Bricks and Bouquets

Candy Review: Necco Sky Bar ( Skybar )

2012-01-14T06:50:00.000-08:00

By way of background: Introduced in 1938 - almost 65 years ago - Necco's Sky Bar ( Skybar ) was the first candy to mold chocolate around four separate fillings: caramel, vanilla, peanut and fudge. The candy was a successor entry from Necco brands, whose offerings go all the way back to Necco Wafers in 1847. The overall complexion of Sky Bar ( Skybar ) flavors and molding really hasn't changed over the decades.

For the word geeks among us, the candy name is schizophrenically poised between "Sky Bar" and "Skybar". Although Necco seems to have the registered trademark against the "Skybar" version, its own official web page for the product shows both forms. On the package labeling, there is a clear separation between the "SKY" and the "BAR", so we'll go with that form for the balance of this review.

To geek out even more, "Necco" itself stands for the New England Confectionary Company and is often referred to as "NECCO" by the company itself. However, again there is inconsistency. The package labeling shows a definite "Necco" labeling; the company profile web page uses "NECCO"; and yet at the bottom of the profile page is "About Necco". Go figure.

Enough trivia - let's move to the tasting!

Color: The four Sky Bar briquettes are of consistent color - light, medium brown, with Fudge being just a bit darker.

Aromatics: Soft, almost marshmallowy milk chocolate.

On the palate: These were tasted at room temperature, with hot black coffee used as a palate cleanser between tastes.

Caramel: Almost crisp milk chocolate, with surprisingly soft, almost liquid caramel. Simple, fun flavors.

Vanilla: The chocolate coating and filling are one in consistency, with the milky white inside adding an overall sweeter, sugary component to the taste. Not noticeably vanilla.

Peanut: A soft, almost soft-caramel-consistency middle brings a distinct peanut essence to the milk chocolate experience.

Fudge: A solid chocolate fudge core brings a noticeable backbone to the experience. The milk chocolate coating in this case integrates as a background element to an overall chocolate fudge experience.

In summary: So, all in all, a pleasant, multi-layered experience, quite calling back the variety and joys I experienced with the Sky Bars of a half-century ago!

Brick to: U.S. Labor Secretary Solis for confusing American workers with...

2011-08-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

Hey, you can't really make something this good up.

U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis proclaims her new "American-made" limo in this brief Fora clip.

Only problem is, the limo is assembled in Canada by Canadian workers with Canadian-made parts.

Brick to: Total Comfort Inc, Westport, Danbury, Stamford, CT

2011-07-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Our central air conditioning system was installed several years by Total Comfort Inc of Westport, Connecticut. It has run well, but needs service now. On a phone call to the Westport office today trying to schedule repair work, we were asked if we were a customer. They said they would only do repairs for customers. We asked what being a customer meant, since we had obviously been a BIG customer in contracting with them to install the system. They asked if we had had the system installed by them WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. We said it was more than a year ago. They said they would not help. And that was that. We're off on our own. Buyer beware.

Bouquet to: Obama and Boehner for the (so far) failed "historic, grand deal" on debt and taxes

2011-07-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

The $4 trillion Obama/Boehner debt-reduction deal, including increased marginal tax rates for high-income US citizens and reduction in Medicare benefits, may lay on the cutting room floor today, but the basis for agreement remains.

Specific elimination of tax loopholes - not accompanied by any increase in marginal tax rates - paired with spending cuts of the exact same amount may be a way to achieve net spending savings in excess of the roughly $2 trillion needed to offset the increase necessary in the debt authorization. Oxes from both parties would be gored - but Republicans would not have relented on what seems to be a non-negotiable point; specifically, any increase in marginal tax rates.

Brick to: Vista for easy but hidden fix to: "no audio output device installed"

2011-04-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

My Vista Lenovo lost its audio entirely one day. Months later, I began the process to fix it. After much fussing around with drivers and the like, I saw the simple fix:
Go to control panel, hardware and sound, manage audio devices. There I saw the culprit message: "no audio output device installed".

Again, after much fussing, I realized that I could right click on that screen. There I would see a menu that offered to "show disabled devices" and "show disconnected devices". By tabbing those on, my audio drivers reappeared. I enabled them with right clicks and tested them immediately on that screen with a right click. All was well.

