0
POPSCar Title Loans in Clovis NM It all starts with the application online. This is just a fast way to see how much you can get on the vehicle. If you like the number we can go to a full application but you will almost without a doubt be approved if we tell you a value on your car and it qualifies for a car title loan in Clovis. "Amazing. That's about the sum of it. My mortgage was behind. My utilities was behind. My boss said he would be another week before he could pay me. I checked out you guys and you gave me a loan in less than one day. I cannot tell you what the value of a good nights sleep is when you have these issues. You also made my payments easy for me to do by giving me so long to pay this back. I don't know if everyone in Clovis knows about you guys but I am sure gonna try to get the word out - James W - Clovis, NM"
5
POPSThe sleazy advocacy of a leading "liberal hawk" What Galbraith kept completely concealed all these years was that a company he formed in 2004 came to acquire a large stake in a Kurdish oil field whereby, as the NYT put it, he "stands to earn perhaps a hundred million or more dollars." In other words, he had a direct -- and vast -- financial stake in the very policies which he was publicly advocating in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and countless other American media outlets, where he was presented as an independent expert on the region. As Cobban wrote: Galbraith has never expressed any such regrets, and last November, he was openly scornful of Bush's late-term agreement to withdraw from Iraq completely. The revelation that for many years Galbraith had a quite undisclosed financial interest in the political breakup of Iraq may now further reduce the clout, and the ranks, of the remaining liberal hawks.
7
POPSBlackwater:Ain't Misbehaving, Saving My Contracts for You
Of course the US government was blind to this - they didn't want to know, they turned a blind eye to what Blackwater was doing because it would have been too hard to arrange for another contractor to do all the security missions that it had ongoing. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, there are as many private contractors as there are uniformed military personnel. Most of them are not security guards as Blackwater's most visible function was. The lack of oversight is abhorrent but not surprising; the State Dept's failure to can this company is inexcusable. My only observation on this article is to suggest how the US government got into this predicament, and it's pretty easy to see. The Bush administration wanted to hold onto the fiction of a few conservative principles, one of those being the concept of a small federal government. Since it already blew that "principle" with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, I'm betting there was White House guidance that directed "no mo
1
POPSGeographical oddities Talking of USA, it is one country that significantly increased its post-independence size through purchase of land from Russia, France, Mexico, Denmark etc. It must have made the most profitable land deal in history when it purchased Alaska from Russia at a little over 7 million dollars in 1867, which comes to about $10 per sq. mile (2 cents per acre). Just imagine that Alaska accounts for 20% of total oil production in USA, not to speak of the huge reserves of natural gas, and mineral resources like coal, gold, zinc etc. and you will appreciate the magnitude of the bargain!
10
POPSJim DeMint Proposes Term Limits For Congress 
Rarely, he gets voted out--and Senator DeMint points out that 90% of all incumbents who seek re-election, win re-election. Tom Coburn offers greater detail on why incumbents win re-election 90% of the time: The power of incumbency has created an almost insurmountable advantage for Washington politicians. Incumbency allows politicians to raise millions of dollars in campaign funds in exchange for earmarks. Incumbency gives Congress the power to raise money for itself " Congress just approved itself an increase of nearly $250 million from the U.S. Treasury that members will spend to promote themselves. Senator Coburn also points out that with redistricting (except for the unlucky Representative who gets drawn out of the House if his State loses one or more seats), a Representative, having good connections with his State legislature, can "choose his voters." The effect of this amendment would be very simple. Senators would be limited to two terms or fifteen years ....
8
POPSCarrie Prejean Goes Down. Literally! Of course, all of this should have little effect on her career. If anything it will add fuel to it with the way Americans are infatuated with hypocrites and fallen angels. Vivid Entertainment Group, which specializes in adult films, made an offer of a million dollars to Prejean back in May to make a movie for them. Seems she might be a natural. This could only raise her value in the porn market. Practice makes perfect. I'm curious as to how all the rightwing Prejean backers will spin this and find a way to blame this on everyone but Prejean. I might even turn on Fox News to check it out. With Prejean's looks and attitude, she may end up with her own show over there since credibility isn't a factor in Fox's hiring practices. And for those of you who don’t remember who actually won the Miss California Pageant, her name is Tami Ferrell from Malibu. How soon we forget those with actual morals.
