DSK just can't leave it alone, can he?

...Dominique Strauss-Kahn (click here) could face gang rape charges after an escort girl said the former International Monetary Fund chief and three others held her down and forced her to have anal sex.

The latest revelation involving Mr Strauss-Kahn, a one-time Socialist presidential hopeful in France, has heaped further embarrassment on the party. The Socialists have sought to distance themselves from Mr Strauss-Kahn, but several members of Francois Hollande's campaign team ended up in a Parisian bar with him in a red light area last week.

The state prosecutor is considering opening an inquiry into the allegations by a 25-year-old Belgian call girl, known as Marie-Anne S, over her treatment at the hands of Mr Strauss-Kahn in a Washington hotel in December 2010, according to French media,

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Mr Strauss-Kahn is under investigation for "aggravated pimping in an organised gang" as French judges try to ascertain whether he knew the women he had sex with in various orgies were prostitutes. He denies any wrongdoing....

I'm concerned for the women and children.

Sperm donors have parental rights in New Zealand? I don't know what this man's problem might be, but, I doubt sincerely the families receiving his sperm are counting on his presence in the children's lives.

Alabama politician Bill Johnson caught in sperm donation scandal in New Zealand (click here)

Published: Sunday, December 11, 2011, 8:49 PM     

Updated: Monday, December 12, 2011, 12:18 PM

Bill Johnson, a former top state official who made a failed bid for governor in 2010, has been living a secret life in New Zealand as a sperm donor for lesbian couples, a New Zealand newspaper reported today.

Johnson, a Republican from Prattville, has spent much of the past year in Christchurch, New Zealand, as a contractor working on the recovery effort from a deadly earthquake that struck the city in February....

He ran as a Republican for the seat of Governor of Alabama in 2010. He is married to a beauty queen. He's a strange one.

The heartbroken wife of a politician (click here) who secretly acted as a sperm donor behind her back says he has left her to be with babies conceived with other women.

Speaking from her home in the United States, Kathy Johnson says her husband Bill has returned to live in New Zealand where he donated sperm to at least 10 women without her knowledge.

"He wants me to move over there. He's not coming back.

"I will not chase him to the other side of the world so he can be a part-time father to children he created with other women."

Mrs Johnson, a two-time Mrs America finalist with three children from a former relationship, says the first baby is a girl and due to arrive this month. There are at least two others, also girls, who are due in June and July, she says.

Mr Johnson began donating sperm after arriving in New Zealand in May to work on Christchurch earthquake recovery. He created an online persona "chchbill" on unofficial websites for those seeking sperm donors....

...Mr Johnson, who could not be contacted, said at the time the desire to father a child was "a need that I have". "Reproduction and having children is as basic a human need as eating," he said in December.

His actions caused concerns in the fertility medicine community which has guidelines restricting donations to no more than four families and regulating donations to fertility clinics.

It has also led Mrs Johnson to campaign for a law change in the United States which would make it illegal for men in long-term relationships to donate sperm without their partner's knowledge.

Mr Johnson returned to Alabama in the United States after news broke in December of his activities. He left Alabama just after Easter to be in Christchurch for when the babies start arriving....

"I would characterize our growth as durable and steady....

The Secretary of Labor is correct. She is not only correct, but, it is rather amazing to realize  our country is growing after it's second depression. A depression that could have been completely avoided if deregulation under the direction of Republicans hadn't occurred.


The graph to the left illustrates job growth ending in March of 2011. A year later the economy is still growing. Every quarter of his Presidency there has been job growth compared to the lows of Former President Bush. 


To realize the crash was foretold by the job losses long before October 2008 is compelling. Based on that reality there is absolutely no reason to believe President Obama isn't one of the most prolific job creators since Bill Clinton. There is indication a jobs downturn will occur.


"In April, our largest gains (click here) — 62,000 new jobs — were in good-paying business and professional services careers, meaning more architects, engineers, computer programmers and consultants are finding jobs. Also, we added another 19,000 manufacturing jobs in April. After losing millions of good manufacturing jobs in the years before and during the deep recession, the economy has added 485,000 manufacturing jobs in the past 26 months....