Simple fix. Nearly impossible to find.

Bricks to: Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on the bling debate

2011-01-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

When Kim and Kourtney Kardashian can generate public attention over their squabble over the "vulgarity" of a $115,000 watch, civilization surely must be one step closer to its demise.

Brick to: U.S. Government spending as a percent of GDP

2010-06-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

World War II, anyone?

Brick to: Paul McCartney (former Beatles member) for cheap shot at President George W. Bush

2010-06-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

Brick to former Beatle Paul McCartney for stating in this video that former President George W. Bush does not know "what a library is". The underhanded dig that makes at librarian First Lady Laura Bush is unspeakable and unwarranted. Perhaps it would be equally valuable for musical celebrities who know what a First Lady is.

You kind of get the impression that Jerry Seinfeld isn't quite sure for a moment whether he should be laughing. But he gives in.

Bricks to: The White House and the Administration over the Congressman Joe Sestak matter

2010-05-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

Here's how White House Counsel Robert Bauer describes the activity associated with allegations about efforts by the White House to impact Congressman Joe Sestak's decision to proceed with his primary race for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

And below are the laws that several Republicans claim may be broken by these overtures in a letter they sent to the FBI:

Sec. 600. Promise of employment or other benefit for political
activity

Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment,
    position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit,
    provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of
    Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such
    benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any
    political activity or for the support of or opposition to any
    candidate or any political party in connection with any general or
    special election to any political office, or in connection with any
    primary election or political convention or caucus held to select
    candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this
    title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
    "fined not more than $10,000".
      1976 - Pub. L. 94-453 substituted $10,000 for $1,000 maximum
    allowable fine.
      1972 - Pub. L. 92-225 struck out "work," after "position,",
    inserted "contract, appointment," after "compensation," and "or any
    special consideration in obtaining any such benefit," after "Act of
    Congress,", and substituted "in connection with any general or
    special election to any political office, or in connection with any
    primary election or political convention or caucus held to select
    candidates for any political office" for "in any election".

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1972 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 92-225 effective Dec. 31, 1971, or sixty
    days after date of enactment [Feb. 7, 1972], whichever is later,
    see section 408 of Pub. L. 92-225, set out as an Effective Date
    note under section 431 of Title 2, The Congress.

Sec. 211. Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public
office

Whoever solicits or receives, either as a political contribution,
    or for personal emolument, any money or thing of value, in
    consideration of the promise of support or use of influence in
    obtaining for any person any appointive office or place under the
    United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not
    more than one year, or both.
      Whoever solicits or receives any thing of value in consideration
    of aiding a person to obtain employment under the United States
    either by referring his name to an executive department or agency
    of the United States or by requiring the payment of a fee because
    such person has secured such employment shall be fined under this
    title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section
    shall not apply to such services rendered by an employment agency
    pursuant to the written request of an executive department or
    agency of the United States.

                             PRIOR PROVISIONS                         
      A prior section 211, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 693,
    related to an offer of a gratuity to a revenue officer, prior to
    the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 87-849 and is
    substantially covered in revised section 201.

                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
    "fined not more than $1,000" in two places.
      1951 - Act Sept. 13, 1951, inserted second paragraph.

Sec. 595. Interference by administrative employees of Federal,
State, or Territorial Governments

Whoever, being a person employed in any administrative position
    by the United States, or by any department or agency thereof, or by
    the District of Columbia or any agency or instrumentality thereof,
    or by any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States, or
    any political subdivision, municipality, or agency thereof, or
    agency of such political subdivision or municipality (including any
    corporation owned or controlled by any State, Territory, or
    Possession of the United States or by any such political
    subdivision, municipality, or agency), in connection with any
    activity which is financed in whole or in part by loans or grants
    made by the United States, or any department or agency thereof,
    uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or
    affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the
    office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member
    of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate
    from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, shall be
    fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or
    both.
      This section shall not prohibit or make unlawful any act by any
    officer or employee of any educational or research institution,
    establishment, agency, or system which is supported in whole or in
    part by any state or political subdivision thereof, or by the
    District of Columbia or by any Territory or Possession of the
    United States; or by any recognized religious, philanthropic or
    cultural organization.

