Online headline/story: "Increase In Liquor Sales At Restaurants, Bars Linked To Economic Recovery: Study * The sale of beer, wine and spirits in restaurants, bars and other licensed locations increased 4.9 percent in 2011, according to a new a study by restaurant research firm Technomic, published Nov. 29 * Beer imports into the U.S. also increased 6.5 percent this year. Latinos drink more imported beer than any other group, according to Mintel, a market research firm. This trend has lead some to think that an increase in imported beer sales means Latinos are growing more confident about the economy." -- Well, in 2011 when this was done, it's more than likely the liquor industry sales increased BECAUSE of the pressures a bad economy rather than an improving economy, and as for increases in Latino beer, I'm sure there's more correlation with the influx of illegal aliens than economic confidence.

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Online story: "For the quarter, the (Darden) company expects revenue at Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse locations open at least a year to be down about 2.7 percent." -- This just undermines the survey used above. Surveys get skewed by what the survey is aimed at finding; corporate reports show what's going on in reality.

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From personal experience. last night, my youngest daughter and I dined at O'Charlie's about 5:15 so she could go to her school's basketball games. You could have held batting practice in there without worrying about hitting anyone. That's a real survey!

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Online headline: "Egyptian President Leaves Palace Amid Clashes" -- Hmmm, probably back to the caves.

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Now that Auburn has brought back Gus Malzahn, will they go after Cam Newton to comeback and finish his senior year?

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Online story: "The leading enterprise software company (Oracle) announced on Monday afternoon that it will issue its next three quarterly dividends -- each for $0.06 a share -- as a single $0.18 a share dividend that will go out on Dec. 21." -- If potUS Obluster get's dividend tax rates up to the projected 40+%, look for the elimination of cash dividends, and shareholders getting offered stock options instead.

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Increasing the tax liability on dividends will totally upset the investment markets here in the US. Dividends taxed at higher rates will cause such investments to lose their luster as long term investment tools, yet investors have no real option to turn to cash earning only 1 +/- percent. Forget Black Monday and Black Fridayt, my guess is that 2013 will be known as the "Black Year"

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Online headline: "Israel Basketball Captain Sacked Over Nazi Slur" -- Hmmm, you'd think that in Israel, "Nazi" would not be a slur word... guess there are 'N-words" all over the world.

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Online story: "WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is expected to announce his nominees for secretaries of state and defense in the next two weeks, with former Republican senator Chuck Hagel on the short list of potential choices to head the Pentagon, senior administration officials said on Tuesday." -- Hmmm, hope Boehner talks some sense into Hagel. The only reason potUS Obluster would nominate a Republican to head the Pentagon would be to have a Republican whipping boy to blame defense cuts in the next election cycle.

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Online story: "Karl Rove's familiar 2012 presence on Fox News appears to be coming to a halt * New York Magazine reports that President Roger Ailes is limiting Rove and fellow contributor Dick Morris' presences for the time being." -- Hmmm, guess my blog ideas have reached the top at Fox.

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Online headline: "UGA food scientist gets grant to study salmonella" -- Or is that a blown-up job title for a food taster for the football staff dining room?

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Jason Whitlock must be absolutely stupid. Bob Vistas thrust him into the limelight, and Whitlock blew it by leaving no doubt about him being a racist hate-monger!
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Now the GEICO Gecko is hawking Helzberg diamonds. Guess Warren Buffet is trying to cash out before 2013, too.

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How cheap/low can DUMBERat politicians get? With all the errors made by FEMA and unionized utility companies in Hurricane Sandy events, DUMBERats are trying to blame it on our failure to cure Climate Change.
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Why is it that Congress has passed, and presidents have signed legislation giving investors the right to sue trust departments and investment corps which do not handle their fiduciary responsibilities in a responsible manner, yet we can't sue politicians for wasteful tax dollar spending?

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There's really no need for Boehner to talk with potUS Obluster about ways to avoid further economic failure. Obluster WANTS further failure, so Boehner has no bargaining chips.
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Talk about a wake-call, America has slipped from being the #1 place in the world to 16th. Maybe we should hope the top 3 or so countries relax their borders so WE will have a place to flee to.

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After all these years, Apple has decided to start paying a dividend. With the new taxes on dividends that potUS Obluster wants, we're gonna find out how big the government bite out of it will be.

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Saw another ignorant flag display at Double Churches Middle School yesterday. The American Flag was at the top of the flag pole, but the Georgia State Flag was displayed (on the same pole) at half-mast. Once two years ago, I drove by DCMS and saw that the American Flag was flying upside-down. Did stop and bring that to the office staffs' attention.

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10,000 union "longshoremen " will not cross the strike lines at California seaports. Guess the Obluster spinmeisters will try to convince us that this will make our export/import ratios 'look' better than reality. Oh, not to mention that the strikers will be counted as being new job holders.

