a new sub-atomic particle that is consistent with the legendary Higgs boson that scientists have been trying to prove for more than 50 years. Okay, it exists. Now what? In Aurora, Colorado a loner with a history of psychiatric problems, goes on a shooting rampage in a movie theater killing 12 and wounding 58. Sadly, this becomes a recurring headline throughout the rest of the year. A South Korean rapper, Psy, releases a video of his latest single "Gangnam Style" highlighted by the artist performing a horse-riding dance at various locations around Seoul. When you take into consideration that the geniuses who didn't know Titanic was an actual ship that actual sank with actual people trapped inside are the same rocket scientists responsible for making this video a viral sensation, this doesn't seem that surprising. Tragic, definitely. Surprising, not so much.
August - In the giant scheme of things, August was sort of a slow news month. If it wasn't for an increasingly bloody civil war in the Middle East, a wicked fast sprinter from the Caribbean, and a guy who ran out of excuses in Texas, we wouldn't have much to talk about. In Syria, where a civil war has been raging all year between government forces and opponents of dictator Bashar al-Assad, the army massacres hundreds of civilians in the Damascus and Hama. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt wins his second consecutive gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meters at the Summer Olympics, an unprecedented feat in Olympic history. U.S. cyclist and 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong announces he will not contest charges by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that he used banned substances throughout his career. Oh yeah. There is also that upcoming presidential election. Mitt Romney chooses Wisconsin Senator Paul Ryan to be his running mate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
September - Violent demonstrations are held throughout the Arab world protesting an anti-Islamic YouTube video posted by a Christian Egyptian immigrant in California. In Benghazi, Libya, a local terrorist group attacks the U.S. Consulate killing U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and 3 others. We'll come to find out in the weeks and months ahead that these two events had nothing to do with the other. The Mitt Romney campaign suffers a setback with the release of a video secretly recorded at a fundraising dinner in which he tells donors no matter how hard he campaigns, "there are 47% of people who will vote for the President no matter what" because they rely on government handouts. Romney added, "My job is not to worry about those people." As it turns out there were 51% of people who ended up voted for the President, but I'm getting ahead of myself here.
October - Entering the first presidential debate, Romney is in desperate need of a game changing performance and delivers one while Barack Obama gave what was widely considered one of the worst debate performances in presidential history. I still say that the television and cable networks paid Obama to tank this, so that they would have something to report on. Up to this point, this election was a snoozefest. A massive superstorm, Hurricane Sandy, makes a direct hit on the New York metropolitan area, killing 110 and devastating coastal areas of New York and New Jersey.
November - Americans re-elect Barack Obama to a second term. Obama won 332 electoral votes and 51% of the popular vote. You would have thought that political scandal would have taken a breather after the election, and you would have not been more wrong if you tried. CIA Director David Petraeus resigns after admitting to an extra-marital affair with his biographer. I'm thinking if the chief spook can't keep his private affairs private, maybe he shouldn't be running the U.S. spy agency. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, who is under consideration to replace Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State, comes under fire by Republicans for initially describing the Benghazi attack as a "spontaneous" response by extremists to an anti-Islam video. Not that it matters now, but why was the Ambassador to the United Nations giving embassy attack briefings (which were prepared by the CIA incidentally, but I guess they had their hands full with other stuff) Sunday news programs in the first place? You'd think someone at the State Department would have been point on something like this.
December - Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm they are expecting their first child. In Oregon, a 22-year old man charges into a shopping mall and opens fire on Christmas shoppers with an AR-15 assault rifle, killing two and gravely injuring another, before killing himself. It gets worse. "Gangnam Style" hits one billion views. When you read something like this, it sort of makes you wonder if that end of the world thing might have some merit. President Obama and House Republicans enter tense negotiations on a plan to avoid a series of tax hikes and spending cuts due to take affect on January 1. How fortunate for us lowly citizens that our elected representative have a proven track record of coming together to work for the collective good of the people that put them into office. In Newtown, Connecticut, a troubled loner uses his mother's semiautomatic assault rifle to massacre 20 elementary school students and 6 adults.
No offense, 2012, but here's hoping for a happier, healthier and more peaceful 2013.
Reflection - In addition to all the traditions and trappings of the holiday season, it seems to me the end of the year is as good a time as any to take a few moments to reflect on the year that was. Truth be told, I think a bit of reflection on a daily basis wouldn't be such a bad idea, but we'll just roll with things as they are. There is much to be thankful for this year, not least of which is the fact that we still exist. Those Mayans so totally got that end of the world thing wrong. By now, hopefully most of us who use our brains as God intended, we get that the end of the Mayan calendar was not an indication that the world was ending, but just the end of a 2,760 years cycle and the start of another (so if you are bummed out that the world is still here, maybe you will have better luck on October 13, 4772). And let us not forget to pay homage to Korean pop sensation Psy for achieving 1 billion YouTube hits for his "Gangnam Style" video (sigh). Unfortunately, we live in a day and age, where doomsday event and "bad news" tend to dominate the headlines. It seems folks are far more interested in reading about how their financial well-being will be affected by a "fiscal cliff" (which incidentally is a "marketing term" made up by the Federal Reserve to highlight the importance of Congress enacting some meaningful legislation to avert potentially much more damaging austerity measures like some of our European friends are enduring) than about an act of kindness performed by one person on behalf of another. We've all been touched in some way by the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut earlier this month. Maybe, just maybe, if we all try to focus on the good in people instead of dwelling upon the bad, we won't as many bad headlines in 2013 as we did in 2012.
