• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for August 18th on 09:02

    These are my links for August 18th from 09:02 to 14:06:

    • Los Angeles to quit hiring Standard & Poor’s to rate investments – Los Angeles, which recently saw its $7-billion investment portfolio downgraded by Standard & Poor's, has decided to no longer hire the rating company to rate the soundness of the city's investments.

      "We have really lost faith in S&P's judgment," Interim Treasurer Steve Ongele said.

      After its downgrade of U.S. debt last week, S&P cut its rating of L.A.'s general investment pool to AA from AAA. It also downgraded dozens of other municipalities with large investments in U.S. Treasury notes.

      One of them, Northern California's San Mateo County, has decided not to renew its contract with S&P. Florida's Manatee County has also dropped its contract with the company, according to news reports.

      Speaking before the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee meeting Monday, Ongele said Los Angeles should be proud for cutting ties with S&P.

      "The market crash that came with the real estate debacle, it happened because folks like S&P rated AAA corporations that were not worth much of anything, corporations that are no longer there today," Ongele said. "The fact that we have the courage to do this, the fact that we are the first city, I think that's a big bragging right."

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      Shooting the messenger

    • California GOP, wooing candidates and money, will hold 2012 straw poll at September state convention – Hoping to attract GOP presidential candidates — and fire up its activist grassroots — the California Republican Party is taking a cue from Iowa and planning a high profile straw poll of the 2012 presidential hopefuls at its big September statewide convention in Los Angeles.

      The straw poll will be a marquee event at the convention expected to attract more than 1,000 delegates and party activists when it convenes Sept. 16-18 at the JW Marriott at LA Live, state party chair Tom Del Beccaro told us today.

      Already, Tea Party darling and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, the winner of the recent Ames straw poll in Iowa, is scheduled to be the opening keynote speaker on Friday night — a move that will clearly pump up party faithful expected to jam the event.

      But Del Beccaro has been in touch with the other leading Republican candidates, and predicted Bachmann won't have the hall to herself when it comes to wooing backers, volunteers and donors in the Golden State, which is also the nation's biggest political ATM.

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      Read it all.

      But, I think I will take a pass that weekend.

      Does anyone really think that the candidates besides Bachmann will want to dump tens of thousands of dollars to compete in very blue California?

      Well, maybe and if maybe then I will attend.

    • Democrats cheer more lenient Obama rules on illegal immigrants – Democrats in both chambers are cheering Thursday after the Obama administration unveiled more lenient rules surrounding the deportation of illegal immigrants.

      The changes – announced by the Department of Homeland Security – will allow many non-violent illegal immigrants to remain in the country and apply for work permits. Instead of blanket deportations, agency officials will perform a case-by-case reviews, weeding out violent criminals and other high priority cases while closing the books on those considered no threat.

      Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the change “will help prioritize our limited enforcement resources to focus on serious felons, gang members and individuals who are a national security threat rather than college students and veterans who have risked their lives for our country.”

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      Color me cynical but Obama needs the Hispanic vote desperately since he has delivered virtually nothing to that community.

      Now, the Obama Administration is thwarting the will of the Congress AND the people.

    • Dilbert August 18, 2011 – Back to the Future | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Dilbert August 18, 2011 – Back to the Future #tcot #catcot
    • foursquare – Blogging away (@ Home)
    • Untitled (http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/aug/17/westlake-village-man-announces-plans-to-run-for/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed) – Westlake Village man announces plans to run for new 26th Congressional District » Ventura County Star:

    • Flap’s California Morning Collection: August 18, 2011 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: August 18, 2011 #tcot #catcot
    • President 2012: The GOP Sends Obama’s Getaway Postcards from Martha’s Vineyard | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: The GOP Sends Obama’s Getaway Postcards from Martha’s Vineyard #tcot #catcot
    • Another Billionaire Offers the Country Unsolicited Political Advice | Broadside Books – RT @michaelpleahy: My new article: "Another Billionaire Offers Unsolicited Political Advice" @broadsidebooks #tcot
    • Capitol Alert: Assembly GOP requests immediate release of spending records – Good Luck with that! RT @CapitolAlert: Assembly GOP requests immediate release of spending records
    • Flap’s Links and Comments for August 18th on 08:57 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for August 18th on 08:57 #tcot #catcot