• Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: November 4, 2011

    November 4, 2011 /

     

    These are my links for November 3rd through November 4th:

    • New Herman Cain SuperPAC ad: ‘A high-tech lynching’– A slick, dramatic new web ad in support of Herman Cain hammers on the comparison between the allegations against him and the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.The spot, from the super PAC Americans for Herman Cain, uses footage of Thomas at his confirmation hearing responding to sexual harassment allegations: “It is a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves. It is a message that unless you kowtow to an old order you will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured rather than hung from a tree.”The ad also quotes various black liberals (Al Sharpton, Cornel West) criticizing Cain. At the end the words, “Don’t let liberals do it again” appear on the screen.
    • Gallup Poll: Obama, Romney Tied Nationally and in Swing States – Registered voters nationally and in 12 key swing states are evenly divided in their preferences for president in the 2012 election between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. Romney is at least somewhat more competitive versus Obama than either Rick Perry or Herman Cain, in polling conducted before the recent allegations of sexual harassment against Cain surfaced.
    • U.S. Payrolls Rose in October; Jobless Rate 9%– U.S. employment climbed in October at the slowest pace in four months, illustrating the “frustratingly slow” progress cited by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke this week.The 80,000 increase in payrolls was less than forecast and followed gains in the prior two months that were revised up by 102,000, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The unemployment rate fell to a six-month low of 9 percent from 9.1 percent even as the labor force expanded.The crisis in Europe and looming deadline on U.S. budget talks may be prompting companies to hold back on concern failure to reach resolutions will put the global recovery at risk. Fed policy makers project the jobless rate won’t drop under 8 percent until 2013 at the earliest, one reason why Bernanke this week said additional stimulus “remains on the table.”“We’re making progress at a very slow pace,” said John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo Securities LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, who projected an 85,000 gain in payrolls. “It indicates continued consumer spending, getting a little better over time. The labor market is consistent with moderate economic growth.”

      The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey was for a gain of 95,000. Payroll estimates of 91 economists ranged from increases of 50,000 to 150,000.

    • Cain rises in Post-ABC poll despite scandal; most Republicans dismiss allegations– Businessman Herman Cain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are running nearly even atop the field of 2012 GOP presidential hopefuls, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows, with most Republicans dismissing the harassment allegations that over the past week have roiled Cain’s campaign.Seven in 10 Republicans say reports that Cain made unwanted advances toward two employees when he was head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s — allegations which have been stiffly rebutted by Cain’s campaign — do not matter when it comes to picking a candidate.But the potential threat to his burgeoning campaign is evident as well, with Cain slipping to third place among those who see the charges as serious, and Republican women significantly more likely than men to say the scandal makes them less apt to support Cain.The poll was conducted Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, starting the evening after Politico first reported the harassment allegations. Support for Cain was basically steady over the four nights of interviewing, even as new charges against him surfaced.

      Nearly a quarter of all Republicans and GOP-leaning independents now back Cain as the party’s nominee, his best showing in Post-ABC polls this year, and up significantly from early October. At 23 percent nationally, Cain is neck-and-neck with Romney (24 percent) atop the GOP field.

    • 91% of Recruiters Use Social Networks to Screen Candidates!– Just how important is your social footprint now if you are looking for a job, well, 91% of recruiters use social networks to screen candidates now.In a recent study by the social media monitoring server Reppler, results showed more than 90% of recruiters and hiring managers have visited a potential candidate’s profile on a social network as part of the screening process. And a whopping 69% of recruiters have rejected a candidate based on content found on his or her social networking profiles — an almost equal proportion of recruiters 68%, though, have hired a candidate based on his or her presence on those networks.
    • @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-11-04 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-11-04 #tcot #catcot
    • Dilbert November 3, 2011 – Ugly » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert November 3, 2011 – Ugly
    • President 2012 Poll Watch: Obama Faces an Uphill Path to Re-Election in Key Battleground States | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012 Poll Watch: Obama Faces an Uphill Path to Re-Election in Key Battleground States #tcot #catcot
    • PJ Media » BREAKING: PJM Sources Report Details of Alleged Cain Incident – BREAKING: PJM Sources Report Details of Alleged Cain Incident
    • Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Celebrity News | TMZ.com – Pete Rose Sued By Dentist — He Charlie Hustled Me!! |
    • SB 202 California Initiative Law Referendum Effort Sputters » Flap’s California Blog – SB 202 California Initiative Law Referendum Effort Sputters
    • 12 charged with bilking Medicare of $95 million – CNN.com – 12 charged with bilking Medicare of $95 million: “Federal authorities have charged 12 people in connection with …
    • Thousands of lives could be saved if rest of UK adopted average diet in England, study concludes – Thousands of lives could be saved if rest of UK adopted average diet in England, study concludes: “Around 4,000 …
    • Pete Rose Sued By Dentist — He Charlie Hustled Me!! | TMZ.com – Pete Rose Sued By Dentist — He Charlie Hustled Me!!: “Baseball won’t have him back … and now, Pete Rose’s den…
    • Flap’s Smiles and Health Headlines: November 3, 2011 | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Flap’s Smiles and Health Headlines: November 3, 2011
    • The Afternoon Flap: November 3, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Afternoon Flap: November 3, 2011 #tcot #catcot
  • Pinboard Links,  The Afternoon Flap

    The Afternoon Flap: November 3, 2011

    November 3, 2011 /

    These are my links for November 3rd PM.

    • Cain Catches Flak, but Will It Shoot Down His Candidacy?– Washington was all a-Twitter (literally) Monday over Politico’s story about the sexual-harassment charges against Herman Cain — and about Cain’s serial self-contradictions.Faithful Fox News viewers saw him in the afternoon saying he didn’t know the terms of a settlement reached with the complainants and then saw him tell Greta Van Susteren in the 10 p.m. hour that he did.

      The Politico story, quoting no named sources, described Cain’s alleged misconduct as “conversations allegedly filled with innuendo or personal questions of a sexually suggestive nature” and “physical gestures that were not overtly sexual.”