                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(L), which directed the
    amendment of this section by substituting "under this title" for
    "not more than $10,000", could not be executed because the phrase
    "not more than $10,000" does not appear in text.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(H), substituted "fined under this
    title" for "fined not more than $1,000" in first par.
      1970 - Pub. L. 91-405 substituted reference to Delegate from
    District of Columbia or Resident Commissioner for Delegate or
    Resident Commissioner from any Territory or Possession.

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 91-405 effective Sept. 22, 1970, see section
    206(b) of Pub. L. 91-405, set out as an Effective Date note under
    section 25a of Title 2, The Congress.

Brick to: The Demise of Capitalism

2010-02-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

According to a piece by Rich Lowry published in Real Clear Politics,
"The New York Times reports that state and local governments have added a net 110,000 jobs since the beginning of the recession, while the private sector has lost 6.9 million. The gap between total compensation of public and private workers has only widened during the downturn, according to USA Today. In 2008, benefits for public employees grew at a rate three times that of private employees."

Brick to: The Administration for... Its Priorities

2010-01-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

This from the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration is considering several steps that would review the legality of the controversial Bowl Championship Series...

Brick to: Priceline.com for totally out-of-their-mind hotel quality ratings

2009-11-27T06:47:00.000-08:00

We booked two nights in a "3 star Upscale" hotel via priceline.com last weekend, and were registered at the Crowne Plaza Boston-Newton in Newton,MA.

Here's the short review: wallpaper peeling; rugs stained and ancient; hallways smelled of must and odor repellent; all furniture fabric in our room was threadbare, with stuffing showing; construction scaffolding everywhere; highway ran under hotel; train line ran next to hotel; noisy all night.

Suffice to say that, although we were registered and paid for two nights, we bailed after one night, sacrificing our second night's unrefundable payment to priceline.com. We weren't at all sad to leave the premises a night early.

Priceline.com's categorization of this construction zone - aka Crowne Plaza Boston-Newton - as a "3 star Upscale" hotel is about as absurd, over-the-top a misrepresentation of product as I have ever encountered. We need to head back to the area soon, but it won't be to the Crowne Plaza, and it definitely won't be with Priceline's help.

Bouquet to: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for telling it like it is

2009-11-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that October, 2009, was the third coldest October on record, fully 4 degrees Fahrenheit below the mean temperature this Century.

No wonder Pew Research Center finds increasingly fewer people buying the simplest presumptions about global warming.

Brick to: Appleseed's for inappropriate telephone solicitation

2009-11-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

I purchased an item for my mother-in-law from Appleseed's clothing catalog this past summer. Tonight I received a phone call from them that thanked me for being a customer. The fellow then proceeded to try to sell me accidental death and dismemberment insurance!!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This was also, mind you, at 6:30pm, right during the dinner hour. I will never buy from Appleseeds again and I urge you to do the same or else you will be bothered by slimy sales calls during dinner!!!

Brick to: Health Products USA

2009-04-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

An order for vitamins placed April 18, 2009, to Health Products USA - which goes by http://healthproducts-usa.com/ - was charged to credit card on April 18, and confirmed as "shipped immediately" by email on April 18. No tracking information was provided. On April 30 - 12 days later - no evidence of product, no follow-up email to indicate delay, no tracking information provided.

Email inquiry to admin@healthproducts-usa.com not responded to during business day. Telephone inquiry during business hours (to website-provided phone number 866-877-2810) was not answered by person. Voicemail instructed that inquiries on current orders must go to orders@healthproducts-usa.com. Made such inquiry and am still awaiting reply.

At current time, status: BEWARE

------------------------
One business day after email inquiry, I received email response from admin@healthproducts-usa.com saying order was backordered and has now been shipped.

At current time, status: WATCHFUL WAITING

------------------------
Product arrived May 4, 2009, slightly more that two weeks after order. Looks like may have been shipped same day I received email reply. CONCLUSION: nothing malevolent about company, though somewhat sloppy with customer service and communication practices. Ok to order, but keep copies of your receipts and be prepared to follow-up via email. Do not order if in a hurry for product.

Bouquet to: The Sun...

2009-04-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

...rising over Burying Hill Beach, Westport, CT...

yielding an April warmth that allowed many to play later in the afternoon across town at Compo Beach...