Okay then. Let's put that soapbox back into storage, shall we?
China - China's wealth gap has widened so much that the country is now one of the most unequal outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Interesting. I didn't think there was any wealth in sub-Saharan Africa. China's Gini coefficient (click here), a number that represents income inequality, has sorted from 0.41 in 2002 to 0.61 today. Anything over 0.5 is considered to be destabilizing. Depending on how you apply the Gini coefficient, the United States measures somewhere between 0.36 and 0.46. Not surprisingly, those rat bastards in Scandinavia have the most stable coefficients coming in at between 0.24 and 0.27. Nearly half a billion Chinese live on $2 a day or less. Chinese economists are urging tax reform and increased spending on social services. Correct me if I'm mistaken but China is a communist regime. Isn't social spending supposed to be a cornerstone of communism?
Cayman Islands - You have to appreciate the irony of this next item. The leader of the Caribbean's biggest tax haven has been arrested on suspicion of corruption. The Prime Minister, who is also finance minister and the longest serving member of the legislature, is being investigated for alleged theft, abuse of office and conflict of interest involving import of explosives. I'm guessing the separation of powers is an unfamiliar concept in this neck of the woods. The Cayman Islands as $1.6 trillion in officially booked international assets. Numerous private equity and hedge funds have their nominal headquarters there in order to avoid U.S. taxes and financial disclosure regulations. You can't really begrudge the guy from trying. Sure he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but them be some pretty nice cookies.
Debt - As is the case with most issues involving government, it item is so crazy it must be true (and sadly...is). Soon after the new year begins, the U.S. Treasury Department will hit its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit, and unless Congress raises the ceiling, the government will default on its debts. It's like giving more drugs to a drug addict to avoid having to go through withdrawal. Enter the "platinum coin option." Current federal laws authorizes the Treasury Department to mint platinum coins and assign then any value it wants. Well that's convenient. Legally, the President could direct The U.S. Mint to product two shiny coins worth $1 trillion each and deposit them in the Treasury, giving the government about two years' worth of reserve capital. There's a funny money joke in there someplace, but I'm going to just shake my head in disgust and move on.
Bad Neighbors - In Amsterdam, Netherlands families that persistently behave badly and harass their neighbors are to be evicted from city-run housing projects and moved into trailer parks that have minimal services are are under constant police supervision. Before you poo-poo this story, be honest with yourselves. We all have a neighbor (perhaps several) that we would like nothing more than to ship off to destinations unknown. The new housing camps have been dubbed "scum villages" by Dutch media. Yeah, the marketing guys might need to work on a slightly more appealing moniker. City officials deny that the plan will create ghettos of uncontrollable troublemakers on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Of course they do. Besides, what could possibly go wrong by gathering up a bunch of malcontents and having them all live together? You know where they can talk and bond and plan...
Wine - Consumption of wine in France has slumped to a record low, with the average French adult now consuming barely one glass a day. I believe the phase you are looking for is dire que ce n'est pas si (say it isn't so) or perhaps l'enfer que vous dites (the hell you say). Thirty-eight percent of people in France now abstain from drinking altogether, while just 17% drink wine on a daily basis. It has been suggested that the decline in wine drinking is the result of the sluggish economy and public awareness campaigns over the dangers of "le binge drinking". I just don't get French people at all. Speaking strictly for myself, whenever I read about the economy, drinking is one of the few things that makes me feel better (or numb).
And on that "sobering note," Happy Holidays, one and all!
What nation does the United States import the most oil from?
The United State import almost 2.8 million barrels of oil from Canada per day. Next is Mexico (1.206 million), followed by Saudi Arabia (1.195 million), Venezuela (951,000), Nigeria (818,000), Russia (624,000), Colombia (433,000), Algeria (358,000) and Angola (346,000). Oil makes up 23% of the United States energy diet, followed closely by natural gas (22%) and coal (21%). The U.S. get 8% of its energy from nuclear power and 9% from renewable energy sources.
Health - America’s Health Rankings 2012 Edition shows Vermont at the top of the list of healthiest states for the fourth consecutive year. Interesting. I would have bet on Colorado myself, which as it turns out was ranked 11th. Vermont’s strengths a high rate of high school graduation, a low violent crime rate, a low incidence of infectious disease, a low prevalence of low birth weight infants, high per capita public health funding, a low rate of uninsured population, and ready availability of primary care physicians. Vermont’s challenges are a high prevalence of binge drinking of the adult population, a moderate occupational fatalities rate, and a moderately high cancer death rate. Not to be a kill joy or anything, but this suggests to me that the general population is probably more affluent than average and therefore able to afford better health care. That and they have some pretty good hootch. Hawaii is ranked second and has ranked in the top 6 states every year of the index. This on the other hand is no surprise. I did some checking and it turns out mai tais are very low in fat and have only 77 calories per fluid ounce. New Hampshire is third, followed by Massachusetts and Minnesota. Who would have though that New England would have been a bastion of healthy living? Mississippi and Louisiana tie for 49th as the least healthy states. I'm stunned. Arkansas, West Virginia, and South Carolina complete the bottom 5 states. Mississippi ranks in the bottom 5 states on 12 of the 24 measures including a high prevalence of obesity, a high prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle, a low high school graduation rate, limited availability of primary care physicians, a high prevalence of low birth weight infants, and a high prevalence of diabetes. Again, I think wealth plays a factor here. If you don't have enough of it, you tend to focus more on how you are going to get your next meal, rather than how nutritious that meal might be. My home state of California ranks 22nd.