2
POPSSomething to think about…. 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32. 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
22
POPSGuess Who Wants to Control the Internet? On last night's Daily Show, Jon Stewart took up the issue of "net neutrality" and Senator John McCain's efforts to create one of those ironically named pieces of legislation that sounds like it is going to deliver something good -- in this case "Internet Freedom" -- but would actually make the Internet suck out loud, forever and ever. Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/27/jon-stewart-takes-on-net_n_335517.html
2
POPSAuditor Faults Work on U.S. Embassy in Iraq Another example of wasted taxpayer money. There once was a time when a man would take pride in producing quality and value in exchange for a paycheck, it seems that time is past. Millions of dollars paid out for what can be equated to theft. When you pay someone for exacting specifications and that someone produces substandard results then that someone ripped you off and that amounts to theft. And the Bureau for Overseas Building Operations is ‘considering’ whether to seek reimburdement? How freaking nice of them to ‘consider’ reimbursement. Isn’t anybody in this government going to be held to account for anything it does? America continues to show the world that we can no longer be counted on to build a soundly constructed building, even with $700 million, how the hell are we going to help reconstruct an entire country? This is embarrassing.
5
POPSSebelius: US Will Donate H1N1 Vaccine Supply to Foreign Nations Before... Amazing. None in my family will take the vaccine but for those AMERICANS who want it and have to wait for a vaccine that their tax dollars bought...while it goes to foreign countries!!! Americans have always volunteered generously, given generously, etc...but really. Or is it because the vaccine isn't as needed as has been reported?
6
POPSThe Chicago Way: Bribe Seniors With $250 To Pass Obamacare That said, there is a quote often attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville; “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.” But, that is actually a variant of Alexander Francis Tytler misattributed to de Tocqueville: A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship , then a monarchy There are many folks in modern America that will testify to the lax fiscal policy of the last 20 years, and the unbounded fiscal policy of Obama.
10
POPSMillions in stimulus money going to beauty schools Demoncrates are idiots. One would think "stimulus" money would be better spent funding the education of engineers, scientists, and small businesses that actually hire people. Folks, the Three Stooges are running our country.
1
POPSThird Stimulus? Thanks, But You’ve Already Done Enough Damage Already
Sure just keep throwing money at the problem since we have ‘proof’ that it works so well. Abraham Maslow said, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." The government has spent almost one trillion dollars trying to stimulate the economy. That's one expensive hammer. How exactly are they planning to stimulate the economy this time? First, is to extend unemployment benefits. Secondly, they will extend a tax credit for first time home buyers. Finally, the Associated Press reports a possible extension of subsidies for COBRA. I think it is high time that Congress roll up their sleeves and actually work out a successful method instead of repeating their lazy-man’s-mistakes of the past. The most logical stimulation plan is one that would allow business to produce and trade without government interference. This would free the government to do what it was intended to do, namely, protect its citizens rights as laid out in the constitution.
0
POPSVertu Ferrari, Vertu Ascent Ferrari But Ferrari is not going to become the most expensive phone in the history of Vertu: this position is strongly held by Goldfiish with the price of one million dollars.
4
POPSCalifornia going down the drain?
Sitting propped up against a lamp post, waiting for her number to be called, is Debbie Tuua, 33. It is her birthday, but she has taken a day off work to bring her elderly parents to the Forum, and they have driven through the night to get here. They wait in a car as the heat of the day begins to rise. "It is awful for them, but what choice do we have?" Tuua says. "I have no other way to get care to them." Yet California is currently cutting healthcare, slashing the "Healthy Families" programme that helped an estimated one million of its poorest children. Los Angeles now has a poverty rate of 20%. Other cities across the state, such as Fresno and Modesto, have jobless rates that rival Detroit's. In order to pass its state budget, California's government has had to agree to a deal that cuts billions of dollars from education and sacks 60,000 state employees. Some teachers have launched a hunger strike in protest. California's education system has become so poor so quickly that it is n
16
POPSAmerica Is a Toxic Dump Lobbying groups like the National Association of Manufacturers, headquartered in Washington, have fought tooth and nail for decades against any restrictions on the highly profitable production of disposable containers and packaging. And at the other end of the equation, the equally powerful waste-management companies (a multi-billion-dollar industry) work on the simple premise that more trash equals more cash.