Brick to: Bottle Shock - the movie

2009-04-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

I am a real fan of wine and winemaking. So, Bottle Shock (sometimes seen as "Bottleshock") was a movie of real interest to me. Though it got some historic details of the prophetic Paris Tasting of 1976 (also called Judgment of Paris) France/California wine tasting correct, the over-the-top nature of Bottle Shock as film-making turned me off so much that I could never recommend the movie - even to my most oenophilic friends. A big, wine-drenched brick to the film.

Consider: 1) the over-the-top last-minute conversion of "too perfect" brown chardonnay into perfectly clear chardonnay; 2) a key secondary character (Gustavo) who disappears entirely from the film once the female lead character (Sam) decides to unexplainedly exit his bed for the lead character (Bo); 3) many instances of 20-20-hindsight prophetic wisdom (Spurrier: "This is only the beginning. Someday, I predict we'll see wines from places like Australia... and even South Africa!").

Oh, give me a break. Just stay home and enjoy a bottle of Mollydooker The Boxer -from Australia - and without all the sanctimoniousness of "Bottle Shock"!

Brick to: Obama for Putting Fox in Charge of Hen House: Steven Rattner as Car Czar

2009-03-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

Brick to the Obama administration for placing Steven Rattner in position as special adviser for automobiles ("car czar"). Consider his Bio: financier (Lazard, Morgan Stanley, Quadrangle) earning investment banking fees from picking apart newspapers and media companies over his career. How have they fared over the decades? Shall we pick apart a few auto companies now for sport - gotta be a few fees in there somewhere, right?

Brick to: Verizon FiOS help line 888-GET-FIOS (888-438-3467)

2009-03-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Verizon FiOS web site (verizon.com/fiostv) cannot find my home address, nor any address near my home. Site responds:

Address Still Not Found

Sorry, we are still unable to find your address. Please edit your information and try again.

Please call 888-GET-FiOS for further assistance. Representatives are available 7 days a week, 8:00 am to Midnight (Eastern Time).

So, it is 9:47 p.m. Eastern Time. I called. Entered all information. Recording said, essentially, "Normally, I would get you a representative. But our offices are closed now. Please visit our website."

Think I'll go with AT&T Uverse!

Bricks to: The Administration's "Hard Choices" Budget

2009-02-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Wall Street Journal shows the Administration's "Hard Choices" budget with a 40.9% annual increase in Ms. Clinton's State Department. Please raise your hand if your household budget is being increased 40.9% for the year ahead. Check out the graphics here.

Bouquet to: GE Answer Center (for General Electric Appliance)

2009-02-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

Our GE microwave/oven combo got into a strange condition this weekend, with a "Door Locked" status showing while the oven door was open. A call by Karen to the GE Answer Center (on a weekend evening) got an immediate answer; a representative looked up the model and condition immediately; advised us on the immediate remedy. Very cool!

Brick to: American Express branded prepaid card

2009-02-16T05:47:00.000-08:00

On Feb. 12, I received a postcard which had absolutely no identifying or telephone contact information but said "The American Express branded prepaid card issued to you is about to expire."

I did not know of an outstanding card issued to me, and did not have one in my possession, so I felt that was worth a phone call to check.

Interesting, there was not a phone number anywhere on the notification card - I had to call American Express service center for their normal card service center and find an alternative number for prepaid cards. I thus called American Express 877 796 4678 on Feb. 16.

On the phone call with American Express, they said they could not find the information since it was an anonymous prepaid or gift card. I challenged that it could not be anonymous, since they sent a postcard to my name and address telling me that the card still had unexpired points.

A service agent kept checking, asking me what was the balance on the card (I repeated I did not know of the card, so I did not have a balance), what was the number on the card (I repeated I did not know of the card, so I did not have it and could not see a number), whether the card was denominated in numbers or points (I repeated I did not know if the card, so I did not have it and could not look), what was the name on the card (I repeated etc etc).

Ultimately, the service agent said there is not record of me at American Express. I said did that mean they did not send me the postcard from American Express? She said that is correct. I said that is odd, and wanted her to absolutely assure me that she was the proper department for "branded prepaid cards". She said it was the right department for "prepaid gift cards". I said was that the same thing? She said she would check, then came back on a said she would need to transfer me to a different department.

So, after a wait, I had my third American Express representative. We went through the same routine of him asking me about the card. Then he looked up my name and - good sign - actually began asking me for validating personal information.

