Virgin's ‘grin and tonic’ Branson ice cubes

The ice cubes have been created using the exact measurements of Sir Richard’s head

The British-based Virgin Atlantic is giving passengers some extended face time with Richard Branson, the carrier’s billionaire founder, to celebrate the launch of the airline’s newly redesigned upper-class section.



No, Sir Richard won’t be accompanying passengers in the Upper deck – it’ll be his icy avatar.

Well-heeled passengers in Virgin’s upper class will be offered Richard Branson-shaped ice cubes to chill at 40,000ft in the air.

Virgin Atlantic is giving Upper Class passengers the chance to cool their in-flight drinks in the most innovative way possible this Spring – with the launch of its

‘Little Richard’, as the carrier calls the bespoke ice cubes, will be served on board one of the first flights of the airline's new Upper Class Cabin this May, and have been crafted in the image of Virgin Atlantic’s president Sir Richard Branson.

A statement from the airline said that the new ice innovation means all passengers will be able to enjoy some chill out time with Mr Branson at the new bar – which it claims is the longest of any airline – and which has been designed to provide additional space and comfort for those keen to socialise while flying.

The bar will also incorporate a raft of additional innovations including the fabulous new champagne coupe glass, enhanced mood lighting and a new seating system to facilitate the most comfortable social experience in the air.

“The ice cubes have been created using the exact measurements of Sir Richard’s head and feature an impressive level of detail. The mould for the ice cubes took a team of four skilled designers a painstaking six weeks to create using detailed photographic techniques and laser scanning technology to create the perfect likeness of Sir Richard,” the airline said.

Luke Miles, Head of Design for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer our Upper Class passengers access to the newest, longest bar in the sky, and what better way to celebrate this than giving passengers the opportunity to share a drink with the face of our business? “

Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic said: “While Richard would love to be able to sit and enjoy a drink with all of our passengers, his schedule means that it simply isn’t possible. Now he is able to join our guests ‘in spirit’ on one of the Upper Class Cabin’s first flights as they raise a toast to their trip and the exciting times ahead.”

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8-year old Dubai boy battles brain tumour for life

An eight-year-old Indian boy who was constantly complaining of back pain and eye problems is now battling for life at Rashid Hospital, Dubai, while his family is seeking help to meet medical expenses.

Doctors were treating him for short sight and even increased the power of his lenses and prescribed medicines for back pain. Unfortunately the correct diagnosis came way too late for the child who is now in a critical state suffering from brain tumour.

The youngster's father, Sunil Kumar - an employee of Rich and Famous in Al Qouz - told 'Emirates24|7' that neurosurgeons have advised immediate surgery.


“Sourav is a third standard student of Indian High School Dubai. We never realised that he was suffering from such a serious ailment. He used to complain about severe back pain and eye problems and we consulted several doctors, who treated him for short sight. The power of his glass was enhanced recently, after we consulted a doctor in the city. In the last two months, he has been very weak and frequently vomited. We took him to a clinic, where he was treated for vomiting," said Kumar.

"Only a couple of days ago when the boy resumed severe vomiting and collapsed the family rushed him to Al Wasl Hospital, Dubai. Later a CT scan was done at Al Rashid Hospital and he was diagnosed with brain tumour."

[Click here to read about the only breadwinner caught between cancer and debt]

The shocked and sad father said: “We could have diagnosed his disease earlier, had we took his back pain complaints more seriously. He told us that the backpain could be because he was carrying a heavy school bag.”

His mother Vijayalaxmi, housewife, is equally shaterred.

Kumar said: "My salary is just Dh4,800 of which Dh1,800 goes for rent to our flat International City. The rest of the salary spend for his education and our regular expenses plus the installment for a home loan of Rs4 million back home. Now we don’t have any money to pay Dh50,000 immediately for his treatment. His teachers from the Indian High School, Dubai have collected a small amount and gave us. We expect more help from the community.”

Souav's classmates and friends have also arranged a fund-raising campaign.

Immediate surgery is needed to remove the growing brain tumour and afterwards, he needs to undergo chemotherapy. “We cannot take him to India because doctors have adivised that he is not in a stage to travel. He is awake and conscious.

The family hails from Mariappally, Kottayam, Kerala. Those who wish to help the oy can contact teh family on 0505726096.

Chronically sick, debt-ridden kidney patient bailed out by Indian community

A chronically sick and debt ridden Indian expatriate living in Abu Dhabi for the last 14 years got a lease of life, thanks to the generosity of the Indian community members in the UAE who have responded to a humanitarian initiative launched by a Malayalam Radio Station in Dubai.

Khader Mon, 50, who has been working as a driver for the Mathanb Al Musaba General Transport in Abu Dhabi had lost hope in life as both his kidneys have been not functioning and was undergoing regular expensive dialysis.

Says Khader Mon, who has been jobless for the last ten months, due to his health conditions: “I have been a diabetic patient for the last ten years. All of a sudden my kidneys failed due to high blood pressure and I could not continue my job as a driver. I could work only two months after coming back from vacation last year.”

He said, a year ago, when he went to India for vacation, his small old house collapsed during heavy rains and he resorted to a bank loan of Dh50,000 to rebuild his house.

“I thought I will come back to Abu Dhabi and start repaying the loan at the rate of Dh1,000 per month, However, two months after coming back from vacation, I fell sick and could not continue my job or repay the loan, My company, friends and colleagues funded my food, accommodation and treatment for about five months, but they could not sustain it.”

“I got a great relief after an Indian Radio Station in Dubai, Radio Me, aired my grievances through their charity programme, Trust Me, and the programme anchor Leo Radhakrishnan, could bring in many philanthropists to help me. One Indian businessman donated money to repay my housing loan.

"The bank was preparing to take possession of my small house and five cents of land, the only asset I have made. My wife Rasia, 35 and three years old son are living there.”

Thanks to the Radio Station and the generosity of Indian community in the UAE, my family can peacefully live in the house, even if I die.”

He said that following the radio programme aired recently, Indian Rs 200000 was credited to his bank account by various listeners, who contributed small amounts like Dh500, Dh 1000 to Dh 35000. Kerala Social Center in Abu Dhabi too collected an amount for my treatment, but that is not enough to cover the kidney transplantation.”

Says Leo, the anchor of Trust Me, a Charity programme, on Radio Me, the new Malayalam FM station from Dubai Studio City: “Trust Me’ is airing such cases and issues of the less privileged Indian expatriates.

"Our first story was of Khader Mon, who suffers from kidney failure, severe financial burdens and helth hazards. We aired this particular case on our station, 100.3 for quite a while and were surprised by the response we got.

“The Indian cooperative bank waived his interest amount and Indian Rupees 4,50000 was paid by a noble listener who did not wish to reveal his identity. Indian Rupees 3,00000 was deposited in his and his wives bank account and about Dh 16000 was collected by the Kerala Social Center Abu Dhabi.”

“Now my friend Ibrahim is trying to find a kidney donor. Earlier plan was that my wife would donate her kidney in Group B to a kidney bank and get a kidney in A Group that suits my body.

"However, doctors have said my wife’s kidney is also not suitable as she suffers from kidney stone disease. To get a new kidney from a donor I would need Dh70,000 The fund collected through Radio Programme is not enough to cover the entire expenses and further treatment,” he said.

“Till I get kidney transplantation, I have to undergo three dialysis per week and it is free now in Abu Dhabi as I am using my insurance card. Once I am back in India, the dialysis will be very expensive and till I complete my kidney transplantation, I have to undergo regular dialysis. I hoped to go back to India by end of March 2012. I am thankful to the Indian community members who helped me to raise this much money and hope my problems would be solved soon.”