Education - Just so you know, I have nothing against the South. The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the U.S. Department of Education to investigate what it calls "unlawful" single-sex education programs in a Birmingham, Alabama middle school. Single-sex education programs? This should be good. The ACLU filed complaints with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, saying the programs appear to violate federal law by forcing students into a single-sex environment with little or no alternative options, rely on harmful gender stereotypes and deprive students of equal educational opportunities merely because of their sex. Remind me again what year this is? The single-sex program at the middle school has been in place since 2010 and students who wish to be in coeducational classes must transfer to another school. Students are separated by sex for all classes, even during lunch. This wasn't really an issue for me, not a lunch anyway. I couldn't get a girl to sit next to me in the cafeteria if my life depended on it. According to the complaint, instructions for teaching boys call for stressing heroic behavior that shows what it means to "be a man." In addition, the ACLU claims that the school relied on a book that teaches that boys are better than girls in math because their bodies receive daily surges of testosterone, while girls have similar skills only a few days per month when they experience increased estrogen during the menstrual cycle. There are some many things wrong with this, I don't know where to begin, so I'll just go with the first thing that came to mind. In an area of the nation where same-sex relationships are frowned upon (I'm sugar-coating it a bit here), it seems a bit ironic that a school finds it to be a good idea to not only segregate the sexes, but strongly suggests that males are superior to females. If I'm a lad in my formative years, I might be thinking to myself, why was time pining after Cindy Lou when Bobby Joe is sitting right next to me.
Coffee (Part I) - When a 22-year-old tech entrepreneur and student landed a coupon for a free drink at Starbucks, of any size with any additional add-ons, for his birthday, he took it as a personal challenge. Of course he did. That's what entrepreneurial types do. What's the biggest, priciest Starbucks drink money can buy? It all starts with a Trenta, the 31 ounce super-sized coffee cup introduced by the company last May. I hear the folks at Starbucks tried to get Big Gulp, but it was already taken and Big Ass Cup 'o Joe lacked a certain panache. Then came the add-ons: 1 Java Chip Frappucino ($4.75), 16 shots of espresso ($12.00), a shot of soy milk ($.60), a drop of caramel flavoring ($.50), a scoop of banana puree ($1.00), a scoop of strawberry puree (.60), a few vanilla beans ($.50), a dash of Matcha powder ($.75), some protein powder ($.50) and a caramel and mocha drizzle to cap it off ($.60). Total cost: $23.60. What, only 16 shots of espresso? What a wimp! The student claimed the taste was tolerable, but not good, and he definitely did not drink the whole thing. With 1,400 mg of caffeine and a seemingly incalculable amount of sugar, it's literally a recipe for disaster. Yeah those diabetic comas can be real downers.
Coffee (Part II) - Starbucks has a secret menu. Here are some of the offerings:
Space - Not much commentary on this one. I just think it's really cool that something man-made has managed to get to the far reaches of the solar system. NASA's long-lived Voyager 1 spacecraft, which is heading out of the solar system, has reached a "magnetic highway" leading to interstellar space. Scientists believe Voyager 1 is in an area where the magnetic field lines from the sun are connecting with magnetic field lines from interstellar space. Voyager 1 hit the outer sphere of the solar system, a region called the heliosphere, in 2004. That phase of the journey lasted for 5.5 years. Then the solar wind stopped moving and the magnetic field strengthened. Voyager 1 and a sister spacecraft, Voyager 2, were launched in 1977 for the first flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 1 is now about 11 billion miles from Earth and will be the first man-made object to leave the solar system. Voyager 2, traveling on a different path out of the solar system, is about 9 billion miles from Earth and thought to not yet have reached the magnetic highway. Seriously folks, we're talking 1970s technology here. 11 billion miles and counting, and we are still getting data from a thing that has a fraction of the computing power of an iPhone. You cannot help but be impressed by this.
Petitions - One final mention of an item I covered in my Nov 13 and Nov 16 postings on state petitions to secede from the United States after President Barack Obama won re-election. Turns out these petitions are just the tip of the iceberg. The White House's "We the People..." website (click here) allows Americans to petition the Obama administration on a variety of issues citizens believe need addressing. Requests range from serious to self-interested to completely absurd. Most are angry with the administration, with roughly 70% of current petitions asking that individual states — like Texas — be allowed to peacefully secede. What's more: Anyone can create a petition, with the caveat that each request must garner 25,000 signatures in order to be considered for an official White House response. Here are some of the most ridiculous White House petitions awaiting signatures. As is often the case with such content, I wish I could claim creative credit for these, but alas, they are all legitimate. Kind of makes you wonder what sort of person has enough time in their day to go through the effort to 1) create one of these petitions, and more disturbingly, 2) who takes the time to read through these petitions and add their signatures to them.