Then the agent said he found the account but that, unfortunately, the account was already expired. I pointed out that Feb. 16 (today) was before the expiration date of Feb. 28. He asked to wait a moment, then came back on the line and verified that, yes, I was correct. But still he said they would not be able to issue a replacement card because it takes 7 to 10 business days to receive it. I pointed out that that meant there was a very good chance I would receive it before the Feb. 28 deadline. He said they would not be allowed to do that. I asked if it would be possible for them to provide the information to me in a secure way that would allow me to use the card online, or without physical use of the card. He checked and said they would not be able to do that. I asked if they could issue me a check for the balance on the card, perhaps by charging me a check issuance fee. He checked again and said they would not be able to do that.

I asked to speak with a supervisor, since I would be willing to take the chance that the card might arrive in time.

The representative came back online and now said he had a new alternative - they could send the card to me within five business days by UPS for a $20 fee. OK, now we're FINALLY getting somewhere! So, we made those arrangements. Just for the record, I asked what phone number I was talking to. It was 888 900 2347.

Now I'll wait the five business days, not really hopeful, but at least feeling like there's a remote possibility something good will come from this.

Brick to: 336-367-7125

2009-01-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

...for making unsolicited satellite installation marketing promotion calls to cell phones. Responded to solicitation, reached human, asked for removal from call list. We'll see...

Bouquet to: The Pulitzer Prize Board

2009-01-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Bouquet to the Pulitzer Prize Board for deciding this year to accept Pulitzer Prize submissions from online-only publications as well as traditional media.

Bouquet to: Mother Nature for the First Day of Snow

2008-11-30T04:48:00.000-08:00

The first day of snow each season is always a treasure - to have it come in the Northeast U.S. while it is still November is a special treat.

Bouquet to: Those Lone Voices Opposing Pervasive Bail-Out Mentality

2008-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

Almost 48 years ago, Jan 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy made an inaugural address which expressed some powerful sentiments:

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

(In the text above, I've bolded some elements which relate to taking responsibility.)

Today, with bail-out mentality pervasive, the question has become, instead, what your government can do for you. Even Barack Obama's language reminds us continually of the power and the need for the government to help, rather than reminding the people of this nation of the absolute essential need for each of us to "go forth to lead the land we love."

Bouquets to those few lone voices which have been raised in support of the individual's responsibility. Consider Senator Christopher J. Dodd, who is chairman of the banking committee, and his comments to the auto executives who appeared on Nov. 18, 2008, to plead their case for aid: “Their discomfort in coming to the Congress with hat in hand is only exceeded by the fact that they are seeking treatment for wounds that are to a large extent self-inflicted... No one can say they didn’t see this coming.”

Personal responsibility seems to be missing in much senior political rhetoric in recent days. Nowhere in President-elect Obama's radio address of Nov. 8, 2008, or press conference of Nov. 24, 2008, (both copied below), is reference made to personal responsibility.

Sadly, much is made of government's responsibility and need for action, and little or nothing is made of the indvidual's complicity or power. Ahhh, for 1961...

(Bolded text below references responsibility or accountability.)

November 8, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama's radio address on behalf of the Democratic Party

"On Tuesday, Americans stood in lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen. It didn't matter who they were or where they came from; what they looked like or what party they belonged to.

They came out and cast their ballot because they believed that in this country, our destiny is not written for us, but by us. We should all take pride in the fact that we once again displayed for the world the power of our democracy, and reaffirmed the great American ideal that this is a nation where anything is possible.

This week, I spoke with President Bush, who graciously offered his full support and assistance in this period of transition. Michelle and I look forward to meeting with him and the first lady on Monday to begin that process.

This speaks to a fundamental recognition that here in America we can compete vigorously in elections and challenge each other's ideas, yet come together in service of a common purpose once the voting is done. And that is particularly important at a moment when we face the most serious challenges of our lifetime.

Yesterday, we woke to more sobering news about the state of our economy. The 240,000 jobs lost in October marks the 10th....

...consecutive month that our economy has shed jobs. In total, we've lost nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, and more than 10 million Americans are now unemployed.

Tens of millions of families are struggling to figure out how to pay the bills and stay in their homes. Their stories are an urgent reminder that we are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetime, and we must act swiftly to resolve them.