Dr. Paul Krugman, (click here) Nobel Prize winner for Economics, had a very interesting set of graphs on his blog lately.


He noted there was far less job growth under Bush's economy  than under that of President Obama.


The standard estimation for job growth in the USA is 200,000 to 250,000 per month to keep up with population growth, etc. Under the Bush Administration of 2001-2009 the 'median' job growth was about 130,000 per month. Sometimes it was less, but, it never reached 200,000. It is not fair to compare the growth of job creation under President Obama to goals this country has't reached in over 12 years.


I don't know how many times on this blog I have stated, the jobs lost, nearly 2 million after the crash, are GONE. They aren't coming back. President Obama is pushing new technologies, new areas of growth in order to transition the USA into growing. These jobs are sincerely CREATED. They have been stimulated and incentivized and funded through the Small Business Administration to encourage growth in the USA that has never existed before. 


What is even more amazing is President Obama has done this nearly impossible task while withdrawing from Iraq and upholding regulations that protect the lives of Americans and their national treasures. President Obama never compromised the morality of American values during his entire time in office to date. He never will. He is that kind of man. He holds dear to all the values we care about the most. President Obama is a remarkable President. There isn't any President that has out performed his record in the face of the second, most major economic collapse in the history of the country.


The fact of the matter is, the Great Recession was actually the Second Great Depression. When it occurred the depth of the economic loss to the USA was unestimated by everyone. In addition to underestimating the depth of the economic collapse, no one expected what then occurred afterwards; the financial sector abandoned the USA economy in droves. They took their bailout monies and went elsewhere. Now, we are seeing the fruit of the direction the financial sector chose and it is manifested in an elaborate and exclusive fiberoptic cable to exploit the financial markets even further. Even if the average investor wanted to take advantage of this faster cable connection, it is not possible. This exclusive cable line is directly due to the monies the financial sector garnered after the global economic collapse of 2008, which started under Paulson in at the very least 2007.


Money is finite. There is not an unending supply of it. Not really. And when the Fed prints more for Quanitative Easing, the new bills go directly to the sequestered financial sector. So there is no sense in seeking a QE3. It will do nothing to improve hiring. More money in the hands of people that are focused on exploitative opportunities are not interested in long term growth that actually builds economies with sustainable jobs.

The public job sector buoyed "W"s economy, not the private sector.

The difference with Bush, after September 11th, is he grew the intelligence network to an unsustainable size. There was a lot of spending for creating a 'security network' in the USA. I remember the article in the Washington Post whereby there was this enormous intelligence network in the USA costing the federal government plenty.


Oddly, consolidating departments of the federal government under one new cabinet position called "Homeland Security" was suppose to make the government more efficient, not larger and more ungainly.

...But the real eye-opener (click here) comes when we compare Obama’s numbers to George W. Bush’s. In Bush’s first term, the economy shed 913,000 private sector jobs! 913,000! The only thing that saved Bush’s first term from being a complete economic disaster, in terms of employment, was robust public sector growth: The economy added 900,000 government jobs. One wonders: Without the massive growth in the public sector during Bush’s first term, would he have been reelected?

This is interesting for a number of reasons. First, it punches a big hole in the theory that Bush’s tax cuts were responsible for boosting employment during his first term. Let’s also recall that the Bush recession (which he inherited from Clinton) was far, far milder than the near-Depression Obama inherited from Bush. In that context, Obama’s performance resuscitating the private sector has been miraculous. The Washington Post published an article criticizing Obama for not doing enough to resist job losses in the public sector, without fully acknowledging the political impossibility of additional stimulus after the first round, but we haven’t heard all that much over the years about how the growth of government saved Bush’s bacon.

Of course, Obama isn’t running against Bush, so that’s moot. But as this presidential campaign heats up, it might be worth periodically reminding ourselves: Bush led the U.S. economy out of a weak recession with strong public sector growth. Obama is leading the U.S. economy out of a near-death experience while a steadily shrinking government swells the unemployment rolls. Which magic trick do you think is harder?