What is the top selling car in the United States?
From 2002 up to and including 2012, the Toyota Camry has been America's top selling car. In 2001, the top seller was the Honda Accord. The Toyota Camry took top honors again from 1997 through 2000. The Ford Taurus led sales from 1992 to 1996. The Honda Accord topped the list in 1991, and the Ford Taurus from 1989 to 1990.
End of Days - The U.S. government wrote a helpful blog post titled, "Scary Rumors About the World Ending in 2012 Are Just Rumors" (click here). Revelation #1: The US has a blog? Revelation #2: Seriously, is this the best we can do for blog post? The post on USA.gov says NASA scientists have received thousands of letters from people convinced that the world will end on December 21, based on a misunderstanding of the ancient Mayan calendar that's been promulgated in doomsday message boards online. "Misunderstanding"? That's exactly what you would expect from a non-believer. The end is coming! The end is coming! Run for your lives! If the the weak and infirm cannot keep up, leave them behind! Some people think a giant comet will strike Earth that day, others that we are about to collide with another planet. A NASA scientist said he's received several letters from young people contemplating suicide because they believe the apocalypse is coming. "The world will not end on December 21, 2012, or any day in 2012," the post says. Well now. If the government says the world is not going to end in 2012, that's good enough for me. I'm glad I didn't overreact or do anything rash. America is not alone in trying to placate nervous doomsayers. The Russian government has made similar assurances to its people that the end of the world is not nigh, and authorities in France are planning to block access to a southern mountain which believers think could serve as a mystical place of refuge on December 21. Did you notice how the U.S. government specifically limited its guarantee that the world won't end in 2012, but says nothing about 2013? It's like they know we at the edge of the precipice but won't say anything. I wonder what that might be. Perhaps this next item?
Fiscal Cliff - South Carolina Republican Senator. Jim DeMint slammed House Republican leaders for the fiscal cliff proposal they offered earlier this week. You've come to expect vehement disagreement across party lines, but rumblings of dissension within the ranks, especially a close-knit family such as the GOP--well, this is new. "Speaker [John] Boehner's $800 billion tax hike will destroy American jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more, while not reducing our $16 trillion debt by a single penny.... Everyone knows that when you take money out of the economy, it destroys jobs, and everyone knows that when you give politicians more money, they spend it. This is why Republicans must oppose tax increases and insist on real spending reductions that shrink the size of government and allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money." I don't disagree that we shouldn't be spending money we don't have, but here's the thing, Senator. That money you claim politicians will spend with abandon, is mostly entitlements, that citizens have contributed to their whole lives and the right to expect to collect on, when the time comes. With a 10-year price tag of about $2.2 trillion, the Republican proposal would raise federal revenue by closing loopholes and capping deductions within the tax code and making changes to entitlement programs. Of course, the proposal doesn't specific which loopholes will close, but rather leaves that enviable task for Congress to figure out. Seems like we've been down that road once or twice before, and is why we find ourselves facing this fiscal cliff in the first place. The letter was signed by seven House leaders, including Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp of Michigan. Democrats dismissed it quickly, calling for a bill that would increase taxes on households earning more than $250,000 per year and more federal spending on infrastructure, which were not included in the Republican plan. So there you have it. Don't sweat the end of the world rumors surrounding December 21. Pure poppy-gook. If you really want to lose some sleep, focus on January 1, 2013.
Potpourri
Palestine - The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state today. Interesting. With most of the 193 General Assembly member states sympathetic to the Palestinians, the vote is certain to succeed. Several key countries, including France, have recently announced they would support the move to elevate the Palestinians from the status of U.N. observer to nonmember observer state. The Palestinians say they need U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, the lands Israel captured in 1967, to be able to resume negotiations with Israel. One presumes that Palestine is looking for some sort of political advantage, as I'm pretty sure the Israelis would like nothing more than to continue negotiations with Palestine's political status remaining just as it is. The non-member observer state status could also open the way for possible war crimes charges against the Jewish state at the International Criminal Court. And that there, my friends, is what you call political leverage--something the Palestinians are desperate to gain and Israeli are equally determined to avoid. The Palestinians turned to the General Assembly after the United States announced it would veto their bid last fall for full U.N. membership until there is a peace deal with Israel. Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly and the resolution to raise the Palestinian status from an observer to a nonmember observer state only requires a majority vote for approval. To date, 132 countries — over two-thirds of the U.N. member states — have recognized the state of Palestine. The Palestinians have been courting Western nations, especially the Europeans, seen as critical to enhancing their international standing. A number have announced they will vote "yes" including France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Those opposed or abstaining include the U.S., Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia.Popular belief back in the day was that the world was flat. In more recent times, women had no business voting, and same sex marriage was unthinkable. Lo and below, people accepted that the world was no flat, women's votes were every bit as important as men's (Just ask President Obama), and same-sex marriage is gaining more acceptance with each passing day. My point here is that pretty much everyone (Israel and the United States included) knows that Palestine will eventually become an independent state. So why is it that we have to go through all this drama to get to where we all know we are going to end up.
