Deciding on whether or not we’re in a recession has almost become a national pastime, but more confusing to me are the proclamations that inflation is low. As a conspicuous consumer, I beg to differ, and that so many people are willing to overlook the detrimental changes going on right under our noses is flabbergasting. See it how you will – we’re in a recession and inflation is very, very high.

First, I’m not an economist. I’m not a CFO, government expert, or someone with extremely in depth knowledge of finance, inflation, or recessions. I am, however, a shopper, and what I’ve seen in recent months is disconcerting:

• pasta – used to be packaged as a pound (16 ounces); now 13.5 ounces
• orange juice – used to be packaged as 64 ounces; now 60 ounces

In a move that is sure to strike fear in every child’s heart, Santa Clara County (California) has voted to ban toys and other promotions that are commonly offered with high-calorie kid’s meals – often called by the McDonald’s moniker of Happy Meals.

“This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children’s’ love of toys” to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food, said Supervisor Ken Yeager, who sponsored the measure. “This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes.”

Please say it isn’t so… salt and sugar, two staples for most Americans, have been found bad for you. Really bad, and unless you’ve been living in a vacuum, it’s likely that you already know this. What’s interesting, though, is that now organizations like like The National Academies Institute of Medicine are coming out to say (link) that it’s so bad the government should get involved to set federal standards to limit the amount of salt that food manufacturers, restaurants, and food service companies can add to their products.

Can Palin Prove She's Smart? (Photo: AP)

Sorry its been so long since any posts have been added, but fortunately the idiot is back and this one was too good to pass up, so here we go again. That’s right, Sarah Palin, who has previously mocked President Barack Obama as “a charismatic guy with a teleprompter” was recently photographed with talking points written on the palm of her hand. Personally, I think I’d rather have a teleprompter.

While I’m not as thrilled with our current administration as I had hoped, I am still a firm believer that America made the right choice not voting McCain/Palin into office. Now, as Palin continues her efforts to promote the National Tea Party, I’m fearful again that the puppeteers may write enough smart words on her hand to scare America into believing Palin would be a good thing for the country.

If “Energy,” “Tax,” and “Lift Americans Spirits” are at the top of your list for what comes next, then it’s important to remember that “budget cuts” was also scrawled and crossed out on Palin’s hand. What does that tell us about what’s to come if Palin is given a chance to run for office – any office – in the years to come?

Ranter

I’m not even sure how a normal American could comfortably say “I’m blacker than Barack Obama,” but to hear those words come from a seasoned, albeit scandalous politician is mind-boggling. That’s right – he’s done it again – Rod Blagojevich has shown his lack of intelligence one more time, in an interview on WLS Radio in Chicago, he claimed to be speaking “metaphorically” when “expressing frustration that the policies of this new administration still haven’t really been focusing on the great deal of inequities we have in our society.” Sounds like he’s covering his ass in preparation for a prison term.

He does on to say that Obama was elected on hope, and apparently his qualifications, public personality, and ability to hold his own in debate (not to mention Sarah Palin is an idiot) had nothing to do with it.

“I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived,” Blagojevich said. “I saw it all growing up.”

The blubbering idiot continued along while trying – too late – to cement his point, but the damage has been done. I’m not sure when this fools twenty-minutes of fame are going to be up, but I think that time has passed and it is definitely time for him to move on and accept that the people have seen enough – shut up and move along.

Ranter

I’m no one to question anyone’s religion, but I do question Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin and his decision to ban Rep Patrick Kennedy from receiving Communion, the central sacrament of the church, because of Kennedy’s support for abortion rights.

Kennedy was recently quoted as saying, “The bishop instructed me not to take Communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me Communion; that I am not a good practicing Catholic because of the positions that I’ve taken as a public official.”  And, while it’s probably below the belt, I will continue to wonder how Tobin feels about his peers that are being convicted of raping children as part of their work with God.  Do they deserve forgiveness and communion?

Here is my message to all Americans – you may not like him as an individual, or the policies that he is trying to put into place, but he is your President, and you damn well should respect him.  He’s earned that.

After listening to people like Shanneen Barron, as she talked with CNN Affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver, I was forced to question what America has come to.  Barron was quoted as saying, about President Obama’s desire to speak to American school children, that “thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that [President Obama talking about education] just really upsets me. I’m an American. They are Americans, and I don’t feel that’s OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now.”

Will Rod Blagojevich receive his just due?

It has taken four months for the indictments to come down, and if any of them are true, and I suspect they all are, it’s not a day too soon.  That’s right, I’m talking about former Governor Rod Blagojevich who is now being charged with 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy and lying to federal agents. The government is seeking forfeiture of $188,370 from Blagojevich and will try to take his Ravenswood Manor home in Chicago if needed.

And to think, this started with everyone thinking his pay-to-play effort to sell President Obama’s vacated seat on the US Senate.  Now it seems like that’s the least of his crimes, and considering his elected status, that’s pretty bad.  What bothers me most is that of all the groups that should self govern – politicians appear least willing to look at their own and ask the hard questions.  Rod Blagojevich should be publicly stoned by anyone that cast their vote, and those that stood with him, knowing of his crimes, should be right there with him.

Bear or Bullsh*t?

The markets are changing and depending on who you talk to (or which way the wind is blowing) we have a bear/bull market coming.  What you do with that information is up to you, but most “analysts” seem to think that the end is still a ways off and that the market is going to capitulate for months to come.

And, frankly, I’m okay with that.  The Dow was up over 200 points today – and to me that’s  a good thing.  But, if it drops 400 points tomorrow, that’s okay, too.  I’m neither bull nor bear, but I am a writer that wonders – what’s it matter?  Bear market?  Bull market?  Who really cares?

The answer to that is obvious – investors and news media care.  Investors so that they have an excuse for their successful guessing or misplaced optimism, and the news media because nothing sells like confusion (unless it’s blood, gore, or Britney Spears, of course.)  In this time, when consumers, investors, and even our leadership is shocked and running around like a three legged frog on the highway, bad news sells because in the absence of something positive, the average person is going to grab onto whatever they can find.

My take – bear or bullshit – it doesn’t matter; the media is going to help with your decision.

Ranter

Now that her fifteen minutes of fame are up, Sarah Palin continues her war on the media.  Now, a recent quote in one of her hometown newspapers has her lashing out at the “bored, anonymous, pathetic bloggers who lie.”  Obviously, the blogging community is up in arms about this, because frankly the words that I’m writing (and I am a bit bored) are in the veil of anonymity not lies (I guess two out of three truths isn’t bad considering the source), express opinions and feelings about something more than Sarah Palin.  These views and opinions – like so many of my peers – are my feelings on why Sarah Palin isn’t qualified to be Vice-President of the United States of America.  My ammunition for many of my blog articles about Sarah Palin are the very words that she is quoted as using.

Since losing the election, Sarah Palin has apparently be slammed on the interview circuit and much what they’re looking for is dirt.  With everything flying around about her daughter, her son’s birth, and what comes next it’s no wonder that she’s a bit overwhelmed.  The following quote, from Esquire’s upcoming magazine sums up her feelings for some of the people writing about her.