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Euro Sinks Under Political Weight

Euro is sinking right now, forced down by the political situation in the eurozone. Concerns about what’s next for the 17-nation currency zone are dragging down the euro as Forex traders look for safety, and choosing the US dollar and the Japanese yen instead.

Euro is struggling as the political situation in the eurozone deteriorates. For the most part, the focus is on Greece. The country has been unable to form a new government, and there are already rumblings of another election — and the possibility is being raised that Greece will withdraw from the currency bloc. Even if a government is eventually formed, the worry is that the new leaders won’t adhere to the austerity measures agreed to for the Greek bailout.


But it’s not just Greece that is struggling. The new French President, Francois Hollande, is calling for less austerity and more spending for stimulus. This is an approach that Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, has already rejected. The relationship between the two largest economies in the eurozone is likely to only become more strained, and overall eurozone leadership is in doubt.

As you might imagine, that makes for a great deal of uncertainty. The euro is suffering because of it, falling to safe haven currencies as Forex traders look for stability.

At 15:21 GMT EUR/USD is down to 1.2980 from the open at 1.3052. EUR/JPY is down to 103.6645 from the open at 129.3850.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Euro, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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AUD Drops as Trade Balance Deficit Unexpectedly High

The Australian dollar dropped today, trading near this year’s lows, as a government report showed that the nation’s trade balance deficit in March was bigger than estimated by specialists.

Australia’s trade balance registered a deficit of A$1.587 billion in March, compared to experts’ forecast of A$1.380 billion. The February shortage was revised from A$0.480 billion to A$0.754 billion. The poor data made traders afraid that Australia’s economic growth is losing steam.



The Aussie, together with other growth-related currencies, suffers from the ever-growing concern about the future of Europe. Greek parties were unable to reach agreement and for a new government after the weekend’s election. The political turmoil added to worries that the most-indebted country of the European Union may leave the eurozone. Fears rule the Forex market and commodity currencies are depressed.

AUD/USD fell from 1.0196 to 1.0102 as of 23:40 GMT today, reaching the low of 1.0088 intraday — the lowest level since December 29. AUD/JPY declined from 81.45 to 80.64, while the low of 80.44 hasn’t been seen since January 20. EUR/AUD was up from 1.2796 to 1.2862.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Australian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below

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Taiwan Dollar Fluctuates, Will Central Bank Allow Currency Appreciate?

The Taiwan dollar fluctuated today as the impact of the general negative sentiment on the Forex market battled with the influence of speculation that the nation’s central bank will allow the currency appreciate.

Analysts speculate that Taiwan’s central bank will tolerate gains of the currency to stem growth of inflation even as the strong currency puts pressure on exporters. Inflation accelerated to 1.44 percent in April from a year ago after consumer prices increased 1.25 percent in March. At the same time, exports declined 6.4 percent last month from a year earlier, compared with the 3.2 percent drop in the month before.


Taiwan dollar considered to be a risky currency and as such suffers from risk-off sentiment on FX market. Elections in various countries of Europe create a sense of uncertainty and traders don’t like to risk in such an environment. The uncertainty is likely to persist for some time as the past elections in France and Greece will be followed by votes in Italy and Ireland.

USD/TWD was up from 29.3320 to 29.3400 as of 2:05 GMT today. The daily minimum was 29.3270, while the maximum was 29.3650.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Taiwan Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Japanese Yen Strengthens on Risk Aversion

Risk aversion is rising right now, and the Japanese yen is gaining across the board because of it. Concerns about Europe continue to dominate the markets, and Forex traders are looking for stability and safe haven. The Japanese yen offers that, and is quite popular right now.

The biggest concern right now is Greece. Right now, the party Syriza is trying to form a government, but that party (known for its anti-bailout sentiment and opposition to austerity measures) is having difficulty forming a government. Others will be given three days to form a government, and if no one can, elections will be called again. In any case, there are concerns that the Greek government can’t pull it off, and that Greece will withdraw from the monetary union by the end of the year.


With risk aversion such a concern, it is little surprise that the yen is gaining in strength. The currency has long been considered a safe haven, and it offers a certain stability. With yen moving higher, it’s time for Bank of Japan leaders to once again consider intervening. However, if things continue to remain this uncertain on the global market, no amount of intervention is likely to keep the yen weaker.

At 13:07 GMT USD/JPY is down to 79.5740 from the open at 79.8730. EUR/JPY is down to 102.9060 from the open at 103.8810. GBP/JPY is down to 127.9510 from the open at 129.0650.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Japanese Yen, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Greece, Spain Weigh on Euro

Euro is down across the board today, falling as concerns about what is happening in the eurozone weigh on financial markets around the world. The financial and political turmoil in the eurozone are causing trouble, and the euro is below the 1.30 level against the US dollar as a result.

Thanks to the political turmoil in the eurozone, financial markets are in upheaval today. While the eurozone will take some getting used to Francois Hollande, the new French president, there are more immediate issues pressing right now. It appears that Syriza will be unable to form a government in Greece. Next, tries to go to PASOK and then to the President. If none of these can form a government, new elections will be held. The uncertainty regarding Greece, and whether or not it will live up to its austerity agreements, has increased quite a bit. Additionally, there is speculation that Greece will leave the currency union.


On top of this, the situation in Spain continues to be precarious. 10-year bonds are once again pushing toward a 6% yield, indicating that Spain’s ability to meet its obligations and roll over its debt is in doubt. A Spanish crisis on the heels of the Greek crisis would not be good for the eurozone. As a result, it is little surprise that risk aversion is strong today.

At 13:49 GMT EUR/USD is down to 1.2942 from the open at 1.3007. EUR/GBP is down to 0.8044 from the open at 0.8049.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Euro, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Negative Outlook for Australian Fundamentals Hurt Aussie

The Australian dollar dropped, reaching the lowest level against its US counterpart this year, as Forex market participants anticipate a set of poor fundamental data from the South Pacific country today.
Australian employment is expected to fall by 4,800 in April, following the increase by 44,000 in preceding month. Analysts predict that the unemployment rate will rise from 5.2 percent to 5.3 percent. The trade balance deficit widened from A$46.0 billion in February to A$49.8 billion in March, according to estimates before the government report.


The news from outside of Australia was also bad. Greece is still struggling to form a new government and the political turmoil threatens the stability of the whole eurozone. The MSCI World Index of shares slid 0.8 percent. All in all, the news was negative for the most currencies, except for safer ones.

AUD/USD traded near 1.0057 as of 00:45 GMT today after it fell from 1.0120 to 1.0050 yesterday and reached 1.0021 — the lowest rate since December 20. AUD/JPY was at 80.16, following the decline from 80.82 to 80.02 and the drop to the lowest level since January 19 of 79.71. EUR/AUD was down from 1.2877 to 1.2861 today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Australian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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US Dollar Pulls Back as Risk Appetite Makes an Appearance

After a few days of gloom over Europe, risk appetite is making an appearance in the financial markets. US dollar is pulling back from recent highs against the euro and the pound, and heading lower as Forex traders look for a little extra yield, and as a degree of optimism is seen as moves are made to shore up Spain.

US dollar was headed higher today, moving up as news about Great Britain’s economy disappointed. However, the Bank of England put quantitative easing on hold, and it appears that the body is prepared to maintain that position. So, even with the British economy in recession, the pound is getting a slight boost against the US dollar.


Against the euro, greenback reached a three-month high. Uncertainty about Greece continues, and worries about the relationship between France and Germany have been weighing on the euro. The 17-nation currency has found support, though, and is heading higher right now, as Spain moves to shore up its flagging financial sector.

