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The Morning Flap: April 2, 2012
These are my links for March 29th through April 2nd:
- Senior citizens continue to bear burden of student loans – The burden of paying for college is wreaking havoc on the finances of an unexpected demographic: senior citizens.
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that Americans 60 and older still owe about $36 billion in student loans, providing a rare window into the dynamics of student debt. More than 10 percent of those loans are delinquent. As a result, consumer advocates say, it is not uncommon for Social Security checks to be garnished or for debt collectors to harass borrowers in their 80s over student loans that are decades old.
- Palin to Couric: ‘Game On’ – When news broke that Katie Couric will be filling in for Robin Roberts next week on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the country yawned. Or, at least we did, until we learned that NBC plans to pit “The Rogue Warrior” against “The Perky One”: Sarah Palin will be guest-hosting “Today” this Tuesday.
NBC’s decision to seat the former Alaska Governor-turned-multimedia star in their anchor chair should prove to be a fruitful one. Since coming onto the national scene in 2008, Palin has become one of the most charismatic figures in conservative America and will likely bring “Today” an entirely different demographic of viewers.
“I see this as a good opportunity to bring an independent, common-sense conservative perspective to NBC. We’re ‘going rogue’ and infiltrating some turf for a day,” Palin told Breitbart News.
- Top Obama campaign donor accused of fraud – A major donor to President Barack Obama has been accused of defrauding a businessman and impersonating a bank official, creating new headaches for Obama’s re-election campaign as it deals with the questionable history of another top supporter.
The New York donor, Abake Assongba, and her husband contributed more than $50,000 to Obama’s re-election effort this year, federal records show. But Assongba is also fending off a civil court case in Florida, where she’s accused of thieving more than $650,000 to help build a multimillion-dollar home in the state — a charge her husband denies.
Obama is the only presidential contender this year who released his list of “bundlers,” the financiers who raise campaign money by soliciting high-dollar contributions from friends and associates. But that disclosure has not come without snags; his campaign returned $200,000 last month to Carlos and Alberto Cardona, the brothers of a Mexican fugitive wanted on federal drug charges.
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: April 2, 2012 – The Morning Drill: April 2, 2012
- Day By Day March 31- April 2, 2012 – Sam Gets a Grip | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Day By Day March 31- April 2, 2012 – Sam Gets a Grip
- How Keith ‘drove’ a network bonkers – What a way to treat broadcast royalty.
Keith Olbermann was fired from Current TV after complaining that one of the peasants who drove his limo had the effrontery to try to talk to him.
And that another one smelled.
Suits at Al Gore’s fledgling cable network sacked the temperamental man-of-the-people after a series of on-the-job clashes, including the diva’s outrageous run of car services, network sources told The Post yesterday.
“Current went through eight different [limo] companies with Keith. Each and every time . . . he didn’t like them,” a network insider said.
“One time it was that the drivers talked to him, he did not like that the driver saw fit to speak to him. The other time he complained that the driver smelled.”
Olbermann couldn’t even be bothered to put pen to paper, in exchange for his luxury rides.
- Bill Clinton says Romney needs ‘Etch A Sketch’ reboot to win general election – The Hill’s Video – RT @thehill: Bill Clinton: Romney will need an ‘Etch A Sketch’ reboot to beat Obama #tcot #obama #gop2012
- Romney speaks! My Q&A with Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney « The Enterprise Blog – Etcha Sketch flipper RT @JimPethokoukis ICYMI: My exclusive weekend interview with GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney
- GOP 12: Swing state poll makes key omissions – RT @GOP12: Why USA Today swing state poll is severely misleading.
- Poll: Obama pulling away from Romney in battleground states – President Obama has opened up a significant lead over GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney in 12 swing states that will be critical in determining the outcome of the election, according to the latest USA Today-Gallup poll.
Obama leads Romney 51 percent to 42 percent in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.
- Former President Clinton on Mitt Romney: Etch-a-Sketch “Is What He’s Got to Do” – ABC News – RT @jaketapper Former President Clinton on Mitt Romney: Etch-a-Sketch “Is What He’s Got to Do” >
- Gallup: Obama leads Romney – 49 vs. 45 – President Barack Obama is pulling ahead with a 4-percentage-point lead over Mitt Romney in a general election matchup, according to a new USA Today/Gallup Poll Monday.