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IRS just released 159 new pages of tax increases related to HELL-thSCARE. Guess the middle class taxpayers will find out pretty soon that if you pay taxes at all, potUS Obluster considers you in the top 2%.

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No middle class tax inceases? Grab hold of your ankles if the Bush Tax Cuts are allowed to expire, and the AMT (alternative minimum tax) kicks back in at the $75K mark.

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I love the Medicare supplemental insurance ad that unequivocally states it is acceptable at any hospital/doctor that accepts Medicare. DOH! Watch that key word..."accapts".

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Since when is it right for the wealthy to have to pay more in taxes "because 'they' can afford it"? We should encourage such success stories to apply their success to creating more jobs, not paying for more government red tape.
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potUS Obluster's spinmeisters are out claiming Iran's assertion it had shot down another "drone' is just more unfounded propaganda. Well, who better to know what "unfounded propaganda" is better than potUS Obluster and his staff.

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Online headline: "Singer Kicked Out of Football Stadium " -- Oooops, my bad! Thought Roseanne Barr had offended another sport with her scratching.

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Online headline: "Famous Species on the Brink of Extinction" -- Oooops, my bad...again. Thought this was about conservative Congressional members.

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L-E story: "State law requires the governing body filling an executive position to release the names of as many as three finalists. Williams said the board will comply with the “letter of the law.” She also said the board plans to give the public the opportunity to meet the finalists and give the board feedback." -- As Ronald Reagan oft responded to Jimmy Carter during debate, "Well, there you go again...". Well here goes Cathy Williams.. again .. with another horse and pony show. Publicly running the applicants by the people of Columbus only sets up the eventual choice to comparisons of different sectors liking another choice (who wasn't selected) better, and the likelihood that people who preferred one of the other candidates better will not be 100% behind the choice. MCSD Board... just get behind one candidate, and announce that choice with enthusiasm! Oh, yeah, don't pick one coming to Columbus with short term retirement on his/her agenda.

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L-E picture:

There's no better way to demean someone else's status than to pat him on the back as you talk to the media about what you'd done.

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L-E story: "WASHINGTON — Four years ago, Barack Obama’s swearing-in drew a record crowd to the National Mall. There were 1.8 million people eager to witness history: the country’s first black president taking the oath of office. * Now, as Obama prepares for his second-term kickoff, the capital is pre-occupied with a looming economic crisis, exit from war and a reshuffling in Congress. Ticket demand is lower. Hotels are far from booked." -- Well, what did potUS Obluster expect? Did he think 'obamaphone' holders would want to pay for their tickets or the Wall Street Occupiers would want a hotel room versus a public sty to camp at across from the White House?

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From L-E story: "I think there's no question that revenues must increase, either by effective rates going up because of closing loopholes or capping deductions, or by increasing tax rates more on some or more people.:, Robert Sumichrast, dean of the University of Georgia's Terry College of business." -- Is there anybody who works for a government entity (and gets paid from tax dollars) that will even entertain the idea of down-sizing the government's footprint (other than the military)?

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Did you realize that Helen Keller was a founder of the ACLU. She never saw what it would eventually turn into.

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L-E story: "The school district is asking the delegation to support legislation that would: • Restore the state’s prekindergarten program to 180-day status" -- In times like this, why are we using tax dollars to fund free daycare versus putting that money into the real classrooms?

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L-E story: "ATLANTA — Top Emory University administrators met with a small group of students following a protest Tuesday of the school’s plan to eliminate several academic departments and make cuts to others, which has angered some students and faculty. * The school announced in September that it would close the educational studies division , the physical education department, the visual arts department and the journalism program. It also plans to suspend admissions to the graduate programs in Spanish, economics and the Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts. * More than 150 students and faculty members gathered in protest ." -- If 150+/- is all that seem to be affected, then the programs should have been eliminated long ago and better use of the resources initiated.

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Other than himself/family and some sports writer at the L-E, who really cares about how Isaiah Crow-Well id doing at football. If the L-E wants to promote his activities, tell us about the progress in his criminal cases.

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Bowl games should have two pretty well matched teams playing against each other. There are 35 bowl game and only 12 have a spread of 3 or less points (basically a game winning field goal's difference). Why are the other 23 even scheduled? At least the bowl tsars should review the current matchups and make some adjustments.

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If I want to pack my wife and 3 daughters in the back of my pick-up truck, and drive then through the "Fantasy of Lights" at Callaway, it could cost me $125.00. Callaway has a fantasy alright, but someone in its marketing department's lightbulb isn't burning very bright.

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L-E story: " New York, her (Lindsay Lohan) attorney Mark Heller said he expects the assault charge to be dismissed. * “Once again, Lindsay Lohan is a victim of someone trying to capture their 15 minutes of fame,” Heller wrote in a statement." -- Hmmm, but why does Lindsay have to make such occurrences so easy for people?

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