The latest jobless claims data in the United States shows a drop of 1,000. The news is disappointing, but for now there is enough cautious optimism for risk appetite to help some of the high beta currencies.

At 12:47 GMT EUR/USD is up to 1.2957 from the open at 1.2930. GBP/USD is up to 1.6169 from the open at 1.6128.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the US Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Euro Finds Support in Forex Trading

Euro is finding some support in Forex trading today, heading a little bit higher. Even though there are still concerns about what is happening in Europe, traders are looking for a little bit of respite from the risk aversion and gloom. So, the euro is a little bit higher right now, and other high beta currencies are seeing some success as well.

Euro is slightly higher against the US dollar right now. Spain has all but nationalized its fourth-largest bank, and is taking aggressive steps to shore up its financial sector. While this may not solve Spain’s problems, it’s at least an attempt, and one that many are viewing favorably. Additionally, UK pound, another high beta currency, is seeing success against the US dollar. The Bank of England is keeping quantitative easing on hold, and that means that the pound won’t be intentionally weakened right now.

Euro is still higher against the pound today, and is seeing modest gains against its major counterparts. However, gains are limited, and the euro is rangebound, due largely because of the uncertainty that remains. A Greek government has yet to be formed, and questions remain about how the eurozone will tackle stimulus. There is plenty of room for the euro to fall to the US dollar in the future.

At 14:01 GMT EUR/USD is up to 1.2971 from the open at 1.2930. EUR/GBP is up to 0.8018 from the open at 0.8017. EUR/JPY is up to 103.6595 from the open at 102.9720.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Euro, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Bank of England Avoids Quantitative Easing, Pound Profits

The Bank of England refrained from easing the monetary policy at today’s meeting, causing the Great Britain pound to climb. The United Kingdom still suffers from the double-dip recession and it is questionable whether the currency could maintain its gains.
The BoE held its key interest rate at 0.5 percent and the asset purchase facility at £325 billion. The bank’s decision was likely caused by fears that excessive easing may lead to a surge of inflation. The BoE maintains its main rate unchanged since March 2009. The central bank also initiated the bond purchase program in March 2009 and expanded the program last time in February 2012.



GBP/USD climbed from 1.6126 to 1.6177 and GBP/JPY rose from 128.37 to 129.34 as of 14:09 GMT today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Great Britain Pound, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Aussie Rallies on Surprisingly Good Employment Data

Australia’s employment data made a pleasant surprise for those Forex traders that were bullish on the Australian dollar as employment unexpectedly grew and the unemployment rate fell.

The number of employed persons in Australia rose by 15,500 in April from March, while analysts expected a drop by 4,800. The unemployment rate slipped from 5.2 percent to 4.9 percent, even though an increase to 5.3 percent was predicted. The Australian currency is still pressed by negative outlook for Europe and uncertain prospects for China, but the domestic data was simply too good and pushed the Aussie up, at least for now.


AUD/USD rose from 1.0039 to 1.0113 and AUD/JPY climbed from 79.91 to 80.81 as of 15:26 GMT today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Australian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Loonie Looks Stronger, Employment Data May Weaken Currency

The Canadian dollar gained today as Forex traders showed risk appetite on signs that the situation in Greece is improving and some positive data from the United States. The gains of the currency were limited as tomorrow’s employment data is expected to be rather poor.
European politicians confirmed that Greece is receiving a next round of bailout. There are speculations that the most-indebted European country made progress in forming a new government. US federal budged had its first surplus since 2008. Most news was good today and that translated
into demand for riskier assets. Both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and MSCI World Index of stocks were up 0.5 percent today.

Canada’s currency profited from the general positive sentiment on the FX market, but is weighed down by poor fundamental outlook for the North American nation itself. Canada’s employment growth is expected to be a meager 10,100 in April, compared to the March 82,300. The unemployment rate is expected to rise from 7.2 percent to 7.3 percent. The employment report from Statistics Canada will be released tomorrow.

USD/CAD was down from 1.0025 to 1.0019 as of 21:00 GMT today, while the intraday low was 0.9975. CAD/JPY climbed from 79.37 to 79.72. EUR/CAD was flat at 1.2959.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Canadian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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India’s Central Bank Supports Rupee

The Indian rupee rallied today as the Reserve Bank of India took measures to support the currency that has been performing very badly. The central bank decrease the amount of foreign currency companies may hold.

The RBI announced that companies may keep only 50 percent of their profits in foreign currency, down from 100 percent, while other half should be exchanged to the domestic currency. This measure should bolster central bank’s dollar reserves. The currency definitely needs support as it has fallen 4.8 percent this quarter
.

Indian stocks reacted positively to the central bank’s decision, rising as much as 1.2 percent. Risk sentiment on the Forex market was good, adding to the strength of the currency. Analysts said that the rupee reached a bottom and most negative fundamentals are priced in.

The currency appreciated 1.6 percent today, the biggest gain since December. USD/INR traded at 53.2550 today as of 23:00 GMT.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Indian Rupee, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Indonesia Rupiah Advances as Intervention Anticipated

The Indonesia rupiah advanced today on speculation that the nation’s central bank will intervene, buying the currency, to reduce currency volatility and slow growth of consumer prices.

Analysts speculate that the Bank Indonesia may boost its interest rates after keeping them unchanged on the last policy meeting. The bank may do so to keep inflation in check after it jumped the highest level in seven months. Indonesia’s central bank may slow inflation growth and lower volatility by removing surplus funds from the financial system.


USD/IDR fell from 9,175.0000 to 9,150.0000 as of 9:24 GMT today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Indonesian Rupiah, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Euro Falls as Greece Continues to Wrangle

Greek political leaders continue to wrangle in an effort to form a government, and that is weighing on the euro, especially against the US dollar. Yesterday, the euro showed some spunk, and riskier assets received a bit of a boost. Today, though, risk aversion is back in full force over Greece, and over the latest news from JP Morgan Chase.


In Greece, the political wrangling continues. Political leaders differ on what they think will happen, with some insisting that a government can be formed, while others say that it’s likely that Greek citizens will be headed back to the polls. The uncertainty about what is happening in Greece — and whether or not the eurozone will be able to overcome its woes — once again weighs on the euro.

Also contributing to a climate of risk aversion today is the fact that JP Morgan Chase has seen huge losses. The bank is blaming the losses on a trader known as the ”London Whale.” The losses amounted to more than $2 billion, and is being attributed to a credit derivatives strategy gone bad. The news is weighing on risk appetite in general, and that is sending Forex traders to the stability of low beta currencies.

At 12:58 GMT EUR/USD is down to 1.2923 from the open at 1.2936. EUR/GBP is up to 0.8039 from the open at 0.8012. EUR/JPY is down to 103.2255 from the open at 103.3970.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Euro, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Canadian Dollar Gets Boost on Employment Gains

Canadian dollar is getting a boost today against the US dollar as employment news turns out more positive than expected. Loonie is higher against its US counterpart on the good news, even as risk aversion in general weighs on other high beta currencies.

Canadian dollar is heading higher today, thanks to a strong employment report. According to Statistics Canada, employment rose to 58,200 in April. This came on the heels of a jump of 82,300 in March. The good news is supporting the idea of a relatively strong Canadian economy — especially when compared against the US economy.


Additionally, some analysts and Forex traders are seeing this news as an argument in favor of boost the interest rate. So far, the Bank of Canada has been reluctant to raise borrowing costs. Now, with evidence of economic growth, some hope that interest rates can be raised in order to keep inflation in check. Higher rates would make the loonie even more attractive versus the greenback.