Almost half of all registered voters, 49 percent, said they would vote for Obama for president, while 45 percent said they would pick Romney. The 4-point lead is within the poll’s margin of error but is still the biggest advantage the president has had against Romney in Gallup polling to date. Also, Obama has a solid 8-point lead among independents against Romney, 48 to 40 percent.
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-02 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-02
- Twitter – Twitter
- Twitter – Twitter
- Twitter – Twitter
- Twitter – Twitter
- Untitled (http://getglue.com/Fullosseousflap/stickers/amc/the_killing_season_2_premiere?s=ts&ref=Fullosseousflap) – I unlocked the The Killing Season 2 Premiere sticker on @GetGlue!
- Untitled (http://getglue.com/Fullosseousflap/stickers/amc/the_killing_season_2_coming_soon?s=ts&ref=Fullosseousflap) – I unlocked the The Killing Season 2 Coming Soon sticker on @GetGlue!
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-01 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-04-01
- Twitter – Twitter
- Twitter – Twitter
- Gregory Flap @ Ronnie’s Diner – foursquare – A rainy morning in Marina Del Rey after our recovery 6 miler (@ Ronnie’s Diner)
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-03-31 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-03-31
- Update: Olbermann Responds – Keith Olbermann Fired by Current TV | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Update: Olbermann Responds – Keith Olbermann Fired by Current TV
- Untitled (http://getglue.com/tv_shows/whitechapel?s=tch&ref=Fullosseousflap) – On the DVR… @GetGlue #whitechapel
- Twitter – RT @ScottWGraves: MUST READ: 11 consecutive @KeithOlbermann tweets regarding his firing by @AlGore… #bitter #arrogant
- Unpaid bloggers’ lawsuit vs Huffington Post tossed – AOL Inc on Friday won the dismissal of a lawsuit by unpaid bloggers who complained they were deprived of their fair share of the roughly $315 million that the company paid last March to buy The Huffington Post website.
U.S. District Judge John Koeltl rejected claims by social activist and commentator Jonathan Tasini and an estimated 9,000 other bloggers that they deserved $105 million, or about one-third, of the purchase price.
The lawsuit contended that the work of unpaid content providers like bloggers gave The Huffington Post much of its value, and that the website’s sale allowed co-founder Arianna Huffington to profit at their expense. Tasini said he alone had made 216 submissions to the website over more than five years.
But Koeltl said “no one forced” the bloggers to repeatedly provide their work with no expectation of being paid, and said they got what they bargained for when their works were published.
“The principles of equity and good conscience do not justify giving the plaintiffs a piece of the purchase price when they never expected to be paid, repeatedly agreed to the same bargain, and went into the arrangement with eyes wide open,” the judge wrote.
- Police Recommend Medical Marijuana Delivery Service | NBC Bay Area – Daly City, California Police Recommend Medical Marijuana Delivery Service
- Daly City, California Police Recommend Medical Marijuana Delivery Service – Medical marijuana dispensaries are verboten in Daly City, Calif., following the City Council’s vote Monday to ban them. But delivery options are available to marijuana-seekers — just ask the police.
Cops gave several reasons why medical marijuana dispensaries should be banned in the San Mateo County city just south of San Francisco, according to SF Weekly. One is that 25 indoor pot farms were discovered in Daly City in 2011, according to police. Another is that cannabis patients can drive to San Francisco — or get their medicine delivered. The cops mentioned one service by name.
- Keith Olbermann Fired by Current TV | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Keith Olbermann Fired by Current TV
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – RE: @LPUN2KZ4AGZEEIQNC4W3ZSW3HY Joe,
The Democrats had a stellar (at least that is what they thought) in Ventura Co…
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – RE: @LPUN2KZ4AGZEEIQNC4W3ZSW3HY Joe,
What makes you think that Linda Parks will be able to bring both sides togethe…
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: No Advantages for Low-Fluoride Toothpaste in Preventing Tooth Decay or Fluorosis – No Advantages for Low-Fluoride Toothpaste in Preventing Tooth Decay or Fluorosis
- Not-So-Smooth Operator – Obama increasingly comes across as devious and dishonest – Something’s happening to President Obama’s relationship with those who are inclined not to like his policies. They are now inclined not to like him. His supporters would say, “Nothing new there,” but actually I think there is. I’m referring to the broad, stable, nonradical, non-birther right. Among them the level of dislike for the president has ratcheted up sharply the past few months.
