CANADA

The Kanye thing. He's been all over the media. National debt, healthcare reform- which is HUGE- as in throw away the entire old system and make a new one, 2 wars, wildfires, sky high unemployment, inflation about to hit and THIS is what is on television for a week. Oh, how we love to be diverted. Why do I care? Don't really. Someone asked what the deal was about Kanye West. Knew nothing about him and as I'm all about being informed[wonder if that came off as serious?], I've decided to share. This is my encapsulated version:

He writes and produces most of his own stuff. He was in some accident (probably someone gave him a smackdown for being a jerk -ok, probably not but I have desires and imagination.). His jaws were wired shut for 9 months. He started writing poetry. He was very close with his mother who died a year or so ago. He's VERY popular. Does VERY commercial music. One time he decided he was boycotting an awards show if he didn't win an award. Was in competition with 50cent over who could sell the most recordings with the same release date. Megalomaniac FOR SURE. Muhammad Ali's ego in it's heyday had nothing on Kanye. Totally sensationalized fame hound.

Kanye West vids:

Love Lockdown

Gold Digger featuring Jamie Fox

Stronger- live version with Daft Punk

EGO (with Beyonce-who is married to Jay-z)

RUN THIS TOWN with Jay-Z and Rhianna (whom Jay-Z was rumored to have had an affair with while "on break" and just before he and Beyonce got married.) I have a lot of respect for Jay-Z's business sense, but that is another blog. The brushing off motion of Jay-Z at 2.30 is famous- Obama did it at pre election. Sorry right wingers- I'm still not hating on him.

Obama "brushing the dirt off"

Kanye ruining Taylor Swifts moment. She is young. It's her first VMA award. He was in the audience at the VMA's and jumped on stage took the mic from her and well- the rest is in this video. Even his crocodile tears non apology on Jay Leno (who cuts zero slack). He had no reason to be on that stage and was promptly escorted out. Was very nice of Beyonce to call Taylor up during her own acceptance speech.Seems like a publicity stunt,though. He's getting a lot of press and Taylor Swift is getting even more. New albums were just released and the music industry is transformation into who knows what. He did apologize, but hmm- motives are a rough guess. Maybe I'm just too cynical. Maybe Kanye really is a jackass.

Obama responds like an actual human and says "he's a jackass"

Kanye on nationally televised fundraiser for victims of hurricane Katrina:

"Bush doesn't care about black people"

A good thing he does- That he can actually be admired for is his campaign against slavery with African diamond mining companies. This song contains a sample of the theme song for the 1971 James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever as performed by Shirley Bassey. After gathering research on the plight of children in West African nations who since 1991 having been forced to mine conflict diamonds and die in civil wars financed by them.He still doesn't wear diamonds.Kanye West - Diamonds

BUT- I suggest you buy diamonds from CANADA, eh? They have some of the best diamond mines in the world. Not only quality but conflict free. What? Did you really think I'd close this post talking about him? Go learn something.

This is some interesting info on Canadian mines

NEGATIVE AMERICANS

I've been frequently asked why I'm so negative about the economy. I could bore you with economic minutia, but these are a few key points that are largest contributing factors. I will start with the car stimulus as I grew up in the Detroit area and it's still near and dear to my heart. What has happened there saddens me more than you can imagine.

The recent car stimulus program "Cash for Clunkers" has (arguably) been a resounding success! 700,000 new cars were sold!

Yes, the argument can be made that the foreign car makers have assembly plants here in the U.S.- BUT- Do you realize where the profit from these cars goes? Not here. Now the national debt is growing to subsidize profitable foreign companies? Living in a country trillions in debt- debt owed to other countries (mostly China. I sure hope they don't decide to collect anytime soon or my socialism rants will be replaced with your communism rants and my I told ya so's)- I just don't understand how ANY ONE OF YOU could buy a foreign car. 1 in every 100 jobs in the United States is/was a direct result of the auto industry. It is YOU who is paying for the welfare unemployed, non skilled laborers are/will be collecting. It's coming out of our social security money as well- so quit bitching about people on social services and how you'll never see your social security money. You're spending it on a Camry. I won't go on a socialism rant at this very moment, but one is always close to the surface lately and NOT because of Obama- Because of Joe right wing American. Because of Helicopter Ben and his crew. Because of Diebold voting fraud. Beause of the piss poor way things are done here on a consistent basis.

In order the top sellers were:

Ford Focus. Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius, Ford Escape. Toyota Camry. Dodge Caliber, Hyundai Elantra, Honda Fit, Chevy Cobalt

Top C4C trade in cars:

1998 Ford Explorer, 1997 Ford Explorer, 1996 Ford Explorer, 1999 Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Cherokee, 1995 Ford Explorer, 1994 Ford Explorer, 1997 Ford Windstar, 1999 Dodge Caravan

Initial clunkers legislation sponsored by Representative Betty Sutton, an Ohio Democrat, would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas and offered higher payments for cars and trucks produced in the U.S. than for those made in Canada and Mexico. The “Buy American” provision was dropped from the final legislation because of opposition from foreign automakers and free-trade advocates who said it would conflict with U.S. obligations to the World Trade Organization.

As the cars being turned in are being destroyed, actually crushed - getting rid of the "clunkers", has made the base price of a used car higher than ever before ($5k). If we want to help the poor, why not give them these cars or sell them and make some of that tax money back? The new vehicles purchased tend to be sturdy and long lasting. How soon do you think these 'less than fortunate' people are going to buy another car? We've just set ourselves up with a glut of available cars for the next 10 yrs.

Yesterday I had the joyous experience of registering my 1 yr old car for the year. What cost me around $60 last year has now increased to $500. Starting Sept 1st reg. price is based on depreciation value of -10% each year (here in NV anyway). This of course is a higher number and does not coincide with the Kelley Blue Book value. So- the govt IS getting money back. Too bad. so sad for me it is from those of us who weren't even part of the program. Why not just write out checks to Japan and Korea?

I'm shocked that so many of my "smart" and "intelligent" cohorts don't/can't see the lies and "fuzzy math" being thrown around. It extends into every part of our economy- from car sales to packages of food with less contents and more air so they look the same. Nico Richter shows clearly how the housing numbers were altered to look positive by the powers that be: U.S. Existing Home Sales Data - ADJUSTED!

Jobless claims have stayed the same last month! GREAT NEWS! ...or is it? Could it be possible that those numbers are the same because hundreds of thousands of unemployment benefits ran out?

Green Day-American Idiot-Music Video

Vinny-Bob-O-Renno | MySpace Video

Thank you for reading and I hope you consider what I have just said.