"At the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said. There will also be much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges between the running mates.
Among other details: Camp Obama wanted the economics debate to come last, being that they believe it's Obama's best issue.. However, the foreign policy debate will be last--presumably McCain's best suit.
The TIMES also reporting: "Obama aides also agreed to use lecterns at the first event, which Mr. McCain preferred; at the third debate, the two men will be seated at a round table, in the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions, with the moderator at 6 o’clock."..
Even more: The scar..
McCain aides said that they were conscious of the fact that Mr. McCain has a prominent scar on one side of his face, and that they could not predict how prominent it would appear with the camera angles, lighting and make-up.
Few people may realize the amount of debate goes into forming the real debate. Arguments between candidates about the setup and stage occur every four years--often times arguments just for the sake of one side threatening to pull out.
But each year, we see our candidates on stage about three times.. For better or worse, we make our choice on how they act. Gore's sighs in 2000 led him to lose, while Kerry's grandiose verbiage caused yawns.. We vote on looks. Kennedy in 1960 looked a lot better than a sweaty Nixon.. Reagan made people laugh in 1984. Clinton bested Dole by looking young.. And now in 2008, Obama vs McCain: The 20th century vs the 21st, on our TV sets of the 20th century, blogged on the net of the 21st, and watched by people of both centuries. A wild election so far, getting wilder and meaner, ready to be in living rooms across America in only days...
"The Food and Drug Administration has widened its inspections at ports of entry to focus on shipments of bulk food ingredients from Asia that are derived from milk, such as milk concentrate and whole milk powder. Spokeswoman Judy Leon also said the agency will issue an alert this weekend warning consumers not to buy milk products from China on the Internet."
Principled conservatives are a little shaky about the Bush plan to secure the rapidly inflaming American economy--what a good thing to know there are still some principled people in general that grace the halls of Congress..
Bush is basically asking for a $700 billion *with a b* bailout of worthless mortgages and other bad debt by financials institutions on the rocks.. The essence of the Bush plan asks for a lot more powers for the Administration .. Congress now has to vote on whether they want to give Bush the new duties. New duties that include purchasing bad mortgage backed securities..
Bush is following a few other leaders that did some similar acts in response to dramatic economic times: Reconstruction Finance Corporation occurred during the Roosevelt Administration in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression..Roosevelt gave money to banks and others to try to spur economic growth.. And in the late 80s, the Resolution Trust Corporation was set up to take on the savings and loan crisis. The Corp took over defaulted mortgages, foreclosed real estate and other assets of nearly a thousand failed savings and loans.
While there may be precedent, and some bi-partisan support for the Bush plan in Congress, a few conservatives are speaking out against the huge government measures. One even said this is the death of the free market!
Senator Jim Bunning commented, "The free market for all intents and purposes is dead in America." Senator Jim DeMint spoke out: "What we need now is not what could be nearly a trillion dollars in new taxpayer bailouts, but pro-growth policies that allow our markets to correct and start growing again." Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin wrote of the Bush actions: "the mother of all bailouts" and declared "the death of fiscal conservatism."..
And finally, Schmuckraker's long time hero Ron Paul speaking out about the bailouts (And he is set to ask some good tough questions of Chairman Bernanke next week) saying that this will not be the last time the government steps in to bail out business ..Ron Paul told US NEWS & WORLD REPORT, "It's more of the same. More debt and more inflation and more pressure on the dollar. Ultimately, although the markets are responding very favorably at the moment, I think it is going to be devastating to the dollar and to our financial situation in this country." And on bailout out the auto industry (which is lining up with destitute hands out to be the next industry saved), Ron Paul said: "Oh I think so. We are not going to let them fail. Our policy is such that everybody gets bailed out. It's like a drug addict, they've got to take their fix. It's too tough getting off these drugs. And the drug here is easy credit."
Ron Paul has no chance on being president. Obama and McCain do..
PHOTO: Handout/Reuters
ProfessionalTravelGuide.com has chosen a list of unusually large things.. The third on the list features a burger from Denny's Beer Barrel Pub, Clearfield, Pennsylvania.. My brother and other family members ate there.. they didn't get the 123 pounds of meat, but enjoyed their much smaller pounders..