In the wake of these disturbing reports, I met with members of my Transition Economic Advisory Board, who will help guide the work of my transition team in developing a strong set of policies to respond to this crisis. While we must recognize that we only have one president at a time and that President Bush is the leader of our government, I want to ensure that we hit the ground running on Jan. 20, because we don't have a moment to lose.

We discussed several of the most immediate challenges facing our economy and key priorities on which to focus in the days and weeks ahead to ease the credit crisis, help hardworking families, and restore growth and prosperity.

First, we need a rescue plan for the middle class that invests in immediate efforts to create jobs and provides relief to families that are watching their paychecks shrink and their life savings disappear.

Then, we'll address the spreading impact of the financial crisis on other sectors of our economy, and ensure that the rescue plan that passed Congress is working to stabilize financial markets while protecting taxpayers, helping homeowners and not unduly rewarding the management of financial firms that are receiving government assistance.

Finally, we will move forward with a set of policies that will grow our middle class and strengthen our economy in the long term. We can't afford to wait on moving forward on the key priorities that I identified during the campaign, including clean energy, healthcare, education and tax relief for middle-class families.

Let me close by saying I do not underestimate the enormity of the task that lies ahead. We've taken some major actions to date, and we will need further actions during this transition and subsequent months.

Some of those choices will be difficult, but America is a strong and resilient country. I know that we will succeed if we put aside partisanship and work together as one nation. And that is what I intend to do."

November 24, 2008
Text of President-Elect Obama’s Remarks on Economic Team
Chicago, Illinois

"Good morning.

The news this past week, including this morning’s news about Citigroup, has made it even more clear that we are facing an economic crisis of historic proportions. Our financial markets are under stress. New home purchases in October were the lowest in half a century. Recently, more than half a million jobless claims were filed, the highest in eighteen years – and if we do not act swiftly and boldly, most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year.

While we can’t underestimate the challenges we face, we also can’t underestimate our capacity to overcome them – to summon that spirit of determination and optimism that has always defined us, and move forward in a new direction to create new jobs, reform our financial system, and fuel long-term economic growth.

We know this won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight. We’ll need to bring together the best minds in America to guide us – and that is what I’ve sought to do in assembling my economic team. I’ve sought leaders who could offer both sound judgment and fresh thinking, both a depth of experience and a wealth of bold new ideas – and most of all, who share my fundamental belief that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers; that in this country, we rise and fall as one nation, as one people.

Today, Vice President-Elect Biden and I are pleased to announce the nomination of four individuals who meet these criteria to lead our economic team: Timothy Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury; Lawrence Summers as the Director of our National Economic Council; Christina Romer as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors; and Melody Barnes as Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

Having served in senior roles at Treasury, the IMF and the New York Fed, Tim Geithner offers not just extensive experience shaping economic policy and managing financial markets – but an unparalleled understanding of our current economic crisis, in all of its depth, complexity and urgency. Tim will waste no time getting up to speed. He will start his first day on the job with a unique insight into the failures of today’s markets – and a clear vision of the steps we must take to revive them.

The reality is that the economic crisis we face is no longer just an American crisis, it is a global crisis – and we will need to reach out to countries around the world to craft a global response. Tim’s extensive international experience makes him uniquely suited for this work. Growing up partly in Africa and having lived and worked throughout Asia; having served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs – one of many roles in the international arena; and having studied both Chinese and Japanese, Tim understands the language of today’s international markets in more ways than one.

Tim has served with distinction under both Democrats and Republicans and has a long history of working comfortably, and as an honest broker, on both sides of the aisle. With stellar performances and outstanding results at every stage of his career, Tim has earned the confidence and respect of business, financial and community leaders; members of Congress; and political leaders around the world – and I know he will do so once again as America’s next Treasury Secretary, the chief economic spokesman for my Administration.

Like Tim, Larry Summers also brings a singular combination of skill, intellect and experience to the role he will play in our Administration.

As undersecretary, deputy secretary, and then secretary of the Treasury, Larry helped guide us through several major international financial crises – and was a central architect of the policies that led to the longest economic expansion in American history, with record surpluses, rising family incomes and more than 20 million new jobs. He also championed a range of measures – from tax credits to enhanced lending programs to consumer financial protections – that greatly benefitted middle income families.

As a thought leader, Larry has urged us to confront the problems of income inequality and the middle class squeeze, consistently arguing that the key to a strong economy is a strong and growing middle class. This idea is the core of my own economic philosophy and will be the foundation for all of my economic policies.

And as one of the great economic minds of our time, Larry has earned a global reputation for being able to cut to the heart of the most complex and novel policy challenges. With respect to both our current financial crisis, and other pressing economic issues of our time, his thinking, writing and speaking have set the terms of the debate. I am glad he will be by my side, playing the critical role of coordinating my Administration’s economic policy in the White House – and I will rely heavily on his advice as we navigate the uncharted waters of this economic crisis.

As one of the foremost experts on economic crises – and how to solve them – my next nominee, Christina Romer, will bring a critically needed perspective to her work as Chair of my Council of Economic Advisors.

Christina is both a leading macroeconomist and a leading economic historian, perhaps best known for her work on America’s recovery from the Great Depression and the robust economic expansion that followed. Since 2003, she has been co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research Monetary Economics program. She is also a member of the Bureau’s Business Cycle Dating Committee – the body charged with officially determining when a recession has started and ended – experience which will serve her well as she advises me on our current economic challenges.

Christina has also done groundbreaking research on many of the topics our Administration will confront – from tax policy to fighting recessions. And her clear-eyed, independent analyses have received praise from both conservative and liberal thinkers alike. I look forward to her wise counsel in the White House.

Finally, we know that rebuilding our economy will require action on a wide array of policy matters – from education and health care to energy and Social Security. Without sound policies in these areas, we can neither enjoy sustained economic growth nor realize our full potential as a people.

So I am pleased that Melody Barnes, one of the most respected policy experts in America, will be serving as Director of my Domestic Policy Council – and that she will be working hand-in-hand with my economic policy team to chart a course to economic recovery. An integral part of that course will be health care reform – and she will work closely with my Secretary of Health and Human Services on that issue.

As Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, Melody directed a network of policy experts dedicated to finding solutions for struggling middle class families. She also served as Chief Counsel to the great Senator Ted Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, working on issues ranging from crime to immigration to bankruptcy, and fighting tirelessly to protect civil rights, women’s rights and religious freedom.

Melody’s brilliant legal mind – and her long experience working to secure the liberties on which this nation was founded and secure opportunity for those left behind – make her a perfect fit for DPC Director.

I am grateful that Tim, Larry, Christina and Melody have accepted my nomination, and I look forward to working closely with them in the months ahead. And that work starts today, because the truth is, we don’t have a minute to waste.

Right now, our economy is trapped in a vicious cycle: the turmoil on Wall Street means a new round of belt-tightening for families and businesses on Main Street – and as folks produce less and consume less, that just deepens the problems in our financial markets. These extraordinary stresses on our financial system require extraordinary policy responses. And my Administration will honor the public commitments made by the current Administration to address this crisis.

Further, beyond any immediate actions we may take, we need a recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street – a plan that stabilizes our financial system and gets credit flowing again, while at the same time addressing our growing foreclosure crisis, helping our struggling auto industry, and creating and saving 2.5 million jobs – jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing our schools, and creating the clean energy infrastructure of the twenty-first century. Because at this moment, we must both restore confidence in our markets – and restore the confidence of middle class families, who find themselves working harder, earning less, and falling further and further behind.

I have asked my economic team to develop recommendations for this plan, and to consult with Congress, the current Administration and the Federal Reserve on immediate economic developments over the next two months. I have requested that they brief me on these matters on a daily basis, and in the coming weeks, I will provide the American people and the incoming Congress with an overview of their initial recommendations. It is my hope that the new Congress will begin work on an aggressive economic recovery plan when they convene in early January so that our Administration can hit the ground running.

With our economy in distress, we cannot hesitate or delay. Our families cannot afford to keep on waiting and hoping for a solution. They cannot afford to watch another month of unpaid bills pile up, another semester of tuition slip out of reach, another month where instead of saving for retirement, they’re dipping into their savings just to get by.

Again, this won’t be easy. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes to this crisis, which has been many years in the making – and the economy is likely to get worse before it gets better. Full recovery won’t happen immediately. And to make the investments we need, we’ll have to scour our federal budget, line-by-line, and make meaningful cuts and sacrifices as well – something I’ll be discussing further tomorrow.