For now, the loonie is bucking a trend. Other high beta currencies, like the pound and the euro, are losing ground to the US dollar on difficulties in Greece and worries about JP Morgan Chase losses due to the London Whale.

At 13:41 GMT USD/CAD is down to 0.9982 from the open at 1.0021. GBP/CAD is down to 1.6051 from the open at 1.6180.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Canadian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Ruble Follows Oil Price in Decline, Rebounds

The Russian ruble fell today, before rebounding later, as prices for crude oil, the chief export of the country, declined, resulting in a drop of the trade balance surplus.
Crude oil prices fell 0.2 percent to $96.86 per barrel in New York today, heading for a second weekly drop. The prices were under pressure from swelling US stockpiles and the European credit crisis. Russia’s trade surplus shrank to $19.4 billion in March from $20.3 billion in February. Analysts predict that the ruble is likely to fall against the dollar next week.



USD/RUB climbed from 30.1350 to 30.2430 before retreating to 30.1420 as of 18:12 GMT today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Russian Ruble, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Pound Drops as Consumer Confidence Worsens

The Great Britain pound declined after a report showed that confidence of Britons worsened last month, spurring speculation that the Bank of England will be forced to perform quantitative easing.

Nationwide Building Society reported that the Consumer Confidence Index fell from 53 in March to 44 in April. Estimates before the report predicted the index to remain stable at 52. Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s Chief Economist, said:

It is not surprising that confidence remains fragile, with the economy shrinking over the past six months and labour market conditions still weak.



He added:

Looking forward, there are a number of one‐off factors that are likely to impact confidence in the months ahead. News that the UK dipped back into recession at the start of the year may further depress sentiment in the near‐term.

Britain’s central bank refrained to ease its monetary policy on May 10, but it does not look like the UK economy can go forward without stimulating measures. Speculators priced in QE and the pound suffered from it.

GBP/USD fell from 1.6143 to 1.6070 and GBP/JPY slid from 128.99 to 128.43. EUR/GBP went up from 0.8010 to 0.8033.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Great Britain Pound, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Australian Dollar Falls as China Signals About Slowing Growth

The Australian dollar slipped, falling to the lowest level this year against its US peer, as negative macroeconomic data hurt prospects for Australia’s exports and general pessimistic sentiment on the Forex market reduced appeal of growth-related currencies.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported that China’s consumer price index fell from 3.6 percent in March to 3.4 percent in April, being in line with forecasts. Industrial production, on the other hand, frustrated forecasters, falling from 11.9 percent to 9.3 percent, while an increase to 12.1 percent was predicted. Other fundamental reports, including retail sales, were also worse than expected. China is the main trading partner of Australia, therefore its fundamentals have a great impact on the Aussie.

The FX market in general also was not supportive for the Australian currency as traders preferred to stick to safer investments. JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced a $2 billion loss, sparking fear among investors. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index of equities slid 1 percent and posted the second week of losses.

AUD/USD was down from 1.0075 to 1.0019 — the lowest rate since December 20. AUD/JPY dropped from 80.50 to 80.08. EUR/AUD went up from 1.2829 to 1.2887.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Australian Dollar, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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GBP Falls vs. USD & JPY, Gains vs. EUR Over This Week

The Great Britain pound fell against the US dollar and the Japanese yen this week as growing concerns about the health of the UK economy reduced appeal of the currency. The sterling is still perceived as refuge from Europe’s crisis, therefore it gained versus the euro.

Britain’s economy has entered a recession, significantly hurting prospects for the sterling. The Bank of England refrained from expanding stimulus during its last policy meeting, but most economists agree that the country needs quantitative easing. The pound is supported by its status of a safe haven, but such role looks tenuous considering the economic condition of Britain. Anyway, the
problems of Europe allowed added to Britain’s strength against commodity currencies of countries that depend on European demand for their exports.

The pound was drifting down against the greenback and the yen since the end of March and it extended this trend for this week. The euro rose on Friday, but that did not help the shared 17-nation currency to erase its losses versus the sterling. The Canadian dollar was more successful, ending the week almost flat after falling for six consecutive trading sessions.

GBP/USD slid from 1.6133 to 1.6070 and GBP/JPY fell from 128.78 to 128.43. EUR/GBP was down from 0.8062 to 0.8033, while during the week it has reached 0.7994 — the lowest since 2008. GBP/CAD climbed from 1.6067 to 1.6201, but retreated to 1.6076 by the weekend.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the Great Britain Pound, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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Politico: Dems soliciting ads from lobbyists for its “official” convention magazine, corporate donations as well

Barack Obama insists that corporations and lobbyists will have nothing to do with funding the Democratic National Convention, a requirement that has put convention organizers into an $20-million hole. They recently tried to get unions to fill the gap, but apparently didn’t get much response from their sales pitch. On Thursday, the co-chair of the convention told Politico that he’s certain the unions will write the big check … eventually:
“My belief is they will support us,” Rogers told POLITICO on Thursday. “I think the issue is not whether. I think the question is how much. And I hope that they step up and give us the same level of support which they did in the Denver convention.”

Democrats are about $20 million short of their $36.6 million fundraising goal for the convention in large part because of labor groups sitting on the sidelines, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Unions gave about $8 million to support the 2008 DNC, but they’ve largely balked over Charlotte because North Carolina is a right-to-work state.



But Rogers, the CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy, said labor groups would be hurting themselves if they remained on the sidelines.

“For them to take a powder on the convention because it’s a right-to-work state is kind of sending a message that we’re really not interested in the unionization of people in right-to-work states,” he said. “And if that’s a signal they’d want to send, I don’t think that’s in their best interest because more and more states are moving to be right-to-work states.”

Actually, what it says is that unions don’t want to drop millions of dollars supporting cities and states with right-to-work laws. If unions want to try organizing in Charlotte, they can do that directly and not put money into the hands of non-union shops. That’s only one of the curious points of the DNC’s decision to stage the convention in North Carolina, a move that’s starting to look like a huge mistake, especially after over 20% of North Carolina Democrats refused to vote for Obama in the primary despite having no opponent in the race. Almost 200,000 specifically chose “no preference” over Obama.

Rogers might still believe that unions will contribute, but he also apparently has a back-up plan. Politico reports this morning that the publisher of the “official” convention magazine has hit up the American League of Lobbyists to buy some advertising, despite the supposed ban on their participation in the event:

A publisher promoting an “official” national convention magazine for Democratic National Committee, which rejects political contributions from registered lobbyists, has asked theAmerican League of Lobbyists in an email and phone call to purchase an advertisement in its national convention magazine, the League confirms to PI. The ad ( http://bit.ly/K2r8Tk) for the “2012 Democratic National Convention Official Magazine,” being produced by the Connecticut-based H.O. Zimman Inc. publishing house, would cost between $15,000 and $25,000 depending on size. …

A representative from H.O. Zimman could not be reached for comment Friday. But in an email (http://bit.ly/K7cf6s) this week to the league, a company representative writes that the league “may be interested in visibility to this powerful audience … the publication will have very limited advertising.”

So far, the response to this sales pitch more or less matches the response from the unions … pound sand. Howard Marlowe tells Politico that the league doesn’t have the money for that kind of advertising, but if it did, he’d buy one that tells Obama to “stop bashing lobbyists.” Or at the very least, stop bashing lobbyists while issuing a snowstorm of waivers to hire them and finding backdoor ways to beg for money from them.

Meanwhile, the pledge against corporate money looks expired as well:

Democrats have trumpeted their ban on corporate donations to their national convention this summer, saying that it shows they are free from the influence of special interests.

