Consumers swarmed the nation's stores over the weekend in search of deeply discounted electronics and apparel, sending sales rising and giving retailers a little Christmas cheer, according to early reports released yesterday.
Market research firm ShopperTrak reported that sales on Black Friday grew 3 percent to about $10.6 billion. Last year, sales on that day grew 8.3 percent.
"Under these circumstances, to start off the season in this fashion is truly amazing and is a testament to the resiliency of the American consumer, and undeniably proves a willingness to spend," said Bill Martin, ShopperTrak co-founder.
...
Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation, a trade group, said yesterday that about 172 million people have shopped in stores or online since Thursday, spending an average of $372.57 per person for a total of roughly $41 billion. That's a 7.2 percent increase over the same weekend last year, when about 147 million shoppers spent $347.55 per person. (WashPost)
Is it just me, or is a 7.2% increase over last year (in these economic times) pretty surprising?
Politics Obama To Tackle Explosion In Federal Contracts
by Daniel Zwerdling
Listen Now [7 min 30 sec] add to playlist
The first of a two-part series.
Morning Edition, December 1, 2008 · The economic crisis. Two wars. A flood of wounded veterans. Those are just a few of the huge problems that President-elect Barack Obama will face in office. But the president-elect has said he also plans to grapple with a dilemma that's much less visible: the explosion in government contracts under the Bush administration.
The Bush administration has hired private industry to take over more of the government's work than any administration ever. It has made history:
-Since President Bush took office, the government has doubled the amount of contracts with industry. The administration paid corporations more than $400 billion last year to work for everybody from the Forest Service to the CIA.
-The administration has given the majority of that contract money to companies that didn't have to compete to get it — or faced only limited competition.
-There are actually more contractors handling the war in Iraq than American troops.
All these figures come from government reports. And for the most part, these contractors aren't the ones making Humvees or computer systems or other kinds of products. The administration is paying most of the contract money to corporations to perform the kinds of services that federal employees normally do. And the administration has done all this with almost no public debate.
I find it alarming that we may be expanding the size of government through private industry and not exercising proper oversight of how our tax dollars are spent.
There are jobs that it is not necessary to have a government employee do, lawn mowing or building maintenance for instance. I just have a problem with security companies fighting in Iraq for hire or companies making decisions on behalf of the government.
'Joe the plumber' isn’t licensed
Local man focus of presidential debate
Springfield Township resident Joe Wurzelbacher answers questions from the media on his front porch.
"Joe the Plumber" isn’t a plumber — at least not a licensed one, or a registered one.
A check of state and local licensing agencies in Ohio and Michigan shows no plumbing licenses under Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher’s name, or even misspellings of his name.
Last night, his name, "Joe the Plumber," came up about two dozen times in the debate between Mr. Obama and Republican nominee John McCain.
Since last night Mr. Wurzelbacher who lives alone with his 13-year-old son has been besieged with local and national news media, willingly granting interviews.
Mr. Wurzelbacher told reporters Thursday morning that he worked for Newell Plumbing & Heating Co., a small local firm whose business addresses flow back to several residential homes, including one on Talmadge Road in Ottawa Hills.
According to Lucas County Building Inspection records, A. W. Newell Corp. does maintain a state plumbing license, and one with the City of Toledo, but would not be allowed to work in Lucas County outside of Toledo without a county license.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell’s license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work.
He is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio, which means he’s not a plumber.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he was hired by Mr. Newell six years ago and that the possibility of him eventually buying the company was discussed during his job interview.
He said it’s his understanding he can work under Mr. Newell’s license as long as the licensed contractor works on the same site.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he is working on taking the Ohio plumbing contractors’ license test.
Mr. Wurzelbacher’s notoriety has raised the ire of Tom Joseph, business manager for Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters, and Service Mechanics, who claimed that Mr. Wurzelbacher didn’t undergo any apprenticeship training.
"When you have guys going out there with no training whatsoever, it’s a little disreputable to start with," Mr. Joseph said. "We’re the real Joe the Plumber."
Mr. Joseph said Mr. Wurzelbacher could only legally work in the townships, but not in any municipality in Lucas County or elsewhere in the country.
"This individual has got no schooling, no licenses, he’s never been to a training program, union or non-union, in the United States of America," Mr. Joseph said.
The association has endorsed Barack Obama, according to Mr. Joseph.
Questions were raised Thursday morning whether Mr. Wurzelbacher is a registered voter.
Linda Howe, executive director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, said a Samuel Joseph Worzelbacher, whose address and age match Joe the Plumber’s, registered in Lucas County on Sept. 10, 1992. He voted in his first primary on March 4 of this year, registering as a Republican.
Ms. Howe said that the name may be misspelled in the database.
Mr. Wurzelbacher, 34, acknowledged during an interview at his home late Thursday morning that he knows he’s "a flash in the pan," after his fame spread for an impromptu debate he had in front of his Springfield Township home with Mr. Obama last Sunday.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he objects to Mr. Obama’s plans to raise income taxes on incomes above $250,000. He said he makes no where near that much money but he would not say how much he makes or if he ever expects to make $250,000. Court records from a divorce show Mr. Wurzelbacher made $40,000 in 2006.
