LIVE STREAM: Massachusetts Senate Debate: Elizabeth Warren, YoPost + Comments (200)
Open Thread: V for Vampire-Squid-Hunting
Damon Poeter at PCmag.com posts “Anonymous Threatens to ‘Erase NYSE from the Internet’“:
Anonymous declared “war” on the New York Stock Exchange this weekend and vowed to “erase” the NYSE from the Internet on Oct. 10 as the Occupy Wall Street protest entered its third week in New York City after a weekend that saw hundreds of protesters arrested during a planned march across the Brooklyn Bridge…
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The AnonMessage channel has been used to post several Occupy Wall Street-related video messages since the protest against lax regulation of the financial sector and growing economic inequality began on Sept. 17. Those messages include Anonymous’ initial “official” video regarding Occupy Wall Street and a warning sent last week to the New York Police Department that threatened retaliation if “the brutality does not stop” against Occupy Wall Street protestors…
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The threat to “erase” the NYSE from the Internet was not explained, though in comments on the YouTube video, some speculated that Anonymous was planning a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack on the public-facing NYSE.com website, similar to DDoS attacks the group has used to take down websites in the past.
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Others felt that would only be a minor setback for the NYSE and guessed that Anonymous was planning a larger attack, perhaps even an attempt to actually disable trading on the exchange.
Videos & transcripts at the link. And, no, Columbus Day is not a stock market holiday , although it’s probably been a light-volume day in previous years…
Open Thread: V for Vampire-Squid-HuntingPost + Comments (83)
The “Worst Governor In America” Contest Rolls On
Looks like Ohio Republican John Kasich is not only the new most hated governor in the land (surpassing Florida’s odious GOP Jackass-in-Chief, Rick Scott) but he’s now giving Scott a solid run for his money in the outright worst in the nation category. MoJo’s excellent Mac McClelland:
While we’re all at being (rightfully) mad at some really rich people, let’s splash some more fuel onto the class-warfare fire. Think tank Innovation Ohio has released some stats about that state’s governor, John Kasich, who is trying to kill collective bargaining with a bill called SB 5 and who recently slashed funding to services people sort of need, like schools and firefighting.
But the Ohio legislature isn’t spreading the pain equally—namely, not among themselves. According to IO’s most recent report, Kasich took a raise of more than $10,000 over the last governor’s salary, bringing his pay to $148,165. And exempted the salary from the SB 5 provision that cuts automatic annual raises for other public employees. And lied about how much he pays his staff, whose senior members make $110,000. Also unaffected by the recent massive budget cuts is the Ohio General Assembly’s minimum salary of $60K—for a part-time job in a state where the average worker makes $40K. Of course, 62 of the 70 legislators who voted for SB 5 make more than that minimum. Those 62 receive annual bonuses up to $34k. No wonder there was so much protesting going on when I was there.
So yeah, with all the howling from Ohio Republicans that the Buckeye State had to end collective bargaining rights for those awful, greedy state employees so that Ohio counties and municipalities could make “painful but necessary” budget cuts, not only did they lock down salaries for other government employees in the state, Kasich then went and gave himself a big fat ol’ raise on the taxpayer dime. Awesome.
Anyone surprised by this, please email me your bank account info, I need to get a couple billion dollars out of a Nigerian prince or two. Seriously, exciting new branches of theoretical mathematics have yet to be discovered that can sufficiently quantify how much of a complete asshole John Kasich is.
But hey, Republicans given power? Surprise! They abuse it.
The “Worst Governor In America” Contest Rolls OnPost + Comments (54)
About as credible as his former employers
Two statements, one from former Fox News personality John Kasich:
TOLEDO — About 75 protesters, some of them angry and all of them soaked, stood outside a bar in driving rain last night chanting “our town, union town.” And so began Gov. John Kasich’s ground game to defend Senate Bill 5. Kasich’s first official campaign appearance in support of Issue 2 — the ballot measure for this fall’s referendum on Republican-backed limits to collective bargaining — took place in the Omni, a banquet, bar and concert hall next to the University of Toledo.
About 150 GOP supporters, many of them in ties and jackets, filed into the bar where AC/DC, Journey and Motley Crue cover bands play on weekends, to hear Kasich speak — many of them jeered by the drenched union crowd as they walked into the building. It was the exact contrast that Kasich and the Republicans are trying to avoid in this fall’s fight over Senate Bill 5: the working class pitted against the elite.
“I believe in unions. I believe they have a place,” Kasich said, standing on stage with Toledo Mayor Mike Bell.
And, one from the leader of a county Tea Party organization in Ohio that was sent to me by a Balloon Juice reader. The Tea Party leader asked that his email be forwarded, so she did that.