But through a special fund, convention planners are accepting millions of dollars in corporate contributions to help pay for many of the activities outside the convention hall—as well as some expenses directly related to the event. Donors include Wells Fargo & Co., Bank of America Corp.and Duke Energy Corp., all significant employers in Charlotte, N.C., where the convention will be held in early September.

The fund, called New American City Inc., plans to raise more than $10 million to cover convention expenses, including salaries for convention workers, promotional materials and overhead. Costs also include entertainment for delegates and others, such as a welcoming party for the media that will feature celebrity performers and as many as 10,000 guests.

The new “evolution” from the DNC is that none of this money will go toward the formal nominating process, which consists of spending an hour or so polling the state delegations, or for Obama’s speech at, er, Bank of America Stadium on the last day of the convention.

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Yet another plastic bag ban to save the world

It’s all the rage today, sweeping the nation from coast to coast. As we reported back in March, municipalities across the country are saving the world, one shopping trip at a time, by banning the use of plastic grocery bags. And now, despite some spectacular failures by others who paved the way, Los Angeles is poised to leap into the fray. But the industry is fighting back this time.
With Los Angeles on the verge of becoming the nation’s largest city to ban single-use bags at supermarkets and convenience stores, the plastics industry is beginning to fight back.

With a series of radio and television commercials along with a website (www.bagtheban.com) the American Progressive Bag Alliance also is lobbying city lawmakers to try to head off the plans to outlaw use of the bags.


“We are engaging in the process of dialogue on lots of different fronts,” said Donna Dempsey, spokeswoman for the alliance. “Each city is different, each municipality is unique and we are trying to design our message for Los Angeles.”

They tried it in DC and wound up losing more than 100 jobs and realized a net drop in disposable income. They passed the same ban in San Francisco in 2007 to cut down on their plastic waste. The net result was that the city’s percentage of plastic waste went from .6 percent to .64 percent.

Los Angeles doesn’t just use plastic bags. They also make them and recycle them. The workers in that industry come forward in the following video to talk about what the ban will mean to them and their families. Give it a look.

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Jay Rockefeller on rocky ground with coal

As Ed already reported this week, the Obama administration has taken belated notice of the fact that coal still provides a lot of the nation’s energy, (and jobs!) and is attempting to recalculate their political playbook accordingly. Not everyone seems to have gotten the memo, though, including one Jay Rockefeller. There is currently an amendment to the transportation bill on the table, put forward by David McKinley, which would stop the EPA from regulating coal ash as a “hazardous substance.” But even though the senator comes from coal country himself, he can’t seem to get on board.



“I’m going to keep working on coal ash reuse, but I’m not going to pretend to West Virginians that it’s ready or right for the highway bill,” Rockefeller noted. “We need roads and bridges and the jobs that go with them in our state, not political games. House Republicans want to cut transportation funding more deeply than ever before, and they should stop trying to distract West Virginians from the harm of their real agenda.”

On April 18, the House voted to extend federal transportation funding through September. The measure passed on to the Senate included McKinley’s coal ash amendment, as well as another provision permitting construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

The White House has threatened to veto the bill if it passes the Senate.

If Rockefeller were basing his opposition solely on the position that we wind up with extraneous amendments to bills all the time which gum up the process, I could almost get behind him here. But the idea that the EPA amendment is cluttering up the legislation with unrelated nonsense simply doesn’t hold water. Coal ash is one of many additives which are used in paving applications and it helps hold down the cost of road construction work. (The industry manages an amazing program of recycling everything from old asphalt pavement to ground up tires.) Arguing that this is not applicable to the transportation bill is unfounded.

So where is Rockefeller getting these peculiar ideas? Perhaps from an unlikely source.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller is being called on by the West Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club in its fight to kill another West Virginia representative’s coal ash provision of the transportation bill…

Rockefeller, a Democratic member of the conference committee appointed to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill, said he would not support the amendment.

“Separately, I want to make it clear that I cannot support the environmental provisions that have been attached to the surface bill by the House,” Rockefeller said in a statement issued last week. “These riders would jeopardize the tremendous bipartisan support this bill has had so far in the Senate.”

For somebody who has been knocking around W. Virginia politics for so long, choosing to go against coal and in favor of the Sierra Club is an odd choice to say the least. And given the area’s unemployment rate and dependence on the industry in question, you’d think this would have been a no brainer for the Senator. Live and learn, I suppose.

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Film review: Dark Shadows

In 1776, a witch cursed Barnabas Collins for rejecting her in favor of another woman, transforming him into a vampire, and caused him to be buried for almost 200 years. Freed when construction expands around the Maine hamlet of Collinsport — a town founded by his family in better days — Barnabas awakens to a much different world than the one he knew two centuries ago. Can Barnabas restore his family’s fortune and honor, or will the same witch that cursed him destroy his family and Barnabas once and for all?



Based on the old soap opera, Dark Shadows takes a decidedly campy turn as a film. Tim Burton once again finds an excuse for white facepaint, but unlike Edward Scissorhands, this isn’t a subversive swipe at the suburbs. It does poke a little fun at small-town America, but not as egregiously as, say, Doc Hollywood did. The film mostly contents itself in the first half with skewering the early 1970s, at least until the grudge match between Barnabas and the nearly-immortal Angelique begins again in earnest. (To say that she still carries a torch for her vampire is a rather large understatement.) Barnabas has to dispatch construction workers, hippies, and other assorted bit players, but he has trouble getting rid of his rival, and she has just as much problem getting rid of Barnabas … if that’s what she really wants to do.

Dark Shadows is an entertaining bit of fluff, but I suspect it may play to a limited audience. Fans of the old soap opera are probably not going to appreciate the comedic treatment given to their stories, while those who don’t know the show may not be terribly interested in a vampire comedy. However, even without knowing the old show, Dark Shadows is an entertaining, fast-paced film with plenty of laughs and not just a little suspense. It’s as original as a movie based on an old TV series can be, and the climax really does pull out the kitchen sink in characterization, special effects, and plot twists.

Johnny Depp delivers his normal mannered performance as Barnabas, keeping the vampiric elements light. Eva Green (Casino Royale) has a ball playing the evil Angelique, easily the most alive character on the screen. Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter mainly get wasted in their roles, but Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) plays a bumbling caretaker/henchman with some style. Bonham Carter’s character feels like make-work; her character seems extraneous to the conflict and certainly to its resolution, and while her performance is good (as is Pfeiffer’s), there isn’t any reason for her to be there. Bella Heathcote is mainly eerie but beautiful in a dual role.

Overall, if you’re looking for some laughs and escapism, Dark Shadows is a pretty good choice. It won’t be on anyone’s top 10 list at the end of the year, but it’s fun and never gets boring. Dark Shadows is rated PG-13 for some drug references, sexual content (a hilarious, if nonsensical, scene that doesn’t include nudity), and — quelle horreur indeed — smoking. We went with friends who brought their 17-year-old daughter, and there wasn’t anything that embarrassed us. However, the after-movie poll had the two men approving and the three women saying, “Meh,” and as a result, the next time we all go out, we have to see a chick flick. Factor that into your calculations.

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Quotes of the day

“I saw it with my own eyes,” Phillip Maxwell, a lawyer who was Romney’s high school pal at the elite Cranbrook School in Michigan, told ABC News. “It was a hack job … clumps of hair taken off.”…
“For Mitt to be a bully just shocks me,” [Maxwell's brother, Peter,] said. “He was the kind of a guy who would bend over backwards to do something for you and would go out of his way to help people, and for him to be characterized as a bully would be the farthest thing from the truth.”…
Democrats have been delighted by the way the story has played out, circulating news clippings to reporters and highlighting the most damning quotes aimed at Romney, such as Maxwell calling the bullying “vicious.”



***

Romney was not disciplined at the time. If such an attack happened in the public schools of 2012, it would probably lead to suspension and might also be referred for expulsion, a number of local public school leaders said following a Washington Post report of the incident involving Romney.

A call to police would probably also be in order because it would be considered an assault, said Alan Goodwin, principal of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.

“It would be taken very seriously,” Goodwin said. “Even using the scissors would be considered using a weapon. It would not be an acceptable prank.”

***

It might seem incredible that an episode of bullying that was remembered by so many other people in the room has been forgotten by the Republican candidate for president. In fairness, a lot has happened to Romney since his senior year at Cranbrook — he married, served on Mormon missions, ran a private-equity firm, ran the 2002 Winter Olympics, was the governor of Massachusetts, ran for Senate, and ran for president — twice.

But the science of memory retention suggests that Romney would remember parading his classmates into a room with Lauber to clip his hair, if the experience were significant enough for Romney himself.

“One would think that such an action, if it did occur, would be laden with strong emotions, making it less likely that he would not remember it,” said Steven Lynn, a psychology professor at Binghamton University whose area of expertise is human memory.

***

One can draw a straight line from the young man who pinned down a terrified teenager and walked a blind man into a closed door, to the adult who put the family dog in a kennel and strapped it to the roof of the car, to the businessman who laid off hundreds of people, cancelled their health benefits, and paid himself millions while their company went bankrupt. And the line continues: the governor who slashed education and raised fees on the middle class, and the possible president who would use his power to cut taxes on his fellow millionaires while pushing for the gradual demise of traditional Medicare.

Then there is the aura of someone who acts as if the rules don’t apply to him. The Post reported that the abused boy was ultimately expelled from Cranbrook—for smoking a cigarette. Really. The victim got expelled for smoking a cigarette, but Mitt faced no sanctions for maliciously victimizing a vulnerable student and a teacher. It’s good to be a prince. Maybe that’s why Romney felt entitled to take a $10 million bailout for Bain, but opposed President Obama’s bailout of the auto industry. He thinks there’s one set of rules for the privileged, and another for the rest of us.

***

A story that casts a young Romney as intolerant and without basic empathy for someone who may have been gay is unfortunate the day after Barack Obama made the most empathetic statement in support of gay rights ever made by a sitting president. Right now Romney is the bully who gangs up on another student in an unfair fight. He is Biff, and as parents we teach our kids to root for McFly.

But Romney could take back his origins. A transformative moment in a person’s life or personal history can clean one’s slate and let one emerge as a different person. And Romney may have one. A year later, at 19, Romney was a missionary in France. He was involved in a searing car crash that by his own admission deepened his faith and changed his outlook on life. A near-death experience and a coma will do that to you. It would explain why there is no analog for the behavior described in the Post story. Romney and his team might consider having him tell that story again soon.

***

In 1995, a Mormon family, the Nixons, had recently moved to the Boston area and got devastating news when two of their sons were rendered quadriplegics by a terrible car accident — a tragedy that was compounded by the financial strain. Having heard their story, Romney called the parents to see if they’d be around on Christmas Eve. Romney, even though he didn’t know the Nixons very well, showed up with Ann and his sons. They brought the injured sons a new stereo system and other gifts. According to the book, the Nixons “were floored” that Romney had not only taken an interest in them, but that he and Ann had taken time out of their busy schedule to deliver the gifts themselves and turn it into a family event to set an example. Romney also offered to pay for their sons’ college educations and participated in multiple fundraisers for them over the years. “It wasn’t a one time thing,” the father told the authors.

One time, Romney found out that a church member had broken his foot by falling off a ladder trying to remover a hornet’s nest. Romney showed up and devised a way of removing it from the inside of the house. “Everyone who has known Romney in the church community seems to have a story like this, about him and his family pitching in ways big and small,” Kranish and Helman write. “They took chicken and asparagus soup to sick parishioners. They invited unsettled Mormon transplants to their home for lasagna.” Another time, a fire broke out near where Romney lived and he “organized the gathered neighbors, and they began dashing into the house to rescue what they could: a desk, couches, books” until the fire fighters made them stop. He also helped build a playground to honor a neighbor’s child who had died of cystic fibrosis. “There he was, with a hammer in his belt, the Mitt nobody sees,” the neighbor, Joseph O’Donnell recounted. “Romney didn’t stop there,” the book reads. “About a year later, it became apparent that the park would need regular maintenance and repairs. ‘The next thing I know, my wife calls me up and says, “You’re not going to believe this, but Mitt Romney is down with a bunch of Boy Scouts and they’re working on the park.”’…

Personally, I don’t think any of this should have bearing on whether or not Romney deserves to be president. But those who want to make the fact that Romney reportedly did something inexcusable in high school into a campaign issue must also grapple with his numerous acts of charity and generosity over the course of his lifetime.

***

“The real question here is, is Mitt Romney a bully? And the answer is no,” she said. “Mitt Romney is absolutely, as his other friend from high school said — he doesn’t have a vicious bone in his body.”

In defending Romney as “deeply compassionate” and “unfailingly kind,” she pointed to moments during the GOP primary when Romney was “being attacked from every side.”

“His response was always professional, calm, civil,” she pointed out. “In fact, he even intervened on behalf [of] — to try to help — Gov. Perry when he was stumbling [in attempting to remember a talking point during a debate]. His impulses are very kind impulses and there should be no debate about whether or not Gov. Romney is a bully.”

***

It’s standard fare for revelations about a candidate’s past to be leveraged against him. But it’s unfair to draw sweeping conclusions about Romney’s character based on allegations of high school cruelty. For one thing, it’s hypocritical. The vast majority of high schoolers, as anyone who attended high school can tell you, are pretty unbearable. They can be mean, stupid, cliquish, insecure. They blame everything on their parents, probe for signs of weakness, bad-mouth one another. There is no such thing as a human being who did not make bad decisions in high school, whether it involved binge drinking or bullying a weaker kid. That’s not to minimize the pain Romney allegedly caused; as Horowitz shows, the incident haunted both the victim and some of the perpetrators for a very long time. But it’s not necessarily a measure of who Romney has become.

It was silly four years ago to argue that Barack Obama was unsuited for the presidency because he smoked pot and snorted cocaine once upon a time. It is silly to reach the same conclusion about Romney now. Recreational drug use and adolescent bullying are different — the former crime, most of the time, is victimless. But in 1965, homophobia was even more common than it is now. That doesn’t excuse it, yet even today, in what is supposed to be an era of social progress, anti-gay epithets are still flung haphazardly by kids grasping for touchstone insults, including kids who aren’t anti-gay…

It would be relevant if Romney exhibited this kind of bad judgment, prejudice or cruelty in his adult life. There’s no evidence of that. If Obama is allowed to “evolve,” Romney is entitled to the same privilege.

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Mother’s Day idea from Kirsten Gillibrand: Why not donate to a pro-choice group?

This Mother’s Day, thank mom for the gift of life by helping to ensure that other kids don’t receive it.
Honestly, the only surprise is that she didn’t go the whole nine yards and make this a pitch for Planned Parenthood instead.
“This Mother’s Day, I can’t think of a better way to honor all the mothers in the country — past and present — than with a contribution to EMILY’s List,” Gillibrand writes. “They’re the ones working tirelessly to elect the pro-choice Democratic women who are making sure that our freedoms are protected for generations to come.”