He said, "Is it right to take someone’s money because they work a little harder? It’s taking away from someone’s hard work."
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he disagrees with the idea of people being taxed at a higher rate because they earn more.
"They’re going to take more of your money because you’ve been more successful," he said.
In January, 2007, the Ohio Department of Taxation placed a lien against him because $1,183 in personal property taxes had not been paid, but there has been no action in the case since it was filed.
Mr. Wurzelbacher was playing football in his front yard with his son, Joey, on Sunday afternoon when Mr. Obama made an unscheduled stop to go door to door greeting voters and asking for their support.
In his conversation with Mr. Wurzelbacher, Mr. Obama tried to justify his plan tax breaks to 95 percent of Americans and raise taxes on incomes above $250,000.
Mr. Obama said his plan would improve the economy for other people trying to get a start in small business, and "spread the wealth."
The phrase was quickly picked up by conservative bloggers and commentators saying it reveals a desire to redistributed wealth on the part of Mr. Obama.
During that same conversation, Mr. Wurzelbacher advocated a flat tax to Mr. Obama under which everyone would pay the same rate of tax which was a feature of Mike Huckabee’s unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination this year.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said he was surprised by the spread the wealth phrase.
"That’s a pretty socialist comment. Two-fifty ($250,000) is his number now. When is it going to be one fifty ($150,000), when it’s going to be one hundred ($100,000)?"
He continued: "If you believe him, I would be receiving his tax cut," adding that he would not want the tax cut.
He won’t say who he will vote for on Nov. 4, but did say he likes Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
He said he was born in the Toledo area, lived until he was 13 in the Florida Panhandle area, went to Springfield High School, and then entered the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at an Air Force base in Alaska from 1992 until 1995. He said he was honorably discharged.
Mr. Wurzelbacher also said he lived in Arizona from 1997 until 2000.
'Joe the Plumber' is focus of presidential debate's first few minutes
From earlier editions of toledoblade.com
By BRIDGET THARP and MARK ZABORNEY
BLADE STAFF WRITERS
The story of "Joe the Plumber" - Joe Wurzelbacher of Shrewsbury Street in Springfield Township - became a centerpiece of the early minutes of the presidential debate last night.
And Joe the Plumber became the subject of national and international interest.
Mr. Wurzelbacher, 34, was more interested in taking in the debate than in assessing his place in presidential politics.
"Honestly, I'm a small part of it," Mr. Wurzelbacher said. "They're just using me as an example right now for the American public. I think they're discussing more important is-sues."
He excused himself so he could finish watching Barack Obama and John McCain debate.
But after the debate, Mr. Wurzelbacher expressed some embarrassment that he was now known across America as Joe the Plumber.
"There's a lot more important issues than me, and I'm starting to feel a little uncomfortable with it," he said. "Everyone's more worried about what Joe the Plumber has to say than what Obama or McCain has to say."
While watching the debate at home with his father, he was interrupted several times by calls from the national media including CNN, Fox News, and Good Morning America. In addition, CNBC, ABC News, the Wall Street Journal, the Houston Chronicle, and the BBC called The Blade in their quest to reach Joe the Plumber.
Fucking fraud, isn't licensed, registered or schooled to be a plumber (union or non-union)... this hack might as well be a handy man. I would've laughed my ass off if the Demo's could have came across this information before the debate with all that "Joe the Plumber" talk. Sorry, people, this isn't really a political rant, I just hate hacks that claim to be tradesmen.
I'm pretty sure some of you are familiar with this beautiful young lady who always has a smile on her face. She's #25, and now we have something to smile about
She is a TV hostess from Croatia, plus a model. Shee also appeared in Dancing with the Stars-Croatia, in which she was eleminated 5th. Here are a few pics plus the hacked ones.
"Barack Obama will formally nominate his ex-rival Hillary Clinton as secretary of state on Monday
and roll out the national security team he will charge with defusing multiple foreign crises.
The president-elect was also expected to publicly say he has asked US President George W Bush's
Defence Secretary Robert Gates to stay on at the Pentagon and to name former marine general James
Jones as his national security adviser."
Teams of gunmen stormed luxury hotels, a popular restaurant, hospitals and a crowded train station in coordinated attacks across India's financial capital, killing at least 101 people, taking Westerners hostage and leaving parts of the city under siege Thursday. A group of suspected Muslim militants claimed responsibility
Left for Dead, my next Must have game. The developers say its made to play as a team, even hard core shooters (players) got killed as soon as they got to far from their team mates. Muliplayer game and 4 player co-op.
here is a taste, its the opening of the game.
"Aubrey O'Day has gone from wearing skankerrific clothes to get attention...to not wearing clothes at all to get attention. TMZ spies say the Danity Kane has-been spent all day at a Manhattan photo studio doing a spread for Playboy, and we're told hotshot photog Markus Klinko was the guy who had to look at her naked body all day through the lens. We're hearing there may be cats involved in the shoot -- meaning actual lion cubs, not what you're thinking."
I never really solved this problem - and now, rather than do what I'd normally do and just change my address I want to investigate a good filter service - anyone got a good solution?
BakerRadio
NSFW: 
video: 