When we pass, Issue 2, and the Democratic Party and the Unions are defunded, they will not have the money to compete in Ohio next year. Barack Obama and Sherrod Brown will lose Ohio and be thrown out of office in November 2012.
The Governor and the Ohio Legislature will be emboldened and thus willing to introduce more conservative legislation like Workmans Comp reform, Right to Work, School Choice, and much more.
“Right to work” is, of course, the conservative legislation that destroys private sector unions. I’ll leave it to you decide which person is telling the truth on the conservative agenda here, former Lehman Brothers executive and Murdoch mouthpiece Kasich, or the local Tea Party leader. This was not then and is not now about the budget. It was a careful multi-state strategy to annihilate unions, the last remaining organized, effective opposition to moneyed interests in Ohio and other states.
Early voting in Ohio has begun. Democrats, liberals and assorted other allies gathered 317,000 signatures, one at a time, to protect early voting. Republicans and the Tea Party attempted to limit early voting. Which side is afraid of a voter referendum on their agenda? Which side tried to limit the opportunity to Vote No On Issue Two?
Early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins today, and today is also the start of “golden week,” the name given the five-day period when people can register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time. The registration period ends Tuesday, Oct. 11.
The Republican-dominated legislature tried to get rid of “golden week” as part of an election reform bill that limited the number of days voters can cast ballots before election day. But the law was put on hold last week because of a petition drive that seeks a statewide referendum on House Bill 194 for November 2012. With the law on hold, the previous 35-day early voting window was left intact.
About as credible as his former employersPost + Comments (24)
Better Than a Jail Cell, I Guess
Jonathan Turley is shrill:
While former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been able to escape investigation and prosecution for his role in the torture program, no law firms or ranking law schools wanted to touch him as he sought gainful employment. Gonzales has been struggling to find someone who wants to be represented or taught by an individual ridiculed for politicizing the Justice Department and bringing in hacks who were accused of a variety of criminal and ethical violations. Well, he finally found one school. Belmont University has created an unaccredited law school in Tennessee. Its new Doyle Rogers Distinguished Chair of Law is no one else than Alberto Gonzales.
Presumably, the “Distinguished” refers to the chair rather than the holder.
Belmont College of Law Founding Dean Jeff Kinsler insisted that Gonzales has what it takes to be “an outstanding professor.” So long as he does not waterboard the students.
What is truly scary is is Gonzales’ pledge to help “develop tomorrow’s leaders in the bar, the Nashville community and beyond.” The idea of Gonzales shaping lawyers is enough to force one into a fetal position.
Right about now, I’m thinking the biggest mistake of the Obama administration (above and beyond outfitting the admin with Goldman Sachs boys) was not prosecuting the malfeasance of the previous administration. I understand why they didn’t, but given where we are today, I sure wish they had driven a stake through the monster while they had a chance.
Fiscally Conservative Priorities
Way to go, guys:
Earlier this year, Speaker John Boehner’s (R) office announced that American taxpayers would pay former Bush Solicitor General Paul Clement to defend the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act — at a cost of $520 per hour of legal work. Clement’s original contract, however, included a $500,000 cap on the amount Clement could charge the United States to help protect discrimination. Less than six months later, Clement appears to have blown through that cap, and the House GOP now anticipates that he will take another $1 million from the American people.
A million and a half dollars to gay bash, funded by you and me.
NEWS FLASH- CHRIS CHRISTIE STILL NOT RUNNING
I suppose one way to keep yourself occupied instead of doing actual reporting is to spend all of your time discussing the people who aren’t running for President:
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has decided not to seek the presidency, according to two associates.
Mr. Christie is scheduled to announce his decision at a news conference in the state capital at 1 p.m. But one adviser to the governor and another person who spoke to him directly said Tuesday morning that the governor would not pursue the Republican nomination.
The decision ends a late flurry of indecision on the part of Mr. Christie, who had been encouraged by a growing number of Republican donors and activists who had hoped he would add his name to the field of candidates vying to challenge President Obama.
But Mr. Christie, who was elected governor in 2009, had long said that he did not feel ready to pursue the presidency. At one point, he joked that he would have to commit suicide to convince people he was not running.
I guess this means we will go back to the Palin infatuation, who, as we know, is also not running.
Speaking of Palin, I had insomnia last night so I watched a movie called Confidence with Ed Burns. It was pretty “meh,” as far as grifter movies go, but I really do love the genre. My personal favorites are The Sting (obviously) and House of Games, back before Mamet went insane. Have any suggestions for good grifter movies?
NEWS FLASH- CHRIS CHRISTIE STILL NOT RUNNINGPost + Comments (172)