“So, this year, join me in commemorating Mother’s Day with a contribution to EMILY’s List to help elect the Democratic women who will continue to secure our rights,” the senator continues. “On Mother’s Day, let’s get women involved and make sure they know who is truly fighting for them – the pro-choice Democratic women EMILY’s List is working each day to elect to office. Make this Mother’s Day extra special. Honor mothers around the country with a contribution to EMILY’s List.”


The fundraising appeal features a photo of the New York senator with her children — even though Emily’s List requires all candidates it supports to back taxpayer funding of abortions on children who could have been born to other mothers. Instead, Emily’s List supports denying millions of women like Gillibrand a Mother’s Day.

I’d been thinking it might be nice to take mom to an upscale restaurant on Sunday to celebrate, but no, on second thought, spending that money to help thin out the population of the next generation probably is better. Look at it this way: In years to come, the restaurants on Mother’s Day will be that much less crowded. Easier to book.

Gillibrand’s e-mail is one end of the spectrum on how to celebrate Mother’s Day this year. Here’s the other end. Exit quotation: “This isn’t how we breast-feed at home, it’s more of a cradling, nurturing situation.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Oh my: Audience member yells “traitor” at mention of Romney’s name during Obama rally

What do you think, guys? Do we let The One slide on this or should we indulge in a little end-of-the-week outrageous outrage over a shiny news object of our own? What would the left do? Or rather, let me rephrase: What did the left do four days ago?
Do note, this comes from a left-wing paper.
The shout from the crowd was clear. As President Barack Obama gave the first official campaign speech of his re-election bid at a sports arena in Ohio last weekend the first mention of his Republican opponent Mitt Romney prompted a male voice in the throng to yell: “Traitor!”


Earlier in the rally, held in the Ohio state capital of Columbus, several warm-up speakers for Obama had derided and mocked Romney for once using a Swiss bank account. Campaign videos played to the audience had prompted loud boos when Romney appeared or was mentioned…

“People look at Romney, and he is the personification of everything that is wrong with the system,” said Justin Ruben, executive director of MoveOn.org, a web-based group that campaigns on progressive causes. Ruben said the group had recently taken an internal poll of its left-wing members and been surprised that 68% of them felt Romney was as bad as or worse than President George W Bush as an American politician. “That was striking. I was not sure that our members had a scale that went beyond Bush,” Ruben said.

Obama apologists will distinguish this from Monday’s incident with Romney by noting there’s no proof that O heard this guy whereas Mitt obviously did hear the questioner with the microphone. (Never mind that Romney’s typical line on O is that he’s a “nice guy” who’s in over his head or that Mitt later emphasized that of course he disagreed with the questioner.) It didn’t matter in 2008 whether McCain or Palin heard some guy allegedly yell “kill him” at the mention of Bill Ayers’s name, which over time metamorphosed into a bogus claim that the “kill him” comment had been directed at Obama, and which persists to this day even though the whole story ended up being bogus. Supposedly, the “kill him” thing was a grand insight into the dark souls of Republican voters, irrespective of McCain’s feelings about it or whether he even knew about it. How much Romney-hatred will it take from O-bots before the media starts running similar dumb concern-troll stories about the sinister “anger” or whatever among his constituents? Class-warfare campaigns have been known to stir up some pretty bitter resentments, don’tcha know.

Exit question: If 68% of the MoveOn crowd is already treating Romney as worse than the Bushitler, where will that number be circa Election Day? And will that insane figure affect any media calculations about the terrible rigid partisanship that grips the land, or will that continue to be pawned off as some uniquely Republican failing?

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Obama only up 4 in SurveyUSA poll in … Oregon?

With all of his other competition out of the way, no one should be surprised how Mitt Romney stacks up against other Republicans in the Oregon primary, set for next Tuesday. A new SurveyUSA poll shows Romney with 58% of the vote, with Ron Paul in a distant second at 14%, which means that the May 15th primary will be as drama-free as possible. However, the poll also shows Romney within the margin of error against Barack Obama in the Democratic stronghold — and gaining:

In a November match-up between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney for President of the United States, Obama today edges Romney, 47% to 43%. Compared to an identical SurveyUSA poll released 2 months ago, when the Republican primary was still competitive, Obama is down 3 points; Romney is up 4. Among women, Obama leads by 13; among men, Romney leads by 6 — a 19-point gender gap. Independents break 4:3 for Obama. In 2008, Obama defeated John McCain by 16 points in Oregon.


The sample in this poll uses registered voters, a survey type that normally tilts a little more toward Democrats. The split might tilt more toward Republicans, though, with a D/R/I of 38/35/27. The D/R/I in 2008 was 36/27/37, and given that independents break more for Obama in this poll (44/33), the difference could be having a substantial impact on the results.

The other internals are intriguing. Anyone from Oregon will be unsurprised to discover that Obama’s strength comes from the Portland area, which he leads by 12 over Romney, but only at a bare majority of 50/38. In the rest of the state, Romney leads by 13 points, 53/40. Obama also leads among 18-34YOs, but not by as much as one would imagine, 49/38, short of a majority. Obama only scores majorities among self-described liberals and very liberals, while carrying Oregon moderates only by a plurality of 47/37.

Obama may have a solid lead, but it’s an unimpressive one in what should be a no-worry, loyal Democratic state. By failing to get to 50%, Obama gives an impression of vulnerability in Oregon, a state that last went Republican when Ronald Reagan ran for re-election. Romney might have Obama playing defense outside of the normally-accepted set of swing states in November.

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The Ed Morrissey Show: Duane “Generalissimo” Patterson & the Week in Review

Today, on the Ed Morrissey Show (3 pm ET), we’ll take a look at the past week with Duane “Generalissimo” Patterson of the Hugh Hewitt Show. Duane and I will talk about the fallout of the gay marriage endorsement from Obama, the media’s obsession with bullying in 1965 rather than in 2012, and Obama forgetting about the recession. All of this and more — and stay tuned for a preview of tonight’s Hugh Hewitt Show.
The Ed Morrissey Show and its dynamic chatroom can be seen on the permanent TEMS page — be sure to join us, and don’t forget to keep up with the debate on my Facebook page, too!


Video streaming by Ustream
NMarizela Perez has been missing for a year.


Marizela’s case has a connection here at Hot Air, as she is the cousin of the Boss Emeritus, Michelle Malkin. Michelle is trying to spread the word through Facebook and Q13Fox/KCPQ in Seattle. We want to encourage prayers for Marizela’s family, and also try to reach anyone in the area who knows where Marizela might be and ask them to contact the police.

The search has its own website now, Find Marizela, for the latest in the efforts to bring Marizela home. There is also a fund for the family to keep the search efforts going. Be sure to check there and at Michelle’s site for further developments, and keep the family in your prayers.

America’s Most Wanted is now on the case, too.

Michelle has a new update on the case on the one-year anniversary:

Exactly one year ago today, my 18-year-old cousin Marizela (known affectionately to her family and friends as “Emem” or “Mei”) Perez disappeared from the University of Washington campus in Seattle.

She is still missing.

Those words form on the computer screen with disembodied disbelief. But my heart is screaming:

SHE IS STILL MISSING. WHY, DEAR GOD, WHY?!!!!!

The not-knowing is every parent’s worst nightmare. It brought normal life to a standstill for Marizela’s parents, Edgar and Jasmin. And yet, they have to keep living and working and praying for their only daughter. Because that is what they must do. Their strength and dignity through all the suffering has been an inspiration to me.

There have been no new developments in Emem’s case. No word from the police or the medical examiner’s office. No activity on her bank accounts or social media accounts.

And no response from the Google legal department to our request for help in January.

Keep the prayers coming.