Presidential Luncheons - President Barack Obama is having Mitt Romney over for lunch. Obama and Romney were bitter rivals in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Obama getting a surprisingly big victory in the Electoral College. Since then, Romney has stayed out of the spotlight, while Obama said he would invite Romney to the White House at some point. Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the wall for that meal? I wonder what they'll be serving and whether or not they allow any sharp objects in the room. Several theories are floating around about the get-together:
Whose Twitter account has the most followers?
1. Lady Gaga (30 million followers worldwide)
2. Justin Bieber (28.6 million)
3. Katy Perry (28.2 million)
4. Rihanna (26.1 million)
5. Britney Spears (20.8 million)
6. Barack Obama (20.5 million) - highest ranked account representing a politician
7. Taylor Swift (19.2 million)
8. Shakira (18.3 million) - highest ranked account based outside the United States
9. YouTube (17.5 million) - highest account not representing an individual
10. Kim Kardashian (16.2 million)
Ghana - In Ghana, where deeply held religious beliefs unite much of the population, a new group, the Humanist Association of Ghana, has formed around a shared disbelief in religion. Humanism is a philosophy based on emphasizing humans over deities or religious texts. Us God-fearing folk have a name for types like this--heretic. While many humanists are atheists, it’s not required, and some humanists believe that you can practice the philosophy while still being religious. Nonetheless, humanism is seen as at best an oddity and at worst an offense in deeply devout Ghana. A recent survey said that 96% of Ghanaians are religious, the highest percentage of the 57 countries polled. Really? I would have gone with Italy or Mexico, but Ghana? Nigeria came in second, with 93% of people claiming religion. About 70% of Ghanaians are Christians, 17% are Muslim, and the remainders belong to traditional religions or other theologies. Atheists are a
tiny minority in Ghana; so tiny, in fact, that survey said 0% of Ghanaians identified as such. But not believing is becoming prevalent worldwide. The number of religious people dropped globally by 9%
since 2005, according to the survey, while the number of atheists rose by 3%. The poll also showed that less prosperous countries tended to be more religious, while the ranks of the faithful were thinner in
countries with more money. I'm probably in the minority here, what with religion being a rather emotional topic for many, but I don't see what the big deal is. Believe in a higher power or don't. To me this is a personal matter for individuals to decide for themselves and should not be subject to public scrutiny. To be honest, I think there is something to be said for having a little faith in humankind. For the record. I'm far from what one would call a practicing Catholic but have no qualms about my religious affiliation.
Mathematics - You all might want to sit down for this next item. Difficulties with math can cause some people to feel genuine pain. I knew it! A recent study examined the brains of people with high levels of math anxiety as they performed algebra problems. For me it was trigonometry. While the
volunteers waited for each question, the dorso-posterior insula, the region of the brain involved in processing pain, became especially active. The same region also appears to register intense emotional
anguish, like the feelings surrounding a bad breakup. I'm going to have to disagree with this one. Solving for x was so much easier on my mental well being than that time in high school when my girlfriend ripped out my heart and left me an emotional cripple. Luckily, I'm so over that. The dorso-posterior insula became active only while volunteers waited to receive their next problem, now while they were actually doing it, leading
researchers to conclude that it is not the math itself that hurts, but rather the anticipation of it. Don't I feel foolish. Here I was thinking that jumping of the cliff wasn't the painful part, but smashing into the ground was. Consider me enlightened.
Presidential Gifts - Great news everyone. You know those gift baskets that you sent to the President when he won a second term? He might have actually gotten to keep. Whenever President Barack Obama receives a gift, it's fate comes down to who gave the gift and how much it cost. If a foreign leader gives a present valued at under $350, the president
can keep it. But if it costs a penny more, it is considered a gift to the American people. The State Department catalogs the worth of each gift the president receives and the haul is usually stored in the
National Archive until it becomes part of the presidential library. If the President really wants one of these gifts, he is allowed to purchase it from the American people at market value. If an American
citizen sends a gift, the President is free to keep it under one stipulation: He has to pay taxes on the gift. Yo POTUS, you know those Cuban cigars that I didn't send you? Those Coronas Gigantes might have set me back two c-notes, but you would so totally be worth it, my man. Gifts the president rejects are usually sent to the National Archives or given to charity.
College Football - I don't usually like to brag about my alma mater (mostly because there is rarely an occasion to do so), but my Spartan blue and gold have managed something quite extraordinary. San Jose State has 10 wins for the seventh time in school history. This is the first time the Spartans have won 10 games since 1987. San Jose State is enjoying its best showing of the
season in national polls released a day after their victory over Louisiana Tech. The Spartans received 78 votes in The Associated Press poll, more than any other team not in the Top 25; they received 105
votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, second-most among unranked teams; and they are ranked 25th in the Bowl Championship Series. I took a snapshot of the BCS rankings for posterity (that and the fact that I'm not sure this will happen again in my lifetime). A bowl game victory would give them 11 wins for the first time in
more than 70 years. San Jose State declared itself a major college football program in 1950.
Secession - Interesting how secession seems all the rage this week. You may recall from earlier this week, that 20 states had started petitions to secede from the United States. That number has increased...alot. Petitions signed by hundreds of thousands of Americans seeking permission for their states to peacefully secede from the union have now been filed for all 50 states on the White House website. So like would we replace "United States" with "Independent States" of America? Texas is in the lead with more than 99,000, and a total of 7 states had accumulated more than 25,000 signatures, the threshold needed to trigger an official response from the Obama administration. I'm thinking that response should read something like this: "I won. Get over it. If you don't like it, leave." Collectively, the secession petitions now have more than 700,000 digital signatures. Meanwhile, residents of Austin, Texas' stubbornly liberal stronghold, have petitioned the White House to allow the city to "withdraw from the state of Texas [and] remain part of the United States." Good for you, Austin. Maybe you could build a wall around the city borders. I seem to recall that sort of thing has been done before. Anyone remember the Berlin Wall? Sure they tore theirs down after a few decades, but that shouldn't deter Austinians from protecting their way of life. The petitions are little more than symbolic—and nothing new. Similar petitions were filed after the 2004 and 2008 elections. And at least one petition filed on the site asks that the president sign an executive order to strip U.S. citizenship from anyone who signed a petition to secede and requests that they are "peacefully deported." Yeah. Kick those treasonous malcontents out.
Healthcare - After two years of political battles and a Supreme Court case, many states are telling the federal government if they're willing carry out a key part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. As I understand it, the temper tantrums in conservative strongholds are starting to wind down and the folks in charge are grudgingly getting back to their day jobs--you know, the jobs they were elected to do. At issue is the creation of new health insurance markets, where millions of middle-class households and small businesses will shop for private coverage. The so-called exchanges will open for business in 2014, and most of their customers will be eligible for government subsidies to help pay premiums. The exchanges will also steer low-income people into expanded Medicaid programs, if states choose to broaden their safety net coverage. Twenty-one states plus the District of Columbia, have already indicated they want to become involved, either by building and running their own exchanges or partnering with Washington. I'm sure it is purely coincidental that the majority of these states tend to be more liberal. Thirteen states have indicated they will default to the federal government, allowing Washington to set up and run their exchanges. Equally fascinating, it appears most of these states are more conservative. Imagine that. The health care law provided that the feds would run exchanges in states that were not ready or willing to do so. In this group are states whose Republican governors have staunchly opposed the law, including Texas, Louisiana and South Carolina. Here is the lay of the land as of now:
How many U.S. Presidents have served two non-consecutive terms?
One. There have been 43 people sworn into office, and 44 presidencies, as Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the 22nd and 24th president. Of the individuals elected as president, four died in office of natural causes (William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt), four were assassinated (Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy) and one resigned (Richard Nixon). William Henry Harrison spent the shortest time in office with 32 days in 1841, and Franklin D. Roosevelt spent the longest with over twelve years, but died shortly into his fourth term in 1945. He is the only president to serve more than two terms. History records four presidents (John Q Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison and George W Bush) who lost the popular vote but won in the electoral college and assumed office.
Oil - The International Energy Agency (IEA) said The United States will overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world's top oil producer by 2017, and saw a continued fall in U.S. oil imports with North America becoming a net oil exporter by around 2030 and the United States becoming almost self-sufficient in energy by 2035. Is this awesome news or what? Just think, in 23 years, gas prices might actually drop. Oh happy day. This could have significant geopolitical implications, if Washington feels its strategic interests are no longer as embedded in the Middle East and other volatile oil producing regions. Come again? I thought we were engaged in the Middle East to prompt democracy and world peace. These guys make is sound like we have ulterior motive of a more selfish nature. The IEA said it saw U.S. oil production rising to 10 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2015 and 11.1 million bpd in 2020 before slipping to 9.2 million bpd by 2035. As I understand it, most of the domestic increase in production is expected to come from hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") which will result in pretty substantial output for 10 to 15 years, but drop off significantly after that. Saudi Arabian oil output would be 10.9 million bpd by 2015, the IEA said, 10.6 million bpd in 2020 but would rise to 12.3 million bpd by 2035. OPEC's share of world oil production will rise to 48% from 42% now. The U.S. oil boom would accelerate a switch in the direction of international oil trade, the IEA said, predicting that by 2035 almost 90% of oil from the Middle East would be drawn to Asia. A rise of 1.8 billion in the world's population to 8.6 billion would lead to a spike in global oil demand by more than 10% to over 99 million bpd by 2035. So basically, the dream of lower gas prices in 20 or so years is basically just that--a dream. See oil is a global commodity, so even if the U.S. produces more oil, the price will be dictated by global demand. Why would a U.S. oil producer sell its produce for less at home than it could get by exporting it abroad?
Argentina - Argentina has lowered its voting age to 16, a move that could help current President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is popular among the young. Isn't that nice? Giving today's youth and tomorrow's leaders an opportunity to have their voices heard. Bravo, Argentina. Bravo. Dozens of opposition members in Parliament boycotted the vote on the law, saying the change was aimed at packing Parliament with Fernandez supporters in next year's midterm elections. My, my. Aren't we a cynical lot. Voting is compulsory for those 18 and over but will be optional for 16- and 17-year olds. Makes sense to me. One should be mindful that some youths have earlier bedtimes than others. Speaking of which, in a related article on the same topic, there was some concern that young voters might somehow be unduly influenced by their parents to vote the same as Mom and Dad. I don't know about that. Not many teens seem to give a flying fig what their parents want them to do.