    • Ron Paul Fever at Zuccotti Park– I hear many names bandied about in Zuccotti Park, and not just at the fringes. Among the most popular are Karl Marx, Hugo Chávez, Michael Moore, Paul Ehrlich, and Dennis Kucinich. But today I heard a less predictable one spoken more widely: Ron Paul.There are three key reasons for this, I think. The first is a good old marriage of convenience, the same sort of unholy alliance as arose in the early 20th century when Baptists and bootleggers came together to argue for the prohibition of alcohol in America. You see, Ron Paul is angry, too, and he wants to “restore” America to its old ways. The majority of Paul’s policy positions may be radically different, but much of his rhetoric is in line with Occupy Wall Street’s, particularly his anti-Hamiltonian conviction that the banks have callously denatured the United States. For many, this alone is enough to make him an ally.

      The protesters I spoke to today were predominantly appalled when I told them of Paul’s attitude towards Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the federal government in general, not to mention of his deregulatory zeal and staunch pro-life commitment. But, ultimately, this didn’t matter as much as the fact that he wants “change,” too. Revolution first, details later — we’ll just leave the specifics to Working Group 48.

    • Who Dropped the Dime on Cain? – Fred Thompson– In a case of an untimely death, the first thing the cops do when they arrive at the home of the deceased is to try to determine whether the death was the result of a self-inflicted wound and, if it wasn’t, whether a member of the family did it. Statistics show that these are good places to start looking. If the recent events surrounding sexual-harassment allegations against Herman Cain sink his campaign, the same postmortem may be appropriate.First, Cain’s self-inflicted wounds. When the allegations became public, he started defending himself with an unloaded gun. Even an admirably unconventional campaign cannot defy certain principles. One would be never to eat at a place with an “Eats” sign in the window. Another is that when it hits the fan, you should get your recollection and your facts as straight as you can before you start talking. You can’t outwit the media at their own game if you don’t know the game they’re playing. Now it’s not just about whether he was overly friendly with Miss Molly at the Fourth of July picnic — it’s also about catching him in inconsistencies.
    • If Cain sinks, will Gingrich benefit? – In the early summer of 2007, an over-the-hill John McCain, his campaign in shambles, was given up for dead in his race for the Republican presidential nomination. He wouldn’t give up, though, and by sheer force of will managed to grab his party’s spot on the ticket — and lead it to a crushing defeat.
      In the early summer of 2011, an over-the-hill Newt Gingrich, his campaign in shambles, was given up for dead in his race for the Republican presidential nomination. He wouldn’t give up, though, and by sheer force of will has managed to talk himself back into contention for his party’s spot on the ticket. But do Republican voters really want to be led to another crushing defeat?
      That, alas, is almost sure to happen if Gingrich is the Republican standard bearer. Like McCain, he’s quite old by any non-Reagan presidential standards (indeed, if inaugurated he would be just four months younger than Reagan was on his Inauguration Day). Like McCain, he has a nasty temper (although, to be fair, it’s nowhere near as nasty as McCain’s). Like McCain, he has a sordid history with, uh, relationships, although his is more well known than McCain’s and does not enjoy the excuse of a “pass” to re-sow wild oats due to brutal years in captivity.Short answer is: MAYBE.
    • Poll Watch: Voters Evenly Divided As to Whether Allegations Against Cain Are Serious and True– Two-thirds of America’s voters recognize that Herman Cain is the Republican candidate who has been accused of sexual harassment. Voters are evenly divided about the allegations and most Republicans believe the public airing of the charges suggest Cain is considered a serious threat to win the nomination.The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% believe the allegations against Cain are at least somewhat likely to be serious and true.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree and 23% are not sure. Those figures include 17% who believe it’s Very Likely and 11% who say Not at All Likely.
    • The Generation Gap and the 2012 Election– In the last four national elections, generational differences have mattered more than they have in decades. According to the exit polls, younger people have voted substantially more Democratic than other age groups in each election since 2004, while older voters have cast more ballots for Republican candidates in each election since 2006.The latest national polls suggest this pattern may well continue in 2012. Millennial generation voters are inclined to back Barack Obama for reelection by a wide margin in a matchup against Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate who has run the strongest against Obama in many polls. By contrast, Silent generation voters are solidly behind Romney.

      In between the youngest and the oldest voters are the Baby Boom generation and Generation X. Both groups are less supportive of Obama than they were in 2008 and are now on the fence with respect to a second term for the president.

    • Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Improves to 8.4% | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Gallup Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Improves to 8.4% #tcot #catcot
    • The Blame Game on Herman Cain – NYTimes.com – The Blame Game on Herman Cain
    • Flap’s Dentistry Blog: It Is Running at Night Season: 7 Tips for Safety – It Is Running at Night Season: 7 Tips for Safety
    • President 2012: Mitt Romney Welcomes Rick Perry to California with New Attack Ad » Flap’s California Blog – President 2012: Mitt Romney Welcomes Rick Perry to California with New Attack Ad
    • Chantix IS Unsuitable for First-Line Smoking Cessation | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Chantix IS Unsuitable for First-Line Smoking Cessation
    • Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: November 3, 2011 – The Morning Drill: November 3, 2011
    • House Issues Subpoenas to White House Regarding Bankrupt Solyndra | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – House Issues Subpoenas to White House Regarding Bankrupt Solyndra #tcot #catcot
    • Numbers USA Sponsors Twitter Campaign to Pass H.R. 2885 and E-Verify | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Numbers USA Sponsors Twitter Campaign to Pass H.R. 2885 and E-Verify #tcot #catcot
    • Charlie Hebdo Reprints Mohammad Cartoon Defending the Freedom to Poke Fun | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Charlie Hebdo Reprints Mohammad Cartoon Defending the Freedom to Poke Fun #tcot #catcot
    • The Morning Flap: November 3, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: November 3, 2011 #tcot #catcot
  • Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: November 3, 2011

    November 3, 2011 /

    These are my links for November 2nd through November 3rd:

    • Cain Harassment Issue: Who Said What To Whom?– As questions multiply over the nature of sexual harassment claims made against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, finger-pointing and denials among top rivals are widening.Meanwhile, one of the accuser’s attorneys is seeking his client’s release from her confidentiality agreement despite the accuser’s reluctance to go public.