It’s not due to the election, and it’s not because the Republican candidates are so compelling and making such brilliant cases against him. That, actually, isn’t happening.
What is happening is that the president is coming across more and more as a trimmer, as an operator who’s not operating in good faith. This is hardening positions and leading to increased political bitterness. And it’s his fault, too. As an increase in polarization is a bad thing, it’s a big fault.
- Day By Day March 30, 2012 – Trash Talk | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Day By Day March 30, 2012 – Trash Talk
- Poll Watch: Oklahoma City Leads America in Job Creation for Metropolitan Areas – Pittsburgh Second | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Poll Watch: Oklahoma City Leads America in Job Creation for Metropolitan Areas – Pittsburgh Second
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-03-30 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-03-30
- CA-26: Democrat Assemblywoman Julia Brownley Picks Up Environmental Group’s Endorsement | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Democrat Assemblywoman Julia Brownley Picks Up Environmental Group’s Endorsement
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
- Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll – Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
- Untitled (http://getglue.com/tv_shows/nba_on_tnt?s=tch&ref=Fullosseousflap) – Lakers vs OKC @GetGlue @nbaontnt
- Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll – Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog
- Adelson says Gingrich ‘at the end of his line’ – Adelson says Gingrich ‘at the end of his line’
- CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – RE: @LPUN2KZ4AGZEEIQNC4W3ZSW3HY No, Joe, I am not missing the point.
A number of Democrat activists have been quit…
- Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll – Gingrich hits new low in Gallup Poll
- Adelson says Gingrich ‘at the end of his line’ – Adelson says Gingrich ‘at the end of his line’
- Senior citizens continue to bear burden of student loans – The burden of paying for college is wreaking havoc on the finances of an unexpected demographic: senior citizens.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for July 5th on 12:09
These are my links for July 5th from 12:09 to 12:12:
- Double Standards at MSNBC – So here we are in a brand new week and Mark Halperin, a senior political analyst at Time magazine and a regular contributor on MSNBC, is still suspended for calling President Obama a “di**” on Morning Joe.
Never mind that Halperin thought he was on a seven-second delay and that his remark would never be heard by the public. Never mind, too, that he immediately apologized, on the air. The White House press secretary called MSNBC to complain and, poof, Halperin was gone. Suspended indefinitely.
MSNBC issued a statement saying, “Mark Halperin’s comments this morning were completely inappropriate and unacceptable. We apologize to the President, The White House, and all of our viewers. We strive for a high level of discourse and comments like these have no place on our air.”
Really? When did MSNBC start to care about what is and what is not appropriate when it comes to commenting on a sitting president of the United States? And when did the network start to strive for a high level of discourse?
I offer up two words to show how self-serving and disingenuous the MSNBC statement is: Keith. Olbermann.
Perhaps the MSNBC suits missed the show when Olbermann, talking about then-President Bush, said, “You’re a fascist! Get them to print you a T-shirt with ‘fascist’ on it!”
Maybe they also missed the one when Olbermann said President Bush was guilty of “murderous deceit” and then, working himself up into a frenzy, looked into the camera and yelled at the president to “shut the hell up.”
Or how about the time this popped up on the screen while Olbermann was ranting about President Bush: “Pathological presidential liar or an idiot in chief?”
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But, it was Booooosh…..
- Entitlement Bandits – Medicare and Medicaid Fraud – The budget blueprint crafted by Paul Ryan, passed by the House of Representatives, and voted down by the Senate would essentially give Medicare enrollees a voucher to purchase private coverage, and would change the federal government’s contribution to each state’s Medicaid program from an unlimited “matching” grant to a fixed “block” grant. These reforms deserve to come back from defeat, because the only alternatives for saving Medicare or Medicaid would either dramatically raise tax rates or have the government ration care to the elderly and disabled. What may be less widely appreciated, however, is that the Ryan proposal is our only hope of reducing the crushing levels of fraud in Medicare and Medicaid.
The three most salient characteristics of Medicare and Medicaid fraud are: It’s brazen, it’s ubiquitous, and it’s other people’s money, so nobody cares.=====
Read it all
- Double Standards at MSNBC – So here we are in a brand new week and Mark Halperin, a senior political analyst at Time magazine and a regular contributor on MSNBC, is still suspended for calling President Obama a “di**” on Morning Joe.