Nigeria - Secessionists in Nigeria have re-declared the independence of the Republic of Biafra. Sounds like the name of drug, doesn't it? Biafra...the little blue pill for those who can't afford Viagra. The original declaration, in 1967, sparked a 3 year civil war in Nigeria that killed more than 1 million people and ended in Biafran defeat. Some 500 people held a brief demonstration and again raise the Biafran flag before begin arrested and charged with treason. 500 people. Really, they call that a secessionist movement? Must be a slow news day in Nigeria. Heck, the day after Barack Obama won a second term, 20 states had started secessionist petitions. Texas had 20,000 signatures alone. Among the detained was the head of the Biafran Zionist Movement who pledged to create a country "at equal par with world economic powers in Europe, Asia and America." Look out China. You might be aiming for #1, but you better look over your shoulder. The Biafrans, all 500 of them, are nipping at your heels.
China - Speaking of #1. Turns out it is not all it's good being at the top of the food chain. Prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, associated with inactivity and obesity, has more than tripled in China over the past decade as Chinese people adopt a more Western diet and lifestyle. China has more than 90 million diabetics, compared with 24 million in the U.S., and over the next two decades it expects another 40 million to acquire the condition. And this, boys and girls, is why if you are looking for a job, you might want to consider a career in health services. It's quite the growth industry and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Egypt - For the first time in 41 years, Egypt's Coptic Christians have a new pope, after a blindfolded child picked the winner from a bowl containing 3 names. I guess that is one way to go. Sort of lacks the showmanship of the Roman Catholic conclave, but why not. Maybe all the hype is associated with picking the lucky lad or lass who gets to draw the winning pope. Pope Tawadros II, formerly a little known rural bishop, takes over a church that was long allied with the Mubarak regime, which it saw as its protector in the mostly Muslim country. Tawadros says he will vigorously defend Christian rights now that an Islamist government rules Egypt and warned against drafting a new constitution that enforces Islamic law. Good luck with that, your holiness.
Pardons - President Barack Obama has been very stingy in dispensing presidential pardons, pardoning just 22 individuals while denying 1,019, a rate of roughly 1 out of every 50 applications. Who knew the Prez was such a hard ass? At this point in they presidencies, Ronald Reagan had pardoned 1 of every 3 applicants, George H. W. Bush had pardoned 1 in 16, Bill Clinton had pardoned 1 in 8, and George W. Bush had pardoned 1 in 33. I totally get the Clinton and Bush 43's ratios, but what up, Gipper? One in 3 sounds really, really generous.
Wikipedia - Wikipedia has essentially finish cataloging the world's current knowledge. With 4 million entries, the collaborative Internet encyclopedia is running out of new topics and old topics to edit. So like does that mean there are only 4 million things worth knowing? If so, I'm like half way to knowing everything. A few more years and I really will be a know-it-all. Sweet.
2012 Presidential Election: Most results from last Tuesday's U.S. election are now in. While Congress is basically unchanged in terms of balance of power, Democrats had a much better night than Republicans. Incumbent president Barack Obama had a very good night, winning 8 of 9 swing states (North Carolina went to Mitt Romney). Here's how things panned out:
Presidential Election Results - Here's how the election results unfolded from my couch last night (my sources of truth for the evening were PBS, NBC and the Associated Press):
7:00pm ET: 435 House seats up for election. 33 Senate seats up for election.
7:00pm ET: Polls close in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
7:06pm ET: Kentucky (8) to Romney; Vermont (3) to Obama.
7:30pm ET: Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
7:30pm ET: Indiana (11) to Romney.
8:00pm ET: Polls close in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington DC.
8:00pm ET: South Carolina (9) to Romney.
8:08pm ET: Oklahoma (7), West Virginia (5) to Romney.
8:08pm ET: Connecticut (7), Delaware (3), Illinois (20), Maine (4), Maryland (10), Massachusetts (11), Washington DC (3) to Obama.
8:27pm ET: Tennessee (11) to Romney.
8:30pm ET: Polls close in Arkansas.
8:41pm ET: Georgia (16) to Romney.
8:58pm ET: Alabama (9), Mississippi (6) to Romney.
9:00pm ET: Polls close in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
9:01pm ET: House Results: 67 Republican; 38 Democrat.
9:01pm ET: Senate Results: 1 Republican; 6 Democrat; 2 Independent.
9:08pm ET: Kansas (6), Louisiana (8), Nebraska (5), South Dakota (3), Texas (38), Wyoming (3) to Romney.
9:08pm ET: Michigan (16), New York (29) to Obama.
9:13pm ET: North Dakota (3) to Romney.
9:20pm ET: Arkansas (6) to Romney.
9:22pm ET: House Results: 67 Republican; 38 Democrat.
9:22pm ET: Senate Results: 4 Republican; 9 Democrat; 2 Independent.
9:31pm ET: New Jersey (14) to Obama.
9:40pm ET: House Results: 95 Republican; 52 Democrat.