      The campaigns of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney — Cain’s top challengers in the 2012 GOP race — are denying charges they were the source of the story that broke Sunday claiming two women had received financial settlements in a dispute over alleged inappropriate behavior by Cain, the former head of the National Restaurant Association.

      On Wednesday, Cain’s top aide accused Perry’s campaign of being behind the release of the stories.

      “This is one of the actions in America that is the reason why people don’t get involved in politics,” Mark Block, Cain’s campaign chief of staff, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ “Special Report.” “The actions of the Perry campaign are despicable.”

      “Rick Perry and his campaign owe Herman Cain and his family an apology,” Block added.

      The Cain campaign suggested the source for that story was longtime GOP consultant Curt Anderson, who worked for Cain’s failed 2004 U.S. Senate bid and had been debriefed on the harassment allegations by Cain himself. Anderson now works for Perry.

      “I’ve known Herman Cain for about seven years. I was one of several consultants on his Senate race in 2004 and was proud to help him,” Anderson said. “I’d never heard any of these allegations until I read them in Politico, nor does anything I read in the press change my opinion that Herman is an upstanding man and a gentleman.”

      “I have great respect for Herman and his character and I would never speak ill of him, on the record or off the record,” he added. “That’s true today and it’s not going to change.”

      The Perry campaign also disavowed any connection to the story, calling Block’s charge “reckless and false.”

      “For a candidate and campaign that claim to be the victims of unfounded and unproven accusations, they are awfully quick to hurl unfounded accusations themselves,” Perry campaign spokesman Ray Sullivan said in email. “Contrary to the Cain campaign’s false accusations, there is not one shred of evidence that any member of the Perry team had anything to do with the recent stories regarding Herman Cain — because it isn’t true.”

      Sullivan also noted that backers of Mitt Romney’s campaign are connected to the National Restaurant Association, though the Romney campaign responded simply that any suggestion it pushed the Cain story is “not true.”

      One of the women, who lives in Maryland and has served as a spokeswoman for several federal agencies, refuses to let her attorney reveal her identity though attorney Joel P. Bennett claims she wants to contest Cain’s version of events.

      Bennett said he’s trying to get the National Restaurant Association, which Cain led at the time of the accusations, to release her from a confidentiality agreement so he can provide details on Thursday.

      The second woman — first described in a Politico story which sent ripples through the Cain campaign — is a registered lobbyist in New Jersey, according to a former pollster at the NRA.

      Pollster Chris Wilson told KTOK radio in Oklahoma that at the time the woman was a “lower level staffer” probably two years out of college. But her experiences with Cain were witnessed by him and others attending an event at a restaurant in Crystal City, Va., right across the river from Washington, D.C.

      “Everybody was aware of it,” he told the radio station. “It was only a matter of time because so many people were aware of what took place, so many people were aware of her situation, the fact she left after this. Everybody knew … with the campaign that this would eventually come up.”

      The two women left the NRA with financial settlements and an agreement to never speak of the details. The New York Times reported Wednesday that the woman now in New Jersey received $35,000 in her settlement, representing a year’s salary.

      Wilson, who wouldn’t describe the alleged confrontation because of “legal issues,” said the woman wants to talk, and speculated the NRA is going to have no choice but to release her from her confidentiality agreement.

    • Cain Says Perry Camp Behind Sex Harassment Leak– Was the recent attack on Herman Cain’s presidential campaign a professional hit job? Absolutely, says Herman Cain. And he says he knows just where to look for the guy who did it: At 815 Slaters Lane in Alexandria, Virginia, a low-slung former warehouse in the shadow of a coal plant.There, beside rusting rail lines, is the home of OnMessage Inc., a Republican-leaning consulting firm recently hired to bolster Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign.
    • Poll Watch: Three in Four Americans Back Obama on Iraq Withdrawal– Americans widely support President Obama’s recent decision to withdraw nearly all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year, with 75% approving. That includes the vast majority of Democrats and independents. Republicans, however, are slightly more likely to disapprove than approve.hese results are based on an Oct. 29-30 Gallup poll. On Oct. 21, Obama announced that U.S. troops would be out of Iraq by the end of the year. Only a small U.S. force would remain to guard the U.S. embassy, among other responsibilities.The U.S. ended combat operations in Iraq in August 2010.

      These findings are consistent with Americans’ long-standing desire to leave Iraq. Last August, as the drawdown in U.S. forces was underway, 6 in 10 Americans were opposed to renewing combat operations in Iraq even if Iraqi forces were unable to maintain security in that country.

      Republicans at that time also expressed some willingness to remain in Iraq, depending on the stability of the situation there, while Democrats and independents were largely opposed to a change in the policy.

      Prior to the end of combat operations, Republicans generally opposed, while Democrats largely favored, setting a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.

      Thus, Republicans’ disapproval of Obama’s withdrawal policy may partly be influenced by their more general opposition to setting hard deadlines for withdrawing troops, rather than an actual desire to keep U.S. troops in Iraq. Their opposition to his policy may also be related to their broader disapproval of Obama — 9% of Republicans have approved of the job Obama is doing in each of the last three months

    • VEEP SPECULATION IS JUST THAT– There really is no need to talk about vice-presidential selection right now, but in recent weeks discussion of the subject has filled pages, airwaves and cyberspace as a number of knowledgeable observers have approached the subject from imaginable (and unimaginable) angles. Pundits have declared Vice President Joe Biden dumped and have anointed any number of Republican running mates. And one of the nation’s leading political writers has called for a new procedure to select vice-presidential candidates.To paraphrase Dan Quayle during the 1992 vice-presidential debate, it’s time to take a deep breath. It’s much ado about very little. The vice presidency matters, but the Democratic vice-presidential nomination is a done deal, the Republican choice is too contingent to even speculate about and both choices will, and should, be made as they normally are, by the presidential candidates.
    • Oakland protesters vandalise banks and smash shop windows – California demonstrators shut down city’s port while blocking traffic
      1. Riot police fire tear gas and stun grenades to try and regain control
      2. Two protesters hospitalised after they were struck by a car
      3. Protesters went on rampage vandalising banks and storefronts
      4. Chase and Wells Fargo branches attacked and Whole Foods store

      Occupy Oakland protesters claimed victory after they shut down one of the nation’s busiest shipping ports – escalating a movement whose tactics had largely been limited to marches, rallies and camps.