3
POPS The Machine’s Hail Mary Pass The event was a success in that the most countries ever participated, in that it made money, and in that the Soviet Union’s absence was hardly missed. But Los Angeles’ people " not its government " shared the spotlight. Will that be the case in Mayor Daley’s and President Obama’s Chicago? Finally, it will cost a lot of money. Whether private enterprise turns it into a net positive remains to be seen. One thing is for certain: it could have been much less risky. And both Obama and Daley know it. As Air Force One made its trek over the Atlantic, maybe Obama thought back nine years ago, when he voted “yes” in the Illinois Senate on renovating Soldier Field. The project cost more $600 million dollars, and the state and city were left with an open-air stadium with 6,000 fewer seats and a smaller playing field than before. The state could have paid for a larger stadium with a dome that could be used to host more than a handful of events a year.
6
POPSMSNBC-Face This Music! TheObamasArrogant! Oprah pushed and shoved her way through events yesterday in a pumpkin orange dress, spending just a few minutes gracing IOC members with her presence, then whisking away to private events where she could be adored in a more intimate setting. While the MSM in America indulges these two, the rest of the world doesn’t buy into any of that.
3
POPSMedicare and Gag Orders "Meanwhile, we have the case of the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP), and its fanciful Medicare claims. The self-styled seniors lobby is using all its money and influence to cheer on ObamaCare, even though polls show that most retired persons oppose it. AARP has spent millions of dollars on its TV ad campaign and bulletins and newsletters to its members, including eight million direct-mail letters over Labor Day. The AARP Web site claims that it is a "myth" that "health care reform will hurt Medicare," while it is a "fact" that "none of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress will cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs."
3
POPSObama Takes on Glenn Beck and ‘Tea Party’ Critics Over Healthcare Then the President boarded Air Force One for a quick trip to Minneapolis for a rally on health insurance reform. Meanwhile, back in Washington Beck was broadcasting live on the Fox News Channel as part of something he’s dubbed “The 9-12 Project.” The occasion was a “tea party” march and rally organized by “FreedomWorks” to protest the “irresponsible government takeover of our nation’s healthcare, devastating new energy taxes, and trillions of dollars in red ink.” The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov. Read more at CSMonitor.com Excerpt follows: On his Saturday morning radio and YouTube broadcast, Obama spoke of “an anxiety that’s keeping more and more Americans awake at night.” “Over the last twelve months, nearly six million more Americans lost their health coverage " that’s 17,000 men and women every single day. We’re not just talking about Americans in poverty, either " we’re talking about middle-class Americans.
11
POPSTea Party Bus Sponsor's Negligence Killed 23 Seniors In Fire, Blames Federal Government. Global Limo's owner Jim Maples even listed Global Charters as his employer when he gave $5000 to the RNC in 2004. *BusBank CEO Bill Maulsby blamed insufficient federal oversight, "We're not safety experts," he said. "We clearly need to depend on the federal government." In November 2006, a federal court convicted Maples and sentenced him to five years' probation for failure to maintain his buses. Investigators found 168 violations in Maples' four-bus fleet. The following month, US Fed News reported that BusBank had been awarded a Homeland Security contract worth up to $55 million. In June, BusBank and Global Limo settled out of court for a total of $11 million, a pittance when split between the families of the 23 victims and the patients who survived the crash. BusBank's legal troubles are far from over. According to one report, more lawsuits are getting underway this month.
0
POPSThis isn't about Labor Day It's About Cute and Nasty Starlings 
I love birds. Especially since moving to a rural area where you can witness firsthand, these wild creatures going about their daily tasks of survival. And they are fastidious as well as genius at endurance (we should be so canny). So when I see an article about birds I can't help but open it up to a read. As much as I enjoy these darlings who share Earth with us, there are people who have quite opposite feelings. Actually, they hate the little buggers. How can this be? Well it all boils down to money again... So much of this world's tribulations can be traced back to the almighty buck. It seems these sweet little birds can do damage to industry. Yikes, these tiny beasts are in for it now. So little starling you've been targeted. But this is one enemy of Private Enterprise that won't go down easy. I know there'll be those who will retort my adoration for these animals by telling me I'm nuts because they’re vermin and cause disease. I have a comeback on THEY CAUSE DISEASE, SO DO WE BUB!
3
POPSCalifornia State HMOs deny 1 in 5 claims It's time to stop talking about make believe death panels, and talk about the real ones. I had been going on the assumption the health insurance industry made (kept) $13,000,000,000 last year in profits. I was off by a couple billion dollars...it is closer to $16,000,000,000...opps!
3
Pops
Newest Clips
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Print
Save
Turn on live update