9:40pm ET: Senate Results: 4 Republican; 9 Democrat; 2 Independent.
10:00pm ET: Polls close in Iowa, Montana, Nevada, Utah.
10:02pm ET: Montana (3), Utah (6) to Romney.
10:02pm ET: New Hampshire (4), New Mexico, Pennsylvania (20), Wisconsin (10) to Obama.
10:17pm ET: House Results: 136 Republican; 82 Democrat.
10:17pm ET: Senate Results: 5 Republican; 14 Democrat; 2 Independent.
10:35pm ET: Minnesota (10) to Obama.
10:38pm ET: Arizona (11) to Romney.
10:52pm ET: Missouri (10) to Romney.
10:55pm ET: House Results: 160 Republican; 95 Democrat.
11:00pm ET: Polls close in California, Hawaii, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington.
11:04pm ET: Idaho (4) to Romney.
11:04pm ET: California (55), Hawaii (4), Oregon (7), Washington (12) to Obama.
11:11pm ET: Iowa (6) to Obama.
11:15pm ET: CNN first to call election for Obama.
11:17pm ET: North Carolina (15) to Romney.
11:17pm ET: Ohio (18) to Obama. Obama tops 270 electoral votes to win the election.
1:00am ET: Polls close in Alaska.
1:02am ET: Alaska (3) to Romney.
Overnight developments:
Colorado (9), Nevada (6), Virginia (13) to Obama.
Florida (29) still too close to call.
Obama leads Romney in Electoral College votes 303 to 206.
Obama leads Romney in popular vote 59.9 million to 57.2 million.
Democrats pick up 2 Senate seats; two seats still too close to call though Democrats lead in both contests (Montana, North Dakota).
Balance of power in the Senate: 51 Democrat; 2 Independent (to caucus with Democrats); 45 Republican.
Democrats predicted to pick up 5 House seats.; 13 seats still too close to call.
The pollsters pretty much nailed it. Other than Florida, which looks likely to go to Obama, the Electoral College went as expected. In Congress, Democrats are expected to make some slight gains in the Senate (+2) and the House (+5), but even there, the pollsters were on the money.
As I understand it, more than $6 billion was spent on the 2012 election (presidential and congressional races). That seems like a lot of investment to maintain the status quo, but an analyst on NPR made the following observation--more money ($8 billion) was spent on Halloween costumes and candy than on the 2012 election.
Lest you fear withdrawals now that the 2012 election is over, fear not. We have Armageddon (in the form of the fiscal cliff) coming up in January and mid-term elections are a mere 2 years away.
Presidential Election - It's hard to believe, but the 2012 election is just a day away. 1,463 days of campaigning have brought us to this moment. My how time flies. Let's see where things stands one day before the main event. First Congress. After all is said and done, the composition of both the Senate and House looks likely to remain exactly the same. Democrats will continue to maintain a slim majority in the Senate while Republicans maintain a healthy majority in the House. For as many of us that think the 112th Congress is doing a lousy job--and at last check 83% us fall into that category--it seems rather odd that we appear to be headed toward another two years of the status quo.
What is the most popular candy bar in the United States (based on sales)?
1. Snickers ($424.1 million)
2. Reese's ($420.5 million)
3. M&M's ($417.3 million)
4. Hershey ($261.4 million)
5. Kit Kat ($209.9 million)
6. Twix ($194.0 million)
7. 3 Musketeers ($101.5 million)
8. Hershey Cookies & Cream ($82.8 million)
9. Milky Way ($72.0 million)
10. Almond Joy ($65.6 million)
Hurricane Sandy - Hurricane Sandy is officially the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, with winds spanning 1,100 miles and is estimated in early calculations to have caused damage of at least $55 billion. That is one big mamba-jamba. Over twenty states were in one way or another affected by Sandy in the United States. The hurricane caused billions of dollars in damage in the United States, destroyed thousands of homes, left millions without electric service, and killed 82 (as of Nov 1). From October 27th through early November 1st, airlines cancelled a total of 19,729 flights. As of early morning on November 1, just over 4.8 million customers remained without power this morning in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Over the course of the reporting on this storm I was intrigued by one headline in particular and the amount of time spent talking about it. Is it a hurricane, a post-tropical cyclone, a superstorm--what do you call it? My personal preference is big mamba-jamba; but the point I want to make is this--who cares what call it. I pretty sure the millions of people who were affected by the it. How about we just call it Sandy. A fitting name if every there was one. Gender neutral, so why not meteorologically neutral too. At any rate, you have to figure it would take an event of epic proportions to sideline the presidential campaigns a week before Election Day. Sandy certain lived up to her/his/its billing.
Presidential Election - Both presidential campaigns say they have momentum heading into the home stretch. Interesting. I would have thought one of these guys would have thrown in the towel by now. Who's got the stronger case? The polls provide some support for each camp: Obama is leading in enough swing states to win the electoral college while Romney surged in the national polls to take a slight lead after the Denver debate. I love polls. Something for everyone. No losers here. Of course, there are no winners either. As it turns out, no one ever won an election based on the polls. I recall reading somewhere (I think it was the Constitution) that the president had to be elected by actual votes. Here are six signs that each side is right — three points for Romney winning in the final six days of the race, and three for Obama:
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