      In a five-hour stand-off protesters vandalised businesses and smashed bank windows, as they tried to shut down the city – and police appeared to respond using tear gas and flash bang grenades.

      The California demonstrators blocked operations at the city’s port and stopped traffic on Wednesday in protests against economic inequality and police brutality, marred by scattered vandalism.

    • Occupy Oakland Protesters Tear Gased by Police– Police have used tear gas and “flash bang” grenades on a large crowd of demonstrators that lit a massive bonfire in the streets of downtown Oakland, Calif., in a conflict following a day of action that saw the city’s port closed after demonstrators. blocked itDozens of police in riot gear advanced on protesters who had pushed together several large metal and plastic trash bins to start a fire that reached 15 feet in the air, according to The Associated Press. Police reportedly warned protesters to clear out before firing several rounds of tear gas and “flash bang” grenades.

      Several protesters, many of whom wore gas masks, chanted “We Are Scott Olson” as the police fired at them early Wednesday. Olson is the Iraq War veteran who suffered a fractured skull last month after he was hit in the head by a projectile during a conflict with police.

      The conflict came hours after thousands of Occupy Oakland protesters marched on the Port of Oakland, disrupting operations at the nation’s fifth largest port and causing all maritime operations in the city to be shut down.

    • Peaceful Occupy protests degenerate into chaos– A day of demonstrations in Oakland that began as a significant step toward expanding the political and economic influence of the Occupy Wall Street movement, ended with police in riot gear arresting dozens of protesters who had marched through downtown to break into a vacant building, shattering windows, spraying graffiti and setting fires along the way.”We go from having a peaceful movement to now just chaos,” said protester Monique Agnew, 40.

      The far-flung movement of protesters challenging the world’s economic systems and distribution of wealth has gained momentum in recent weeks, capturing the world’s attention by shutting down one of the nation’s busiest shipping ports toward the end of a daylong “general strike” that prompted solidarity rallies across the U.S.

      About 3,000 people converged on the Port of Oakland, the nation’s fifth-busiest harbor, in a nearly five-hour protest Wednesday, swarming the area and blocking exits and streets with illegally parked vehicles and hastily-erected, chain-link fences.

      Port officials said they were forced to cease maritime operations, citing concerns for workers’ safety. They said in a statement they hope to resume operations Thursday “and that Port workers will be allowed to get to their jobs without incident. Continued missed shifts represent economic hardship for maritime workers, truckers, and their families, as well as lost jobs and lost tax revenue for our region.”

      Supporters in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and elsewhere staged smaller-scale demonstrations; each group saying its protest was a show of support for the Oakland movement, which became a rallying point when an Iraq War veteran was seriously injured in a clash with police last week.

      The larger Occupy movement has yet to coalesce into an organized association and until the port shut down had largely been limited scattershot marches, rallies and tent encampments since it began in September.

      Organizers in Oakland had viewed the day as a significant victory. Police said that about 7,000 people participated in demonstrations throughout the day that were peaceful except for a few incidents of vandalism.

    • (500) http://flapsblog.com/2011/11/03/flap-twitter-updates-for-2011-11-03/ – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-11-03 #tcot #catcot
    • foursquare:: Gregory Flap @ Sierra La Verne Country Club

      – Alice’s 20 th anniversary luncheon with MWD (@ Sierra La Verne Country Club)

    • Dilbert November 2, 2011 – Fun at Work? » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert November 2, 2011 – Fun at Work?
    • Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: November 2, 2011 – The Morning Drill: November 2, 2011
    • foursquare:: Gregory Flap @ Starbucks

      – Waiting for Alice’s 20 th anniversary work luncheon (@ Starbucks)

    • At a News Conference, Cain Avoids Questions – NYTimes.com – >It is just starting for Cain – Cain Skirts Media in a Tense Encounter #tcot
    • The Morning Flap: November 2, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: November 2, 2011 #tcot #catcot
  • Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: November 2, 2011

    November 2, 2011 /

    These are my links for November 1st through November 2nd:

    • Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Considers Pre-Emptive Attack On Iran To Prevent Nuclear Capability– Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally support in his cabinet for an attack on Iran, according to government sources.The country’s defence minister Ehud Barak and the foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman are said to be among those backing a pre-emptive strike to neutralise Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

      But a narrow majority of ministers currently oppose the move, which could trigger a wave of regional retaliation.

      The debate over possible Israeli military action has reached fever pitch in recent days with newspaper leader columns discussing the benefits and dangers of hitting Iran.

      Mr Lieberman responded to the reports of a push to gain cabinet approval by saying that “Iran poses the most dangerous threat to world order.”

      But he said Israel’s military options should not be a matter for public discussion.

    • Attorney says Cain violated deal, allowing accuser to speak– The lawyer for one of the women who accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment said his client might get a chance to speak publicly about the allegations because the GOP presidential candidate violated the confidentiality agreement between the two.Attorney Joel Bennett told CBS’s “The Early Show” on Wednesday that his client hasn’t spoken publicly because of the confidentiality agreement, but that Cain’s comments might have cleared a path.

      “There was more than one incident that my client received sexual harassment,” Bennett said. “She would like to speak out for the record, only because Mr. Cain has stated that he didn’t sexually harass anyone, that there wasn’t any substance to the allegations, and basically made it look like she was some type of frivolous claimant looking for money.”

      According to Bennett, one of the stipulations of the confidentiality agreement was that neither party could make disparaging remarks about the other. Bennett said Cain violated that agreement on Fox News on Monday when he said that he had been told that the accuser’s performance in the workplace “was not up to par.”

      “I think she’s upset about his statements and would like the record to be balanced and clear,” Bennett said.

      The New York Times reported Wednesday that Cain’s other accuser received a full year’s salary, worth between $35,000 and $40,000, as a part of her severance package.

      Cain was accused of sexual harassment by two female employees when he headed the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s.

    • French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo firebombed after prophet Mohammed announcement– The offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo have been destroyed by a petrol bomb, a day after it named the Prophet Mohammed as its “editor-in-chief” for this week’s issue.The fiercely anti-clerical magazine said the move, which included renaming the publication “Sharia Hebdo”, was intended to “celebrate” the victory of Islamist party Ennhada in Tunisia’s election.

