Ski Free at Stowe? Yessiree, because you now own it!

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Wednesday September 17, 2008 · 6:26 AM PDT

2008/09/17 · 06:26

With the federal bailout of AIG, the U.S. taxpayer is now an owner of Stowe Mountain Resort (formerly owned by AIG Global Real Estate) in Stowe, Vermont. As a new owner, all you need to do to ski free is to show your social security card and bank debit or credit card and you'll be on your way up the slope. If your cell phone starts beeping a text message on the way down the slope, don't worry, just ignore it. That'll be your friendly share price notification service. Indeed, your share price is $683 ($80 billion - the bailout price, divided by 117 million - the number of individual tax payers).

If you're disgusted by the bailout, think again! The 2008-2009 season's pass at Stowe costs $1,766. With this bailout, you've saved over $1,000! You can now afford another month's payment on your 3200 square foot house. Or you can drive to the grocery store in your Hummer again. Aren't you feeling so much better now that you're reaping the fruits of compassionate conservatism?

Vermont Republican Governor Attempts to Destroy Business

ApacheTrout

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Thursday July 24, 2008 · 2:04 PM PDT

2008/07/24 · 14:04

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas' (R) administration has successfully obtained an administrative order to shut down Vermont Compost Company (VCC), which is a competitor of his brother-in-law's composting operation, Vermont Natural Ag Products. According to the administrative order, VCC is to cease any and all commercial compost operations and pay a civil fine of $18,000 for operating a commercial operation without an Act 250 permit.

Interestingly, Vermont Natural Ag Products, which operates in a manner similar to VCC, has not been the subject of regulatory enforcement.

ApacheTrout

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Tuesday July 15, 2008 · 5:20 AM PDT

2008/07/15 · 05:20

Via UPI, h/t to TPM

Stephen Payne, a major GOP fundraiser and international affairs lobbyist, also touted his success in getting an Uzbek opposition leader removed from the U.S. terrorist watch list and issued a U.S. visa.

In light of the news that the terrorist watch list surpassed one million records and 700,000 names, the Stephen Payne story raises several questions:

ApacheTrout

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Thursday May 15, 2008 · 7:13 AM PDT

2008/05/15 · 07:13

In response to not-so-subtle political swipes by President George Bush (while addressing the Israeli Knesset), Barack Obama's communication director Robert Gibbs rejected the conclusion of the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003:

"Let's not confuse precondition with preparation," said Gibbs of any talks with Iran. "Obviously these meetings would be full of preparation. But we're not going to sit down and engage Iran, unless or until they give up their nuclear weapons program.

emphasis mine.

ApacheTrout

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Thursday April 10, 2008 · 6:35 AM PDT

2008/04/10 · 06:35

A significant spike in grain and commodities prices is driving up the cost of food worldwide and marking the beginning of the collapse of the world economy. As a result, violent riots have broken out, as described by Vivian Walt (Time, February 27, 2008)

Rocketing food prices — some of which have more than doubled in two years — have sparked riots in numerous countries recently. Millions are reeling from sticker shock and governments are scrambling to staunch a fast-moving crisis before it spins out of control. From Mexico to Pakistan, protests have turned violent. Rioters tore through three cities in the West African nation of Burkina Faso last month, burning government buildings and looting stores. Days later in Cameroon, a taxi drivers' strike over fuel prices mutated into a massive protest about food prices, leaving around 20 people dead.

Here in the U.S., the economic collapse has been "contained" to the housing market and a "few bad apples" (Bear Stearns) in the financial markets, but for how much longer? Will we see food riots at home?

ApacheTrout

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Wednesday March 05, 2008 · 11:12 AM PST

2008/03/05 · 11:12

The Associated Press is reporting today that the FBI continued to illegal spy on Americans in 2006. The illegal spying, benignly referred to as a violation of civil rights, is conducted through the abuse of national security letters.

The national security letters (NSL) compel (courtesy of The Center for Democracy and Technology) disclosure of information held by "banks, credit companies, telephone carriers, and internet service providers, among others." In 2000, the FBI issued 8,500 NLS requests. This number increased to approximately 47,000 requests by 2005, and totaled over 140,000 requests between 2003 and 2005. Today, FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledged that abuse of the NSL authority continued unabated in 2006, but that the reforms initiated in 2007 would prevent "future lapses."