I have a few personal favorites when it comes to holidays and seasons.. I love July 4, followed by Halloween, then Christmas, and then Thanksgiving.. The other holidays nad special days end up lower on the list.. July 4 is the perfect time of year: Summer nights, fireworks, and the celebration of what it means to be an American, which all too often involves way too much alchohol and an odd American desire to eat hot dogs.. Halloween's my second favorite most likely because it takes place during my favorite season: Fall. A magical time of year.. really, I believe it is. There's something about fall that has a certain spirit--at least if you live in an area that is getting increasingly chillier at night like my areas is..
I woke up this morning, walked outside, smelled the clean air, looked up at the blue skies overtop of the still green but changing trees, and what to my wondering eyes should appear: But a few dozen chem trails littering the air.
The jet airliner's fecal release of chemicals clouds, following behind the jet that is long gone..
I don't necessarily fall into the conspiritorial mindset when it comes to these, but it does make me wonder.. As I look up at the sky..
Whether they're harmful or not to earth and human besides, they ruined a perfectly gorgeous morning today by littering the blue sky with white snakes.. They'll go away..to come back another day?
I had a thought last night when I put yet another photo of a child on my website welcoming them after birth.. Not welcoming their 'after birth' but welcoming THEM after birth.
My wife and I are not with child -- and as of now at least not expecting.. We will hopefully be blessed with children, but I wanted to inform readers: The Schmuckraker is not gettin' around like that.
Beautiful Skyla Lane is my wife's sister's newborn girl, and last month beautiful Eva was born to our friend's parents..
And to the best of my knowledge, neither child is mine.
However, it's a prayer of mine that one day I can post a photo of a child .. with parents.. and have those parents be me and Tara. Then you will know when the child is truly mine..
Until then, I'll be welcoming children close to me into this world.. A tradition that dates back to when I had the Horror-Report.com and my nephew Liam David was ushered into the world..
NEW
My Best Friend's Girl (Lionsgate) / 2,604
Lakeview Terrace (Sony / Screen Gems) / 2,464
Igor (MGM (Weinstein)) / 2,339
Ghost Town (Paramount (DreamWorks)) / 1,505
EXPANDING
The Women (2008) (Picturehouse) / 2,995 (+33) / 2
Burn After Reading (Focus Features) / 2,657 (+6) / 2
NO CHANGE
Righteous Kill (Overture Films) / 3,152 / 2
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) / 2,070 / 2
DECLINING
The House Bunny (Sony / Columbia) / 2,675 (-88) / 5
Tropic Thunder (Paramount (DreamWorks)) / 2,333 (-594) / 6
The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.) / 1,905 (-286) / 10
The Dark Knight is still being shown in over 1,900 theaters, even with this week's decrease of 286 theaters.. It's in its tenth week, is is still getting money in the millions..
Today is the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.. maybe a lot of people don't know that. Dates are tough. .History is filled with them, but a date like September 17, when an event like the signing of the Constitution occurred is kind of important.
An opinion written by Sandra Day O'Connor and Lee H. Hamilton appearing today was wonderfully written and somewhat frightening..
With young people voting at higher rates than ever before, it might seem that the founders would be pleased with our progress. Yet civic engagement requires more than voting in presidential elections every four years. A healthy democracy demands sustained citizen participation, and our schools must give students the knowledge and tools to participate.
Sadly, civic education has been in steady decline over the past generation, as high-stakes testing and an emphasis on literacy and math dominate school reforms. Too many young people today do not understand how our political system works. They lack the tools to shape their communities through their own participation
I have been thinking about this one for a while..Every election cycle we're told young people will vote in huge numbers. Though they failed to do this every time in history that they were supposed to, 2008 may be different.. They are not being polled since they're not likely voters, and they're organized this year more than ever.. But what will students think when their man Obama can't get his agenda passed through a combative Congress? Will they realize that free health care for all won't happen in a year? Will they know that "change" will have to be translated into legislation instead of mere words on a teleprompter?