      Charlie Hedbo’s editor-in-chief, known as Charb, told France Info radio: “We no longer have a newspaper. All our equipment has been destroyed or has melted.”

      No injuries have been reported

      A single Molotov cocktail was thrown at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris’s 20th arrondissement at around 1am. The ensuing fire was rapidly put out, but a large amount of material in the office was destroyed, police said.

      “We cannot, today, put together a paper,” said Charb. “But we will do everything possible to do one next week. Whatever happens, we’ll do it. There is no question of giving in,” he said, adding that the magazine is filing a legal complaint against persons unkown.

    • Herman Cain Accuser Got a Year’s Salary in Severance Pay– The National Restaurant Association gave $35,000 — a year’s salary — in severance pay to a female staff member in the late 1990s after an encounter with Herman Cain, its chief executive at the time, made her uncomfortable working there, three people with direct knowledge of the payment said on Tuesday.The woman was one of two whose accusations of sexual harassment by Mr. Cain, now a Republican candidate for president, led to paid severance agreements during his 1996-99 tenure at the association. Disclosure of the scale of the severance further challenged his initial description of the matter as a “witch hunt,” as did new descriptions from the woman’s friends and colleagues of her level of discomfort at work.

      Adding to the pressure on Mr. Cain, a lawyer for the second woman called on the restaurant association to release her from a confidentiality agreement signed as part of her settlement, raising the prospect that she could publicly dispute Mr. Cain’s account of what happened. The lawyer said the confidentiality agreement had left her unable to respond to Mr. Cain’s denials of any inappropriate behavior toward the women.

      “He’s basically saying: ‘I never harassed anyone. These claims have no merit,’ ” said the lawyer, Joel P. Bennett of Washington, who represented the woman in her initial agreement. “And I’m sure my client would have a comeback to that.”

      There will be more…..

    • President 2012 Poll Watch: North Carolina remains close– North Carolina continues to look like a toss up for 2012, with Barack Obama unpopular but none of his prospective Republican opponents setting the world on fire either.45% of voters in the state approve of Obama with 50% disapproving, numbers pretty much in line with where he’s been for the last 3 months. Obama’s big issue continues to be with independents, only 38% of whom think he’s doing a good job to 56% who give him poor marks. He’s been consistently right around the 80% mark with Democrats (78/16 this month) and favor from Republicans is still virtually nonexistent (6/91).

      Despite his weak approval numbers Obama trails only one Republican for reelection in the state, Mitt Romney, and even then it’s just a 1 point margin at 46-45. That represents a simple flip from last month’s poll when Obama led Romney 46-45. We’ve been polling these guys head to head every month for a year now and their head to head has continuously been in the margin of error.

      Each candidate has a couple of things going for him in this match up. Romney’s up 49-34 with independents and gets 16% of the Democratic vote, more than any of the other candidates. Obama’s benefiting from in migration to the state. 79% of North Carolinians consider themselves to be Southerners. They go for Romney 48-44. But with the 21% of voters who don’t identify with that label, Obama’s up 50-43. The folks moving into North Carolina are a big part of why the state’s become more competitive at the Presidential level. The other key thing for Obama is that he’s showing little slippage with the two key groups that drove his victory in the state in 2008: he’s up 89-8 with African Americans and 64-28 with voters under 30.

      Against the non-Romney potential Republican candidates Obama hold leads ranging from 3-8 points. It’s impossible to say what impact the last three days will have long term on Herman Cain’s candidacy but he was the only other GOP hopeful to really come close to Obama on this poll, trailing 47-44. Obama has pretty healthy leads right now against the rest of the Republicans- it’s 7 points over Newt Gingrich at 50-43, and 8 points over Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, and Rick Perry at 50-42, 48-40, and 50-42 respectively. It’s probably good news for GOP hopes of beating Obama that no one in that last quartet except for Gingrich is looking like a particularly strong candidate for the nomination right now.

      Increasingly it looks like Newt Gingrich will be contending with Mitt Romney or be teamed up with him.

    • Mr. Herman Cain’s former employer making this statement « Gretawire – Mr. Herman Cain’s former employer making this statement
    • Rice: Cain shouldn’t play the “race card” – CBS News Video – Condi Rice: Cain shouldn’t play the “race card”
    • Perry wasn’t drunk at speech, says host – The Hill’s Ballot Box – Perry wasn’t drunk at speech, says host
    • Herman Cain waived confidentiality: accuser’s lawyer – CBS News Investigates – CBS News – RT @daveweigel: RT @CBSEveningNews: Cain accuser’s lawyer speaks out, says #HermanCain waived confidentiality:
    • Poll: Cain, Romney Tied in Florida – Washington Wire – WSJ – RT @WSJWashington: Poll: Cain, Romney Tied in Florida
    • Posting negative comments on social media sites will get you fired at Apple | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence – RT @briansolis: Reading “Posting negative comments on social media sites will get you fired at Apple”
    • The Afternoon Flap: November 1, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Afternoon Flap: November 1, 2011 #tcot #catcot
  • Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: November 1, 2011

    November 1, 2011 /

    These are my links for October 31st through November 1st:

    • Supporting Cain, GOP base evokes Thomas hearings– Conservatives rallied around Herman Cain as he battles sexual harassment allegations, likening the attacks on the Republican presidential contender to what they describe as the “high-tech lynching” of another prominent black Republican: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.The forceful early reaction to the Cain firestorm — fueled by racially charged rhetoric — suggests the Georgia businessman’s attempt to cast himself as a victim of the media and liberals is, so far, paying dividends among his conservative Republican base, who will hold considerable sway in selecting the party’s nominee. But the accusations against Cain, an untested newcomer on the political scene, may give more moderate GOP voters pause and could cause would-be donors to shy away even as Cain works to capitalize on his rising poll numbers.

      With the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus less than three months away, the harassment allegations — and Cain’s response to them — have the potential to reshuffle the GOP race.

      So far, the early cry from the right is to support Cain using a race-based defense and familiar targets. Becoming a target of the left and the media could bolster Cain’s support among those who view those groups with disdain.