ApacheTrout

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Wednesday January 30, 2008 · 4:47 AM PST

2008/01/30 · 04:47

In response to Brattleboro, VT's ballot measure calling for the arrest of President Bush and Vice President Cheney, patriotic Americans across the country called their contacts within terrorist cells around the world and requested that they attack and kill several thousand wackjobs in Vermont. These brave men and women also asked that the terrorists cut off the heads of the Brattleboro selectmen, video tape it, and post it on the internet.

Do you think I'm being facetious? Yeah, just a bit. But seriously, via yahoo, A.P. reporter John Curran has the story of the many responses that town of Brattleboro officials have received in the wake of their ballot measure and subsequent story on the Drudge Report.

ApacheTrout

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Friday December 28, 2007 · 4:15 AM PST

2007/12/28 · 04:15

Today's NY Times has the story of a recent string of terrorist attacks in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A rash of attacks on abortion and family planning clinics has struck Albuquerque this month, the first such violence there in nearly a decade....

The attacks came just weeks after the Albuquerque clinic run by a nationally known abortion provider, Dr. Curtis Boyd, was destroyed by arsonists on Dec. 6.

ApacheTrout

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Wednesday December 19, 2007 · 7:13 AM PST

2007/12/19 · 07:13

As reported at MSNBC, smoke is billowing out of the Eisenhower Executive Office at the White House. With the fire apparently centered on the second floor, let's take a look at who uses the Eisenhower Executive Office.

From Whitehouse.gov:

In addition to the Vice President's Office in the West Wing, the Vice President and his staff maintain a set of offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB), which is located next to the West Wing on the White House premises. The Vice President's Office in the EEOB is called the Vice President's Ceremonial Office. This restored, historical office served as the Navy Secretary's Office when the EEOB housed the State, Navy and War Departments. Today, the Vice President uses the office for meetings and press interviews.

ApacheTrout

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Saturday December 08, 2007 · 6:08 PM PST

2007/12/08 · 18:08

The 2008 Health Insurance rates offered by my county chamber of commerce arrived in the mail today. As the owner of a brand new sole proprietorship business, husband and father to three children under five, I start my 2008 fiscal year $9,600 in the hole for a $3000 deductable family policy. If I chose an HSA with a $3500 deductable, I'll start the year $7,600 in the hole. And with an HSA, the annual costs are sure to be higher, as I would pay for all doctors visits, drugs, xrays, tests, with no cost-share with the insurer.

Health insurance is a major impediment to owning a small business and shreds the entrepeneurial spirit. It is not a tax that will come back to in the form of better roads, better education, or a sustainable energy policy. This is a transfer of wealth, plain and simple.

Bush - Gaming the Intel on Iran?, Per Stephen Hadley (NSA Advisor)

ApacheTrout

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Thursday December 06, 2007 · 1:27 PM PST

2007/12/06 · 13:27

On NPR this morning, Stephen Hadley, National Security Advisor, let loose this fact (transcript provided in the White House Watch, by Dan Froomkin, Washington Post):

The president has been asking for more information on Iran for the last several years. He's spent a lot of time actually bringing the Iranian analysts in and interacting with them directly, trying to probe, understand what they know. . . .

So here's the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security matters describing a situation where President Bush actively questions Iranian analysts for the past several years.

ApacheTrout

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Friday November 09, 2007 · 9:59 AM PST

2007/11/09 · 09:59

The Michael Mukasey nomination vote last night at 11:04 pm has turned into a fiasco for the Democratic Party. Senator Leahy's office was "surprised" by the scheduled vote, as were many other Democrats, including Senators Clinton, Obama, Biden, and Dodd, who were campaigning for President in other states.

The surprise vote was held specifically to eliminate the potential for a successful filibuster. Senator Reid knew that a successful filibuster was possible if all Democratic senators were in Washington for the vote. So he scheduled the vote when he recognized that four "No" votes would be out of town. The question is why?

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Ski Free at Stowe? Yessiree, because you now own it!

Vermont Republican Governor Attempts to Destroy Business

Donation to Bush Library = Removal from Terrorist Watch List

Does Obama Reject the NIE that Iran Halted Its Nuclear Weapons Program?

Food Riots Breaking Out Across the Planet

FBI Documents Illegal Spying on Americans in 2006

Our Country Would Be Much Safer with Dead Vermonters

Terrorists attack businesses in Albuquerque

Breaking: Fire at White House Eisenhower Ex.Office, Updated 3x

Private Health Insurance Shreds the Entrepeneurial Spirit

Bush - Gaming the Intel on Iran?, Per Stephen Hadley (NSA Advisor)

The Mukasey Fiasco - Reid on the Take