Despite all of this, I am hopeful about the future. I have full confidence in the wisdom and ingenuity of my economic team – and in the hard work, courage and sacrifice of the American people. And most of all, I believe deeply in the resilient spirit of this nation. I know we can work our way out of this crisis because we’ve done it before. And I know we will succeed once again if we put aside partisanship and politics and work together, and that is exactly what I intend to do as President.

Thank you, and I’m now happy to take questions."

Brick to: Cellarbrokers wine merchants

2008-11-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

Brick to: Cellarbrokers, a wine merchant (both retail and online) out of Southampton NY, for a long litany of complaints by customers. I have seen multiple postings which confirm that there is a real problem with Cellarbrokers (aka Cellarbrokers.com).

Bouquet to: Yip Harburg for "Brother Can You Spare a Dime"

2008-11-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

As we enter a global recessionary (if not depressionary) period in late 2008, a bouquet goes out to composer Yip Harburg for turning tough economic times into musical beauty. According to Wikipedia, "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" was written in 1931 by lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, as part of the 1932 musical New Americana.

Remarkably varying renditions of this classic were sung by Charlie Palloy, Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Tom Waits and Judy Collins.

Bouquet to: Karen for Completing her Tales

2008-11-04T16:00:00.001-08:00

Yaaayyy - Congratulations! That's one small step for Karen - one giant leap for Katherine...

Here a sip of celebratory Asti awaits the author.

Brick to: Life expectancy hocus pocus

2008-10-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

I just read another article which repeated the following statistic:
"An American born in 1900 could expect to live 47.3 years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention's 2007 report on health in the U.S. By 1950, that expectation grew to 68.2 years. By 2005, the projected life expectancy was 77.8 years."

Arrrgh, that always gets my goat! Many people in "the olden days" lived to some of the ripe old ages people enjoy now; only infant mortality was high and many children died of childhood diseases. People are led to believe that most adults actually died before they turned 50 in 1900 after reading that information!

Here is a chart of "remaining life expectancies" which gives a better picture:
(from a Google Answers article)

So, you can see that in 1900, if you lived past your infancy and childhood diseases, at the age of 20 you expected to live to at least 62 years old, not 47.3!

Bouquet to: U.S. Stock Market for Predicting Obama Election Win

2008-10-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here I'm going out on the limb a bit. My hypothesis: the U.S. stock market's dramatic fall over the past couple of weeks is capitulation. Not capitulation from the perspective of financial results; but capitulation over the U.S. presidential election. It is a capitulation that Barack Obama will beat John McCain.

Here's the basis for the hypothesis: For much of the past 12 months, the market has inversely reflected Obama's performance in the election poll results. This predates the serious concern over the U.S. financial bail-out. If this is correct, then the absolute blow-out of the market over the last few weeks represents capitulation on the election - as Obama's lead over McCain moves to virtually unassailable levels.

So, here's the backup for the hypothesis. Consider two charts. The first one is national average polling data from Real Clear Politics :

And the second chart we'll be referring to is a chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average for the past 12 months from BigCharts:

What can you see from these? Well, notice that Obama's interim high over McCain in the polls came around March 10, 2008. That corresponds with the Dow's retest of its lows at almost the exact same date.

Then, by April 5, Obama hit an interim low; the Dow an interim high.

Then, Obama's poll results began a steady three-month march up to a high on July 6; the Dow took a corresponding steady march down to a low around July 8.

Obama then began slipping dramatically until August 20; meanwhile, the Dow recovered, hitting a high in the second week of August.

There was some bouncing around until the first week of September. From that point through today (mid-October), the trend has been runaway gains for Obama; and corresponding runaway losses for the Dow. Indeed, during this one month period, Obama's favorability results catapulted from 44.7 (close to his all time low) to 49.9 (his highest ever). During the same time, the Dow collapsed in one of its steepest dives in history, from 11,750 to under 8,000.

So, my point? Consider that the stock market is not telling us that the financial crisis is about to engulf us all. It may instead be simply telling us that John McCain is simply about to lose the U.S. presidential election to Barack Obama.

Bouquet to: Karen

2008-10-05T06:20:00.000-07:00

Whoo hooo - 34!!! You're so awesome!