    • Video: Lucky Romney – Jon Stewart looks at sexual harassment accusations against Herman Cain and Rick Perry’s loopy speech in New Hampshire and concludes, “Mitt Romney is the luckiest Motherfudger on Earth.”
    • Path to the nomination: Did Cain’s end yesterday?– At this point we don’t know what Cain knows about his own past, let alone what he knows about the issues or the task of governing. And we are reaching the point where it is hard to tell if he knows, or his campaign aides know, if they’re telling the truth.Iowans don’t need to believe he is innocent of sexual harassment to vote for him. But they do need to trust him. Virtually everything that happened yesterday with regard to this issue served to damage his trustworthiness. Beyond the point of no return? We’ll find out.

      This should serve as a warning to all the vanity candidates (i.e., those without experience who run essentially as celebrities) in this and future cycles: A presidential nomination process is brutal and serious stuff. If they think there is no downside to competing, they are wrong. They may, at the end, come out diminished people, less respected and liked than when they went in.

      Some people call this unfair and harmful to our political process. I disagree. If unserious and ill-prepared candidates try to take the voters for a ride, don’t bother to understand the issues or even their own weaknesses, they pretty much get what they deserve. And if voters bury their heads in the sand and vote for them anyway, they deserve what follows as well.

    • Will Another Shoe Drop for Cain?– Can Herman Cain survive the allegations he sexually harassed as least two women and his shifting explanation of what happened?First Read: “It all depends if there’s another allegation or a new piece of information that contradicts his current story. If there is, that would be a knockout blow. Indeed, conservative commentators largely gave Cain a free pass yesterday. Rush Limbaugh said, ‘Look at how quickly what is known as the ‘mainstream media’ goes for the ugliest racial stereotypes they can to attack a black conservative.’ And Laura Ingraham, who clerked for Clarence Thomas, said, ‘Doesn’t all this sound familiar? A black man who thinks for himself, who ends up surprising everyone…’ (One exception, however, was Karl Rove, demonstrating an establishment-vs.-base divide here.) But if another shoe drops, he most likely won’t get another free pass from them.”

      The Note: “Cain’s dissembling represents a marked departure from his straight-talking persona on the campaign trail, but we still don’t know whether it spells disaster for his campaign or if it’s just a bump in the road. Will either of the two women who received monetary settlements speak publicly? Are there any other shoes to drop? If the answer to both of those questions is ‘no’, it’s hard to see this story get much more traction — even with Cains’ inconsistencies.”

    • Bachmann ‘Out of Money and Ideas’ in Iowa, Says Former Campaign Manager– Michele Bachmann has “run out of money and ideas” and can no longer expect to win in Iowa, her former campaign manager told ABC News on Monday.Ed Rollins, who left the campaign in September, said the Minnesota congresswoman had backed off earlier comments by her campaign that Iowa was a “must-win” state because she lacked the finances, campaign structure, and ideas to win the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

      “She’s still saying the same things she said in the first the debate. There’s no substance. She says, ‘I’m going to repeal Obamacare.’ But she’s been saying that from Day 1. I told her: That’s your Tea Party speech, now you have to say what you’re going to do next.”

    • John Boehner: I won’t endorse in 2012 GOP presidential primary– As the GOP’s presidential primary heats up, candidates have been working to secure endorsements from Capitol Hill. But House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) isn’t likely to be among the lawmakers taking sides in the White House race.The Ohio Republican on Thursday told conservative commentator Laura Ingraham that he doesn’t plan to endorse a candidate in the primary.
    • Romney to deliver ‘major’ speech on Friday– In what appears to be an attempt to solidify his support among Tea Party voters, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will deliver a “major spending policy speech” on Friday evening at the Americans for Prosperity’s Defending the American Dream Summit in Washington, according to his campaign. On Thursday, Romney will preview his spending policy in Exeter, NH, the campaign confirms.Americans for Prosperity is a conservative organization originally funded by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and it has helped organize numerous Tea Party events.
    • Laura Ingraham echoes call for ‘Occupy Politico’ movement– Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham thinks it’s time to push back against whomever is attacking Herman Cain.On her Monday program, a caller named “Natalie” suggested an “Occupy Politico” movement to protest the news outlet’s Sunday story that alleged Cain was once accused of sexual harassment by underlings while CEO of the National Restaurant Association.

      “So Natalie, you’re saying Occupy Politico, in other words” Ingraham said. “They’re occupying Wall Street; we need OccupyPolitico.com. I got it.”

      Ingraham saved her harshest words, though, for reporters who allow nameless sources to hide behind promises of anonymity.

      “If you’re going to come to the game with some anonymous sources, and no names attributed to any of these allegations, which are ‘he offended me,’” she said, “OK, this is so far — maybe we’ll know something else. Maybe he’s the worst person ever. OK, I don’t think so, but maybe. ‘I was offended. There was some comment that offended me. I felt like I was put upon.’ Oh please.”

    • Rush Limbaugh: Herman Cain Harassment Story ‘Unconscionable, Racially Stereotypical Attack’ – Rush Limbaugh tore into Politico on his Monday show, denouncing the web site for what he called a “hit job” on Herman Cain. Limbaugh said that the story was an “unconscionable, racially stereotypical attack” on Cain.
    • Herman Cain now says he knew of cash settlement with one woman who accused him of sexual harassment – Herman Cain, who spent Monday denying that he sexually harassed two women while he headed the National Restaurant Association, late in the day offered details of an incident with a female colleague that led to allegations of inappropropriate behavior. Also, for the first time, the 2012 presidential candidate acknowledged that he knew about a settlement that was offered to one of the women.
    • In Sex Harassment Cases, How Much Would an Executive Know? – NYTimes.com – In Sex Harassment Cases, How Much Would an Executive Know? #tcot
    • Cain details gesture that led to sex accusation | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner – Cain details gesture that led to sex accusation
    • First Read – NBC confirms one Cain accuser received cash settlement – NBC confirms one Cain accuser received cash settlement
    • 2.5 Million Children Exposed to Secondhand Smoke in California? | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – 2.5 Million Children Exposed to Secondhand Smoke in California?
    • The Morning Flap: October 31, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: October 31, 2011 #tcot #catcot
  • Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: October 31, 2011

    October 31, 2011 /

    These are my links/comments for October 30th through October 31st:

    • When is Elton’s deadline?– The afternoon of March 10, 2006, was one of the most chaotic ever seen in the office of the Ventura County Elections Division. Earlier that day, Rep. Elton Gallegly had visited former Ventura County Star Editor Joe Howry and dropped this bombshell: He intended to retire.The deadline to file declarations of candidacy for the office was 5 p.m., and Gallegly’s announcement set off a wild scramble. Former Assemblywoman Audra Strickland was at the counter asking about candidacy forms, first for her husband, Tony, and then for herself.