O'Connor and Hamilton are right: We may have taught kids it's important to vote with "Choose or Lose" and "Vote or Die" campaigns from MTV, but in the aftermath of the vote, does it go back to normal? Jaded and cynical? I say yes..
But then I'm jaded. And cynical..
A hacker impersonated Sarah Palin--not Tina Fey--and simply logged onto her Yahoo! email account, made a few screen shots, and gained internet fame without having to release his or her name.. The Secret Service and the FBI is investigating..
The scourge of the net: Ex-boyfriends and girlfriends stealing passwords, playing a sly game of "who's talking to him now" online.. A little more serious when someone breaks into the Vice Presidential contender's email..
The hacker's writings: "i am the lurker who did it, and i would like to tell the story," the person wrote in the account.. It appears that the Secret Service may be on a trail that could lead to the hacker..
..But does she have a Facebook.. does she have a Myspace? A hacker's possibilities are endless..
Bad news at 6: The latest in economic news from around the world..
The Stock Market was up again today. .After another mini-money belch yesterday of over 400 points on the exchange, the Market went back up over 400 points today. .Why?? Because of a rumor that made Wall Street happy. Some rumblings going around that the government is going to put together and release a plan for another bailout--this time for the Americans to bail out banks! No joke, the government may create an entity that will take over banks' bad debt.. Paid for by you and me.
It's not being held today.. you didn't miss anything. But I got polled again tonight, asking me "if the election was held today who would you vote for." Just for fun, I said "Ron Paul!" .. I was hung up on.
But if the election was indeed held today, Electoral-Vote.com says it would be Obama 247 McCain 257
No news is good news. And a lot of news isn't. Today's news.. not all good--bad? It's all relative, I suppose. In my theory, it's not good. So it's news..
Speaking of the amazing race: Polls are still showing an advantage for McCain over Obama--several states have moved towards the Republican ticket.. We still have debates.. and an election. Polls are only a snapshot of a few people at one time.
Several publications calling it the "nightmare on Wall Street"..
Regardless of bad pun, it was a punishing day. . dark bars await stock exchangers in New York City tonight.. A few rounds on .. who? Not Merrill Lynch.. Not Bank of America, their funds are tied up .. not AIG.. they may be next.
Perhaps everyone can get together, pinch a penny, and buy Lehman Brothers a few shots .. Their shot of reality hurt on Wall Street today.
The Market was hit hard in a Monday meltdown: More than 500 points down, more than 4% down.. the worst day since the attacks of 9/11..
Candidates are in blame mode. Banks are in fear mode. Consumers are in confused mode..
A few links.. hopefully helpful in making the bleak situation at least understandable.. but most likely not less bleak:
Last night the meltdown occurred with Lehman Brothers: Tonight AIG is looking for money to survive..A new landscape on Wall Street..AIG workers in turmoil: Are they next?Huge drops in Asia markets..Washington Mutual stock becomes meaningless..
But today, John McCain said that the fundamentals of the United States economy are strong.
Anyone believe him?
A crisis of epic proportions taking place in China, as a tainted milk scandal becomes worse by the day.. The latest news: 
PHOTO: Handout/Reuters
I woke up this morning, walked outside, smelled the clean air, looked up at the blue skies overtop of the still green but changing trees, and what to my wondering eyes should appear: But a few dozen chem trails littering the air.
How timely .. Those who may know me know I am holding down two jobs and also going to school full time (not to mention keeping edit over the Schmuckraker.com website) .. and tomorrow, at school, I am going to take my microeconomics midterm exam..
Tonight, however, everyone may get a quick lesson in macroeconomic studies. For days, rumors and rumblings have abounded in economic circles that Lehman Brothers is in some serious trouble -- for days talks have taken place aimed at selling the investment bank in whole or part. The sticking point has been the 
It's that time again.. another week's closing day. The final, quiet touch on the week that was.. Another week of disaster: Just as Gustav's aftermath was being cleaned up, Ike struck with strength. We still don't know the full implications of what Ike did to Texas..
Even though it's almost fall, today's temperature in Eastern Pennsylvania at Schmuckraker home base will be above 90.. 
News