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Fast response: RNC already up with Obama-forgot-the-recession spot

Yesterday, Barack Obama told an audience at a campaign rally that “sometimes I forget” the magnitude of the recession … and today, the RNC wants to make sure everyone remembers this quote. Their rapid-response team already has a video spot up less than 24 hours later, complete with somber, funereal music and the obvious data points in the graphics. And Democrats can’t complain that the remarks were taken out of context, either:


Don’t expect the RNC or Mitt Romney’s team to get amnesia over this, either. “Sometimes I forget” will likely accompany every spot on the economy both organizations produce from now until the election.

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Hmmm, Harvard apparently touted Elizabeth Warren’s status as a Native American in the New York Times

Throughout the controversy over Elizabeth Warren’s claimed Native American ancestry, Warren has maintained she was unaware that Harvard Law School touted her heritage in defense of it’s diversity hiring practices in the 90′s. As reported by the Boston Herald, the Harvard student newspaper The Crimson published at least two contemporaneous articles on this topic which made reference to Elizabeth Warren as a Native American professor, in defense of the Law School. But it turns out this controversy generated ink in more than just the Harvard school paper: it also found it’s way into the New York Times. This is the full text of a letter published by the Times on Feb. 1, 1998 (emphasis added):



To the Editor:

Re the Jan. 29 Op-Ed article on hiring at Harvard Law School: Since 1989 the school has appointed to the faculty or voted tenure for four African-Americans, a Hispanic professor and eight women, including a Native American.

The school first offered a visiting professorship to Lani Guinier in 1992. Because of her nomination by President Clinton and for personal reasons, she was unable to accept our offer until January 1996. We offered her a tenured professorship in February 1996 and were happy to receive her acceptance of the offer this month.

Over all, 44 percent of the people appointed to positions of professor or assistant professor since Robert Clark became dean in 1989 have been women or minorities group members. We expect this trend in faculty hiring to continue.

MICHAEL CHMURA

News Director, Harvard Law School

Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 30, 1998

The Jan 29 Op-Ed that this was in response to was an editorial written by former Harvard Law professor Derrick Bell, of all people, in which he questioned why it had taken Harvard Law so long to hire it’s first minority female professor (Lani Guinier). “At Last, Harvard Sees the Light” was the headline, and it was featured prominently on the Times editorial page (you can see an image of the story over at Breitbart, thanks to John Sexton who unearthed this at his local library.)

So Chmura’s letter was clearly an effort to counter the bad publicity generated by Bell’s Op-Ed. And given that Bell’s criticism was focused on the lack of minority women hired at Harvard, Chmura’s assertion that they had in fact previously hired one individual who fit this description – a Native American woman – was central to his case.

Now, obviously Chmura’s letter did not mention Warren by name. However, an article which appeared in the Harvard Crimson only 3 days later, welcoming Guinier to the School, also included the following text:

Harvard Law School currently has only one tenured minority woman, Gottlieb Professor of Law Elizabeth Warren, who is Native American. The racial makeup of the HLS Faculty has been an issue before as well: in 1989, Harvard dismissed Weld Professor of Law Derrick A. Bell after 18 years of teaching because the noted expert on race and law refused to end his leave in protest of the absence of minority women on HLS faculty.

Chmura himself also directly identified Warren as a Native American, and Harvard Law’s only minority female faculty member, in an article published a couple of years earlier in the Crimson. So it seems pretty unlikely to say the least that Chmura could have been referring to anyone other than Warren in his letter to the Times. Both this letter, and the article published in the Crimson just 3 days later, were directly related to the hiring of Lani Guinier. And as far as anyone knows, there was no one else at Harvard Law claiming to be a Native American woman in this time frame.

Ok, so what? I suppose this may be just another footnote to this whole episode. But I also think this further calls into question Warren’s claim that she was unaware that her heritage was being used by Harvard in this manner. Now that we know this controversy involved not only a long-simmering controversy with a prominent former law professor in Bell, but that it also spilled over to the pages of the New York Times. Could Warren have somehow been oblivious to all this? That a Harvard spokesperson was effectively promoting her claim to be a Native American to the world? I suppose it’s possible, but it doesn’t seem very likely. In fact I think it’s much more likely that the reason no one has found any other references to Warren’s Native American status after 1999 is that Warren ultimately put a stop to it knowing how ridiculous it looked for Harvard to claim her as a diversity hire.

Even if somehow Warren was unaware of this as she now claims, Harvard Law School was clearly promoting her heritage as a counter-point to criticism over their hiring practices, and in the pages of the New York Times no less. Warren says she listed herself as a minority only in the hope of making new friends, but it sure seems to have played a more important role than this, at least for Harvard.

(For some additional background on just how prominent the controversy was over Harvard Law’s diversity hiring practices in the 90′s, I recommend this informative piece by Hans Bader who was a Harvard Law student in this era.)

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Scarborough: I question the timing of the WaPo hit piece on Romney

Not just the timing, either. Joe Scarborough also questions the prominence of the Washington Post hit piece, as well as its relevance. Mediaite captures the discussion on Morning Joe this morning, as Joe scoffs at the media reaction to Barack Obama’s “big nothingburger” of an evolutionary statement (via Freedom’s Lighthouse):


“It means nobody can run for president,” added Mark McKinnon. “When you look at, you know, what our public life looks like today, good people aren’t going into public service anymore. I was told the other day that the number of women running for office now is declining. And I think it’s the nature and the poisonous environment, and the media scrutiny, that are just driving good people out.”

“And there’s no doubt that the timing of this, Willie Geist,” Scarborough said, “the timing of this obviously is in line with Barack Obama coming out a couple of days ago, saying — I’m sorry. It’s a fun — I mean, the media response to Barack Obama saying absolutely nothing. In the immortal words of Pat Buchanan, celebrating “a big fat nothing burger” when Barack Obama basically said, ‘I’ve got the same position on gay marriage as Ron Paul or Ronald Reagan. I’m not going to do anything about it. The states can do what they want.’ But it seems to me that a story like this is timed to go along with the media celebrating Barack Obama saying he’s going to let states ban gay marriage.”

“Mark Halperin said it yesterday on the show, and I think he’s right,” responded co-host Willie Geist. “There’s no downside for the President given that just about every single member of the media agrees with his positions. So it will be celebrated. The timing of the piece — I’m sure they’ve been working on it for some time — it is a bit curious, the day after.” He then noted that ABC News had spoken to the sister of the man allegedly attacked by Romney all those years ago, who shared that the portrayal of her brother “is factually incorrect and we are aggrieved that he would be used to further a political agenda.”

Scarborough’s ire is also directed at Democrats, about whom he says that “never have so many Democrats been champions of state’s rights since Lester Maddox and George Wallace ran southern states back in the days of segregation.” He expanded on this, and the media’s fawning over Obama’s non-statement, at Politico:

The best laugh-out-loud moment came when the Times sent out a breathless breaking news alert at 3:16 pm, crammed with shameless spin and naked cheerleading. Public Editor Arthur Brisbane take note that the Newspaper of Record recorded the moment this way:

“President Obama declared for the first time that he supports same-sex marriage, putting the moral power of his presidency behind a social issue that continues to divide the country.”

The moral power of his presidency? Really?

Exactly how did the New York Times come to that conclusion when Barack Obama said he would not use his power as president to stop others from banning gay marriage?

Did any member of the Times newsroom actually believe that the president was ever personally against same-sex marriage? Where was the editor who approved that language over the past decade?

Do these progressive cheerleaders of the president realize that their hero has now adopted a position on gay marriage that is horrifyingly close to the views of Ron Paul, Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, Ronald Reagan and yes, even me.

If Obama’s statement was a big nothingburger, at least everything that followed in the media provided an eye-opening insight into media bias.

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