      When the dust had settled, none of it mattered. All three politicians had already filed declarations of candidacy — Gallegly for Congress, Audra Strickland for Assembly and Tony Strickland for controller — and as all three found out, those declarations, once submitted, cannot be withdrawn.

      Gallegly, after receiving medical assurances that the health issue that prompted his aborted retirement was not serious, changed his mind, ran after all, and easily won re-election. The incident, however, prompted a change in elections law. The following year the Legislature passed a bill — known in some quarters as “Elton’s Law” — that added Congress to the list of offices for which an automatic filing extension is granted if a “qualified incumbent” does not file for re-election. The law is designed to prevent shananigans that would allow an incumbent to secretly decide to retire then hand-pick a successor who could file at the last minute, shutting out any other potential challengers.

      Fast forward to 2011, and Gallegly once again is being coy about his intentions. It is highly unlikely that anything resembling 2006 will happen again. After all, there are still more than four months before the filing period closes at 5 p.m. on March 9 … or does it?

      Given that Gallegly lives just outside the boundary of the new 26th Congressional District, is he an “eligible incumbent”? And if he chose not to file, would the deadline be extended?

      Timm, Gallegly is running for re-election. It doesn’t make any difference when he files.

    • President 2012 GOP Wisconsin Poll Watch: Perry 46% Vs. Obama 42%– Barack Obama carried Wisconsin easily in the 2008 presidential election, but he is slightly behind Texas Governor Rick Perry and runs just ahead of two other top Republican hopefuls in Rasmussen Reports’ first Election 2012 look at the Badger State.Perry earns 46% support from Likely Wisconsin Voters to Obama’s 42% in a new statewide telephone survey. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, and another six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

      The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on October 26, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

      And, a non-battleground state. Obama is in trouble.

    • Romney Taps Bush’s Network– The Wall Street Journal reports that Mitt Romney has picked up more of President George W. Bush’s top fundraisers than any other candidate in the Republican presidential race, and has even “won over twice as many of the Bush backers as Texas Gov. Rick Perry,” who served as Bush’s Lieutenant Governor in Texas.”Winning the support of Mr. Bush’s network would be a coup given that the former president’s fund-raising operation was among the best in recent Republican campaigns. He invented the modern system of relying on a group of ‘bundlers’ who could generate huge sums by soliciting donations from colleagues, friends and associates… Of the roughly 550 people who raised at least $100,000 for Mr. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign, about 400 have yet to make a campaign donation to any of the Republicans running for president.”

      The major donors don’t believe Rick Perry can win…

    • MF Global Files for Bankruptcy Protection– MF Global Holdings Ltd., the holding company for the broker-dealer run by former New Jersey governor and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. co-chairman Jon Corzine, filed for bankruptcy after making bets on European sovereign debt.The New York-based firm listed total debt of $39.7 billion and assets of $41 billion in Chapter 11 papers filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. Its finance unit, MF Global Finance USA Inc., also filed, with debt of as much as $50 million and assets of as much as $500 million.

      “The boards of directors of both entities authorized the filing of the Chapter 11 petition in order to protect their assets,” the companies said today in a statement.

      MF Global’s board had met through the weekend in New York to consider options including a sale to avert failure, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. Following a record loss, MF Global was suspended today from doing new business with the New York Federal Reserve, according to a statement on the regulator’s website. Trading in MF Global’s stock was also halted.

      No Secretary of the Treasury for Jon Corzine….

    • Herman Cain already unpopular with female voters– Even before allegations of sexual harassment against Herman Cain surfaced, the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO polled poorly with female voters. The numbers suggest that compared with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney , Cain is in big trouble with this demographic.In four early primary states, according to recent CNN polls,Romney significantly outperformed Cain with female Republicans in every contest save South Carolina. In Iowa, where the two contenders are statistically tied, Romney took 28 percent of female voters and Cain got 17.

      Politico reported Sunday that Cain was accused of sexual harassment by two former employees at the National Restaurant Association, which he led in the 1990s, and that the women left with financial settlements. Cain told Fox News Monday that he “never sexually harassed anyone” and “was falsely accused.”

      If even more women turn against Cain, it could give Romney — who already does better with female than male voters — the chance to pull ahead in the GOP presidential primary.

      The Des Moines Register wrote Sunday that in the new Iowa poll that showed Cain and Romney neck-and-neck, men were behind Cain’s success — 26 percent prefer him while only 18 percent backed Romney. The numbers were almost exactly the reverse for Romney with female respondents — the former governor beat Cain 27 to 17 percent.

      Not really a surprise.

    • Is Cain’s denial plausible?– Herman Cain told Fox News that he never sexually harassed anyone, although he was falsely accused of such at the National Restaurant Association. He then declared: “If the restaurant association did a settlement, I wasn’t even aware of it and I hope it wasn’t for much. If there was a settlement, it was handled by some of the other officers at the restaurant association.”For that to be true, many things would also have to be true:
      1. Herman Cain never asked the NRA how the claim got resolved;
      2. Cain never had to sign a settlement agreement or any other document;
      3. He trusted the NRA to obtain a complete release on his behalf, and the women never demanded that Cain release potential counterclaims (e.g., for defamation);
      4. He never agreed to keep the matter confidential — for example, after he left the NRA. (Arguably the association could bind him while he was still employed, but wouldn’t it have had to tell him to ensure compliance?); and
      5. In his role as CEO, Cain never had to approve a settlement, was never told the cost of the settlement and never saw a budget entry confirming a settlement.

      Probably not…..

