SandBoxBlogs: Red State "New Record Monthly Deficit 37 Months into Obama’s Presidency "

Daniel Horowitz Diary:
"Here’s a headline you won’t see in the media this week: we incurred the largest monthly deficit on record in February.

Seven months into a government “reined in” by the Budget Control Act, we are supposed to be reaping the benefits of budget reduction.  Yet, according to CBO, we incurred a gargantuan $232 billion deficit in the month of February.  The conservative Washington Times was the only publication to note that this was the largest monthly deficit on record.  Keep in mind that we didn’t start accruing annual deficits of $230 billion until this past decade.  The preliminary estimates from CBO projected outlays at $335 billion and revenues at $103 billion.  Our total deficit for the first 5 months of fiscal year 2012 is $631 billion ($869 billion in revenue; $1.5 trillion in outlays).

Think for a moment about what it means to spend $335 billion in 29 days.  It comes out to $11.5 billion per day; $480 million per hour.  So the next time Congress deliberates over a few billion in spending cuts over the course of a month, remember that we will add several hundred billion more in debt during the course of the debate.

What is so astounding about the record monthly deficit is that it comes amidst a recovery in the job market and an overall increase in revenues.  Due to quirks in the scheduling of government payments, February is always a bad month; nevertheless, even during the worst months of the recession, we never suffered such a large budget deficit.  In February 2009, the monthly deficit checked in at $193.8 trillion.  At a time when tax receipts are increasing again (corporate tax receipts are up 56%), we should not be racking up such high deficits.  Hence, it is incontrovertibly clear that we don’t have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem, most prominently, an entitlement and welfare problem...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
$229 billion

SandBoxBlogs: Keith Hennessey "A good Jobs Day"

Keith Hennessey, March 9, 2012:
"The fewest numbers you need to know

This morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in February the U.S. economy created 227,000 net new jobs and the unemployment rate held steady at 8.3%.

We are still 5.3 million jobs shy of peak employment in December 2007 and 864,000 shy of January 2009 when President Obama took office.

Same data, different views
Different audiences look at employment data in different ways:

• People’s lives are most affected by the level of employment: how many people are working and what is the unemployment rate? At 8.3 percent this number is still bad.
• As both a policy and political matter, Washington, DC cares about the level, but even more about the direction and rate of change: are we adding or subtracting jobs, is unemployment rising or falling, are we “headed in the right direction?” From this view today’s report offers good news, at least on the jobs created front. I assume the Administration will cite 17 months of continuous job growth. Possibly more significant is that we have had four months of job growth > 150,000/month, which is roughly what you need to keep up with population growth.  The trend continues to be positive, although you should want even bigger numbers since the unemployment rate is still high.
• Markets and market commentators care even more about how the change compares with expectations before the data was released. Today’s numbers slightly exceeded expectations of about 200,000 net new jobs so the reaction from this perspective should also be positive...."

(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Hot Air Blog "Oh my: Obama’s approval rating hits new low in CBS poll"

AllahPundit:
"Second look at the “war on women”?

Just 41 percent of Americans approve of the job Mr. Obama is doing as president, according to the poll, conducted from March 7 to 11. Another 47 percent disapprove of his performance, up from 41 percent last month.

Mr. Obama’s approval rating was 50 percent last month.

The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped 12 cents over the past two weeks. The poll found that most Americans, 54 percent, believe gas prices are something a president can do a lot about…

Mr. Obama’s job rating on the economy remains about the same as it was last month – 39 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Colorado Statesman "Political odd fellows score major legal win"

Peter Marcus:
"So-called “527 political organizations” in Colorado scored a major victory on Feb. 21 when the Colorado Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the organizations can spend unlimited money in support of state candidates and operate free of some state campaign governance laws so long as the organizations steer clear of “magic [electioneering] words” that would trigger those laws.

The ruling in Colorado Ethics Watch v. Senate Majority Fund, LLC offers a comfort level to political organizations in Colorado raising funds for “issue ads,” and clarifies so-called “bright-line” rules defining state campaign finance regulations, specifically around the 2002 voter-approved campaign finance laws enacted by Amendment 27. While the ruling essentially preserves the status quo in Colorado, it is significant in that it clearly defines campaign governance rules of political organizations.

“It’s really about having bright lines that separate states that might fall within the ambit of campaign regulations from speech that clearly is outside of those regulations, and the brighter that line is the more robust and uninhibited political debate can be,” said Steven A. Klenda, an attorney with Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s former law firm Hackstaff Law Group, which represented the Senate Majority Fund, a Senate Republicans leadership advocacy group...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Durango Herald "In love letters to Pat, the Nixon we never knew"

Gillian Flaccus:
"ORBA LINDA, Calif. – Long before Richard Nixon rose to power and fell from grace, he was just another man in love.

Decades before he became known as “Tricky Dick,” Nixon was penning nicknames (sweet ones) to his future bride in love notes that reveal a surprisingly soft and romantic side of the man taken down by Watergate. Nixon shared the stage with Patricia Ryan in a community theater production and six of the dozens of letters they exchanged during their two-year courtship will be unveiled Friday at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum as part of an exhibit celebrating the 100th birthday of the woman Nixon playfully called his “Irish gypsy.”

In Nixon’s letters, he recalls their first meeting in flowery prose, daydreams about their future together and waxes poetic about the first time his “dearest heart” agreed to take a drive with him.

“Every day and every night I want to see you and be with you. Yet I have no feeling of selfish ownership or jealousy,” he writes in one undated letter. “Let’s go for a long ride Sunday; let’s go to the mountains weekends; let’s read books in front of fires; most of all, let’s really grow together and find the happiness we know is ours.”

Eighteen years after his death, the correspondence offers a tiny window into a fiercely private side of Nixon that almost no one ever saw and represents a love letter of sorts to fans of the 37th president, who were infuriated when the National Archives took over the museum and overhauled it to include a detailed chronicle of Watergate...."  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Drug case leads to Aspen man being arrested again"

"An Aspen man facing eight felony drug charges was arrested again Friday at a large party at the Aspen Recreation Center for allegedly violating the terms of earlier sentences in separate cases.

Thomas Simmons, 22, was taken into custody around 11 p.m. on two warrants out of Garfield County.

Simmons was arrested Feb. 4 and originally charged with tampering with evidence in a case that was later dropped because police misidentified him on surveillance video. But an officer allegedly found cocaine and ecstasy packaged for sale on his person when he was arrested at the Belly Up during a concert.

Police then obtained a search warrant for his Park Circle apartment. There, police say they uncovered 4.6 ounces of MDMA and 1.6 ounces of cocaine, along with 27 doses of LSD and nearly an ounce of psilocybin mushrooms. Aspen authorities said it was one of their largest drug seizures in recent memory.

The arrest apparently violated the sentencing terms of two cases Simmons had in Garfield County. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor theft and also admitted culpability in a 2009 felony drug-distribution case...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today "Heroin investigation in Steamboat yields arrests"

Matt Stensland:
"Steamboat Springs — Three Steamboat Springs men have been arrested on suspicion of their involvement in heroin distribution.

The All Crimes Enforcement Team drug task force arrested the men Friday night after a six-week investigation, ACET Commander Marvin Cameron said. Cameron said three search warrants and two arrest warrants were served Friday starting at about 5:30 p.m.

“I can definitely tell you that Steamboat Springs is a safer place and a better place today,” Cameron said.
Elijah Joseph Persons, 21, was arrested on suspicion of organized crime, distribution of Schedule 1 narcotics and money laundering. He was arrested Friday evening while working at his job in downtown Steamboat. Steamboat Springs Police Department Chief Joel Rae said a search of Persons’ car yielded 40 grams of heroin.

Persons’ brother, Jordan Thomas Persons, 19, was arrested when a search warrant was served on the car he was driving on Rabbit Ears Pass. Rae said he was arrested on suspicion of organized crime, possession of Schedule 1 narcotics and money laundering.

Rae said Samuel Lawrence Andrew, 21, was a passenger in the car and was arrested on suspicion of possession of Schedule 2 and Schedule 4 narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

In a separate case, Rae said officers on Friday also arrested Nicholas Stephen Power while serving a search warrant at his home on Spruce Street.

All four appeared in Routt County District Court on Monday and were scheduled to appear next for status conferences at 1 p.m. Wednesday (March 14)...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: The Hill/Hillcon Valley "Yahoo files massive lawsuit against Facebook over patent infringement "

Brendan Sasso:
"Yahoo sued Facebook on Monday, accusing the social media giant of infringing 10 patents.
According to the lawsuit, Facebook copied Yahoo's products, including in advertising, privacy controls, social networking and messaging...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Next year's Vail Resorts Epic Pass on sale"

This is just such a great marketing idea.  We're impressed with it every Spring.

To give a super deal on their signature Epic Pass for the upcoming season, before the current season is even over; not only gives locals a huge financial break it helps tourism dollars and the overall financial health of the Vail community.

Small businesses can see into the future a little bit easier so that they can plan ahead and in the off-chance the upcoming season turns out to be a dry one; skier visits being down takes less of a toll.

And the best part?  For only a $49 down payment you have until September to pay the balance.  Such a deal!

Vail Daily:
"BROOMFIELD, Colorado — Vail Resorts begins selling its popular ski and snowboard season passes Monday for the 2012-2013 winter season.

All passes are available for purchase at http://www.epicpass.com/.

• The Epic Local Pass, for $509, offers unlimited and unrestricted skiing or riding at Breckenridge, Keystone andArapahoeBasin with limited holiday restrictions at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. It also includes a total of 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek with holiday restrictions.

• Summit Value Pass is available for $419 and provides unlimited and unrestricted lift access to Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, as well as access to Breckenridge with limited holiday restrictions. Pass holders can purchase access to Breckenridge on restricted days for $50 per day.

• The Epic Pass, offering unlimited, unrestricted skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Arapahoe Basin, is available for $659.

• Epic 7-Day gives skiers and snowboarders a total of seven unrestricted days of skiing and riding at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Northstar, plus Arapahoe Basin anytime during the season for a price of $509.

Prices and spring benefits are only guaranteed through April 15. Vail Resorts is giving guests the option to lock in these prices with a $49 down payment now with the remainder of the balance due in mid-September..."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today/Jimmy Westlake "My Favorite Stars: La Superba"

Jimmy Westlake:
"Note: Throughout the next year, I will share with you in this column some of my favorite stars — stars that you, too, can observe and perhaps add to your list of favorites. They are presented in no particular order other than when they are best observed.

Have you ever seen a red star? No, I mean a really red star. Tucked in under the handle of the Big Dipper is one of the reddest stars in the sky, named La Superba.

With a name like that, it had better be pretty impressive, and it is. La Superba is the brightest carbon star in the sky. With a surface temperature of only 3,500 degrees F, it also is one of the “coolest” naked eye stars and, for a star, cool means red...."  (Read more?  Click title.)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit County Citizens Voice "Morning photo: In the willows"

All credit  Bob Berwyn: