The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to a two-month low, a sign some companies have put firing plans on hold.
Initial jobless claims decreased by 33,000 to 342,000 in the week ended April 19, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had forecast a gain of 3,000.
Read More...The current joke in Springfield is that ubiquitous Governor Rod Blagojevich—a publicity hound who closely monitors political trends, yet is mired in a multitude of seemingly intractable legal, political and fiscal problems—has embraced a new 2010 re-election strategy.
His ploy – and hope for political salvation—is to join the “Dumb-R-Us Club,” consisting of embattled politicians who confess their sins and/or stupidity, fervently hoping that a forgiving and/or forgetting public may still re-elect them.
To be sure, Blagojevich hasn’t engaged in acts rising to the level of moral depravity—but the candidate who promised to “rock Springfield” and blaze a “new way,” has, as governor, proven himself just another superficial, self-serving hypocrite, concerned only with his self-preservation and advancement. Luckily for America, his presidential hopes have collapsed. Instead of the White House, Blago may end up in the Big House, joining such predecessors as Otto Kerner, Dan Walker and George Ryan.
If ... Read More...
The Seyfarth Country Residence, one of the most beautiful homes in Glencoe was featured on Chicago Tonight, in a story about “The Growing Gap” (WTTW video here) in income in the Chicago Area. The Arts and Crafts Style home, on the market for $4.75 Million, was touted by a real estate broker interviewed by Chicago Tonight’s Elizabeth Brackett, as “sure to sell in the next few months”, and trumpeted as evidence as stated by Phil Ponce that the “Super rich doing better than ever”.
Working with the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, I had evaluated the Seyfarth House, and for what my architectural opinion is worth, declared it a very good building, but hard to economically justify in the battered housing market. The Seyfarth House has been on the market for around 4 years now, with no takers. There has been debate in Glencoe about making it into ... Read More...
The stealth saga of Richard Caro vs. Rod Blagojevich in Cook County Court continued yesterday, with the Governor requesting a payment in exchange for his compliance with a court ordered injunction.
Rod Blagojevich and the other defendants in the Constitutional case concerning JCAR compliance filed a notice of appeal requesting a stay of the preliminary injunction or alternatively a $14 Million bond as a condition to keep the injunction in place.
Judge James Epstein rejected both appeals, and retained jurisdiction to hold Defendants in contempt if
the injunction is violated. Judge Epstien also rejected defendant’s argument that they can’t identify the payments that have been enjoined. Defendants were given till Monday April 28 to seek a stay of the preliminary injunction
pending the appeal.
Barack Obama and his followers are still criticizing ABCs anchors George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson in the recent debate by peppering him with questions on Jeremiah Wright and Billy Ayres, saying that much more substantial issues needed to be raised. But there were such questions raised later in the program by Charlie Gibson and Obama didn’t really cover himself with glory in his answers.
Here are the economic questions Gibson asked-and Obama’s answers-the questions showing that unique among mainstream media reporters, Gibson is intimately familiar with taxation. Obama’s answers show that he is not as interested in a tax program that will serve as an incentive to collecting more revenue-but that he wishes to use the tax code to redistribute wealth and penalize the wealthy which is the classic Marxist formula. Here is the dialogue in its pertinent parts:
GIBSON: You have however said you would favor an increase ... Read More...