    • My morning with Herman Cain « The Enterprise Blog – RT @JimPethokoukis: My morning with Herman Cain at AEI
    • President 2012: Herman Cain Says He Was Falsely Accused of Sexual Harassment | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Herman Cain Says he was FALSELY ACCUSED of Sexual Harassment – not aware of settlements:
    • Dilbert October 30, 2011 – Ignorance on Display » Flap’s California Blog – Scott Adams and Dilbert discover digital media curation…..
      :
    • What Happens to Cain and the GOP Field? – What Happens to Cain and the GOP Field?
    • President 2012: The Herman Cain Sexual Harassment Flap: Can Cain Survive? | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – A round-up of the Herman Cain alleged sexual harassment Flap….:
    • @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-31 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-10-31 #tcot #catcot
    • AEI – 9-9-9: A Discussion with Herman Cain – >Should be a feeding frenzy by media RT @JimPethokoukis: Herman Cain at AEI, tomorrow, 9 AM EST, LIVE STREAMED, BABY!
    • Cain responds to sex harassment allegation | Campaign 2012 – Cain responds to sex harassment allegation #fb #tcot
    • Exclusive: 2 women accused Herman Cain of inappropriate behavior – Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman and Anna Palmer and Kenneth P. Vogel – POLITICO.com – > The Beginning of the end? Two women accused Herman Cain of inappropriate behavior #fb
    • Michael Ramirez Cartoon – Michael Ramirez on the leaving of Iraq…..:
    • The Sunday Flap: October 30, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Sunday Flap: Today’s Political Headlines:
  • Mark Steyn,  Pinboard Links,  The Sunday Flap

    The Sunday Flap: October 30, 2011

    October 30, 2011 /

    These are my links and comments for  Sunday, October 30th:

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Blog.Com Links and Comments for October 22nd through October 23rd

    October 23, 2011 /

    These are my links for October 22nd through October 23rd:

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for October 20th through October 22nd

    October 22, 2011 /

    These are my links for October 20th through October 22nd:

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for October 20th on 10:51

    October 20, 2011 /

    These are my links for October 20th from 10:51 to 18:19:

    • Gallup.Com – Polling Matters by Frank Newport: Occupy Wall Street, Obama, Marijuana, and Facebook – 3. True or false: Presidential job approval ratings don’t rise between the fall of the year before an election and election year itself. In other words, it's unlikely that Obama’s job approval ratings will be much higher next year.

      That’s false. Clinton’s ratings went up over 10 percentage points between October 1995 and 1996. Reagan’s job approval ratings went up over 10 points between October 1983 and 1984. Carter’s ratings went up over 20 points between October 1979 and January 1980 (although they rapidly fell back down again). And George H.W. Bush’s job approval ratings fell more than 30 points between October 1991 and 1992.

      In other words, an incumbent president's job approval ratings can, in fact, change significantly between October of the year before an election and the election year itself. Obama’s job approval ratings are hovering right around 40%. History suggests it is in theory possible that his ratings could rise 10 points between now and next year, which would put him at or around 50% — the bottom range of where he would need to be based on history to win re-election.

      4. What percent of those aged 65 years and older say marijuana should be legalized?

      The answer to that question is 31%. That contrasts, of course to the overall average of 50% for all adults, and 62% among those aged 18-29 years who support legalizing pot. Perhaps some of those aged 65 and older are aging hippies who fondly remember the Flower Power days of the 1960s.

      5. True or False: Facebook users are almost entirely composed of those below age 50.

      False. While Facebook use certainly skews young, 18% of those we interviewed in a recent USA Today/Gallup poll who were 65 years and older said they have a Facebook page. That compares to 35% of those 50 to 64, 58% of those 30 to 49, and a whopping 74% of those 18 to 29 we interviewed. Overall, 48% of Americans say they have a Facebook page.

    • Car Company Gets U.S. Loan, Builds Cars In Finland – With the approval of the Obama administration, an electric car company that received a $529 million federal government loan guarantee is assembling its first line of cars in Finland, saying it could not find a facility in the United States capable of doing the work.

      Vice President Joseph Biden heralded the Energy Department's $529 million loan to the start-up electric car company called Fisker as a bright new path to thousands of American manufacturing jobs. But two years after the loan was announced, the job of assembling the flashy electric Fisker Karma sports car has been outsourced to Finland.

      "There was no contract manufacturer in the U.S. that could actually produce our vehicle," the car company's founder and namesake told ABC News. "They don't exist here."

      Henrik Fisker said the U.S. money so far has been spent on engineering and design work that stayed in the U.S., not on the 500 manufacturing jobs that went to a rural Finnish firm, Valmet Automotive.
      "We're not in the business of failing; we're in the business of winning. So we make the right decision for the business," Fisker said. "That's why we went to Finland."

      =======

      Read it all…..

    • LifeNews.com – The Pro-Life News Source – Cain Releases Clarifying Statement: I'm Pro-Life on Abortion |
    • Dilbert October 20, 2011 – Forbidden Planet » Flap’s California Blog – Dilbert October 20, 2011 – Forbidden Planet
    • Cain Releases Clarifying Statement: I’m Pro-Life on Abortion | LifeNews.com – RT @StevenErtelt: Cain Releases Clarifying Statement: I'm Pro-Life on Abortion
    • Poll Watch: Who Has More Popular Support – The Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street? | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Poll Watch: Who Has More Popular Support – The Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street? #tcot #catcot
    • GOP 12: T. Boone Pickens doesn’t like GOP in-fighting – > But, they can't stop RT @GOP12: T. Boone Pickens to GOP field: Listen to Reagan, and quit pickin' on each other.
    • Flap’s Dentistry Blog: Should the Federal Government Develop a New Nutritional Rating System for Food and Beverages? – A simpler, easier to use nutritional rating system for food and beverages is proposed…:
    • California Veterinary Board Says NO to Dog Groomers Cleaning Teeth With Dental Scalers » Flap’s California Blog – California Veterinary Board Says No to Dog Groomers in Canine Dentistry issue..:
    • Obama’s numbers down even in Hawaii – Public Policy Polling – RT @ppppolls: Obama's Hawaii approval is 56/35. Down net 15 points from 64/29 in March:
    • Flap’s Links and Comments for October 20th on 06:31 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Chris Christie spurs a candidacy and Herman Cain mocked by Hillary Clinton…: