8/28 D.C. Rally...

Via Gateway Pundit, the 8/28 Rally in Washington D.C. gathered between 300,000-500,000 people.

Next up? The 9/12 Rally in St Louis.

Comparing 8/28/10 Rally to the 1/20/08 inauguration.

Q2 Economy Re-adjusted Downward From 2.4 to 1.6 percent

It just gets better and better, doesn't it?

The economy turns out to be weaker than we thought, and the outlook for the rest of the year is now looking dimmer.

New figures issued Friday show the economy struggled this spring, growing at a meager 1.6 percent annual pace. The initial estimate was 2.4 percent, and even that was anemic. Analysts say the summer should be disappointing, too.

Shortly after the government's revision, Federal reserve chief Ben Bernanke said the Fed was ready to take additional steps to prevent a second recession, if the economy deteriorates further. But he stopped short of promising any action.

The Fed "will do all that it can to ensure continuation of the economic recovery," he said.

Umm.... okay... what?!... another "stimulus" bailout?... print more paper money?... drop interest rates close to zero like Japan did in the late 80s?... *sigh*

Dow Jones back under 10k...

The Dow Jows closed under 10,000 today.

More importantly as an indicator, the S&P 500 is inching towards going under 1,000. It's come close several times. And, if it does so and remains there, THAT could be a sign of bad things to come.

Three Biggies Leave the Golden State...

EBay (the on-line auction giant), EA Games (possibly the biggest PC computer game software company) and Adobe (makers of Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat PDF software) are all leaving California for a better business climate. Kinko's left in 2001 for Texas before being sold to Tennessee-based FedEx..

Housing Crash 2.0

I hate to say it, but... I told you so.

Per the AP today:

"Sales of previously occupied homes plunged last month to the lowest level in 15 years, despite the lowest mortgage rates in decades and bargain prices in many areas.

July's sales fell by more than 27 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.83 million, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. It was the largest monthly drop on records dating back to 1968, and sharp declines were recorded in all regions of the country.

The plunge in home sales also magnified fears about the broader economy.

"The housing market is undermining the already faltering wider economic recovery," said Paul Dales, U.S. economist with Capital Economics. "With the increasingly inevitable double-dip in prices yet to come, things could yet get a lot worse."

Sales were particularly weak among homes in the lower- to mid-priced ranges. For example, in the Midwest, homes priced between $100,000 and $250,000 tumbled nearly 47 percent.

The weakness follows a strong spring, when now-expired government tax credits sparked sales, especially among first-time buyers of lower-priced homes.

The tax credits caused many of those buyers to speed up their home purchases. Sales have weakened since the credits expired on April 30.

As sales have slowed, the inventory of unsold homes on the market grew to nearly 4 million in July. That's a 12.5 month supply at the current sales pace, the highest level in more than a decade. It compares with a healthy level of about six months.

One reason the market is hurting is that buyers and sellers are in a standoff over prices. Many sellers are reluctant to lower their prices. And buyers are hesitating because they think home prices haven't bottomed out." [bold emphasis mine]

Thursday Headlines...

Obama bans the sale of collectable guns.

Soros bails out of the stock market.

Unemployment benefits rise "unexpectedly" to 11/09 levels.

The market's getting hammered again.

Families of the 9/11 victims think Pelosi has lost her marbles.

GWB is more popular than "The One" in democratic swing districts... by 6%.

The NRSC has a greatly effective ad.

"The One" Pi**es Off L.A. ... now THAT takes talent!

Ace reports.

As does Gateway.

Even Ray Bradbury (one of my all-time favorite writers) is not too keen on the current administration and big government.

Economy Update (surprise, surprise)...

Jobs market goes south as unemployment rises.

Mortgage rates hit another new low. But that doesn't do much for potential buyers.

U.S. trade gap is at a 20-year high.

U.S. dollar falls to a 15-year low against the yen.

The Fed tries to "fix" the economy by using cash from maturing mortgage bonds to buy more debt. (???)

Stock market (Dow & S&P) drops 3-4% over the last few days, and oil (which has been volatile) dropped from approx. $83 to $76 in a week.

UPDATE: Summer sales numbers are slumping compared to last year (which had a false boost with the "Cash For Clunkers" gimmick).

Ground Zero Mosque Updates...

Via Ace, NYC panel cleared the way for the 15-story mosque at Ground Zero.

Via HotAir, a muslim columnist says "yes" it is a provocation to have it built there.

A Canadian muslim wonders aloud why it would be built there (funny, but Mayor Bloomberg and The One don't question it at all).

Even muslim victims of 9/11 say it should be built somewhere else.

So, in the name of dialogue and tolerance, someone decided that a muslim gay bar should also be opened up right next door to the mosque. (Hah!)

Apparently, the mosque builders aren't too happy about that. (hehehe)

UPDATE: Gateway Pundit had this tidbit in June about the mosque's links to the Gaza flotilla.

Additional questionable funding here.

Also, guess what?! WE also are paying for it with our tax dollars! Niiiiiiiice.

My take on the whole thing... when a Jewish synagogue and a Catholic cathedral are built, protected and respected in Mecca... THEN we can have a mosque built at Ground Zero. (I ain't holdin' my breath for that to happen, though.)

Meanwhile............ the Obomination Administration removes the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations.

Hmmm... the November election's gonna be verrrrrrry interesting.

ObamaCare Made Easy in Graphics!

Yeah, right!

(via Polipundit)

Tea Party 2.0 update...

Via Gateway Pundit guest blogger John Burns (who previously posted a 3-part series) has a new post on the Tea Party movement.

The Mainstream Media’s Complicity & Lack of Objectivity

The JournoList Plot (via Ace & Hot Air).

In the first of a series on Journolist, Daily Caller reporter Jonathan Strong lays out a strategy plotted by Journolist members to kill the Jeremiah Wright story during the 2008 primaries — and to smear Barack Obama’s critics as racists.

Post 1.

Post 2.

"Presidential Assassination Program"???... it's NOT what you think!

Via Glenn Beck (and the NY Times, Salon, and MSNBC):

If I told you that the president had a list of people that he could assassinate and it was a list of people that were on the battlefield and off the battlefield, your friends wouldn't believe me. If I told you that these were American citizens, that the president who campaigned against scooping Arabs off the street without due process had a list of people that he deemed a danger and a terrorist threat, American citizens that without due process would be assassinated, your friends wouldn't believe me.

The two transcripts are here and here. Read them!!!

Housing Hits...

Housing continues to take a hit as AP announces that foreclosures will hit the 1 million mark before the end of the year.

More than 1 million American households are likely to lose their homes to foreclosure this year, as lenders work their way through a huge backlog of borrowers who have fallen behind on their loans.

Nearly 528,000 homes were taken over by lenders in the first six months of the year, a rate that is on track to eclipse the more than 900,000 homes repossessed in 2009, according to data released Thursday by RealtyTrac Inc., a foreclosure listing service.

"That would be unprecedented," said Rick Sharga, a senior vice president at RealtyTrac.

By comparison, lenders have historically taken over about 100,000 homes a year, Sharga said.

Hot Air also links to the story that mortgage applications are now at a 13-year low.

Hump Day Hit Parade...

Retail Sales dropped 0.5% in June.

The Fed Reserve catches the "unexpectedly" disease. The Feds also have a weaker view of growth and employment.

CBS & NBC refuse to air an ad opposing the 13-story Ground Zero mosque being built (scheduled to open on 9/11/11)!!!

But NASA has a new mission... yes, a new reason for existing! Krauthammer goes berserk about it.

Supposed myths of home ownership.

UPDATED:

A great article on razor blades:

New razors have been fodder for parody for more than a quarter century. In 1975, the inaugural episode of "Saturday Night Live" included a mock commercial for a three-blade razor with the slogan, "Because you'll believe anything."

The introduction of Gillette's Fusion razor, kept secret until its debut in 2005, was eerily predicted the year before by the satirical Onion newspaper, which ran a fake memo from a shaving executive bragging about besting a competitor's four-blade razor by making one with five...

The companies know they're pushing the bounds of credulity. "When we talk to guys, we hear them say, 'It's all a bunch of hype,'" says Gillette spokesman Damon Jones. "Our strategy was to tackle the skeptics head on," giving away hundreds of thousands of free ProGlide razors around the launch last month.

"As we enter into any innovation, obviously there's a level of skepticism," says Dan Kinton, senior brand manager for Schick's Hydro...

Brian Crowell says he has driven up to 20 miles to find a store that stocks two-bladed Gillette Good News disposable razors, introduced in 1976.

"If these disappear one day, I will be devastated," says Mr. Crowell, a 44-year-old professional golfer in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

He, too, keeps a stash at home. But he keeps it secret, lest his wife or daughters snag one. "I'm uncomfortable revealing my hiding spot," he says...

Mr. Myers says it best:

Mr. Meyers is considering investing in a supply of Gillette's two-blade Sensor Excel, introduced in the U.S. in 1994, which he used years ago. "Frankly, that gives a beautiful shave," he says.

It's the only blade I've used these last 16 years, and the price you have to pay for them is ridiculous.

Movin' on up... to the east-... uhh, southwest side...

Been out of commission internet-wise for the past week as my fiance and I were in the process of moving to a new condo rental (approx. 8 miles from my previous residence). Brought back memories of 16 years ago when I moved from Philly to the west coast. Also reminded me how much of a pain in the a** it is to move. Would prefer to move only one more time... when Cindy and I are finally able to buy our own place. That's it! No more! My brain and body can't take it. LOL :-)

Tea Party Update (Part III)

Gateway Pundit finally posted the final part in their 3-part series on the Tea Party Movement.

Part 1 is here.

Part 2 is here.

And Part 3 is here.

Unexpectedly...

AP news story here:

Stocks began the third quarter with more selling after disappointing reports on jobs, housing and manufacturing deepened concerns about the economy... The government said initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 13,000 last week to 472,000. Economists had forecast a drop. The report comes a day after payroll company ADP said private employers didn't ramp up hiring as much as expected last month.

Jobs & Market...

Via HotAir, the June jobs report shows only 17,000 jobs created in the private sector. All those other jobs were mostly temporary government jobs for the census.

Meanwhile, how's that stock market doing after today???

Mmm-hmm...

Kagan Update...

So, Kagan pushed for partial-birth abortion here and here.

Her controversial stance on the Commerce Clause here.

Her position on the 9/11 case here.

And, of course, yesterday's info re: her book-banning support here.

*sigh*