The Navy Seals involved with any raid would never defame the President that chose that course.

This is a cheap political shot.

"...a grassroots action organization (click here) committed to ensuring that America remains a strong nation by advancing liberty, safeguarding freedom and opposing tyranny."


I really don't want to address this because it involves the bravest and more dedicated people in our military. I find it reprehensible they are taken out of context for this propaganda film.


The context is not even correct, there was no issue that involved water or boats. It is an insult and an overt attempt to bring the 'swift boat' to bear.


President Obama was and should be proud of his decision. It was not an easy one to make. He believed in our military to successfully achieve the end the life of the mastermind of the attacks of September 11, 2001. I am happy a President was proud of his call. It is the way it should be and for anyone in the USA to try to defame that moment is completely "W"rong.


I really believe this act of bravery on the part of our military, which includes the President, should receive attention at the DNC National Convention. They never paused. The President, the Navy Seals, the Commanders, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs. They never paused. They agreed this was a priority for our military and they succeeded. It would not have had happened if President Obama didn't 'put it on the line.' Believing in our military and its competence is vital and a Commander and Chief believed.

If the track at Chruchill Downs is wet/muddy Gemologist might be the Secretariat of his time.

I don't believe he has the capacity of Secretariat to finish 31 lengths ahead of his peers in the Belmont, but, if he wins on a wet track he has a chance to prove he is Secretariat's equal for his generation.


The Kentucky Derby (click here) is dressing up the event, too. There is a trend in the horse racing industry to combine casinos with race tracks on the same property. Churchill Downs does not have a casino so the "Twin Spires" has come up with ideas as to how the Kentucky Derby is a good as Las Vegas.


LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Gemologist (click here) might have what it takes to become the second Kentucky Derby winner in three years for trainer Todd Pletcher and WinStar Farm.


The bay colt is the only undefeated horse in the field. He's a two-time winner at Churchill Downs, and Pletcher said the horse's even approach during work reminds him of another superstar -- Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. "To me, he's been Mr. Consistency so far," Pletcher said....


Wagering on horses has better odds than any Casino. The horse industry has a history and consistency that actually makes it a social event while cheering for a favorite.  It is why there is a party atmosphere at Churchill Downs. This is considered an achievement for the horse breeders. These horses are well known to the community and it is sincerely a contest between members of their generation. Colts have more muscle than fillies so they are the dominant gender at the Twin Spires, but, once in awhile a filly will emerge as a contender. I don't like the fillies to compete with colts as it usually ends in tragedy, ie: Ruffian. On a very, very rare occasion a filly can compete without peril to her in some way.


A Guide to have a very Vegas Kentucky Derby (click here)
Bettin
If you haven't been following the horses all year, Vegas Chatter offers five simple tips ("We mostly play exactas!") to get you started. Wannabe winners can be in on the action by betting as little as $1 or $2. Post time will be about 3:30 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday.
For more tips, atten a free handicapping seminar before the big race at 5 p.m. today (Friday) at Lucky's Race & Sports Book inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Place a $20 wager and receive an official Kentucky Derby mint julep glass for free. Lucky's opens early for bets at 7 a.m. today and Saturday....


There is room for everyone in the horse racing industry. There is plenty of abuse within the industry for those that 'police' cruelty to animals. The horse race industry only this year has removed the use of Lasix, a diuretic believed to enhance the performance of the horses.


The reliance on medicating the horses has become so dominant in the industry, the breed itself has been effected all the way to the genetic content of current competitive stock. The genetics are so removed from the days of Man 'O' War and Bold Ruler the current horses could never compete. The race record times these days are all enhanced by medications these young horses are raised with. A filly doesn't become a mare until the age of five and that holds true for a colt as well. While breeding begins after the three year old races of the Triple Crown (Which it didn't with Secretariat, he continued to race he was so sound and strong there was no risk of injury.) the horses are not mature until the age of five.


The removal of Lasix is the first step to regaining the 'strength and soundness' of the thoroughbred horse, but, there is a long way to go. The process to removing medications from the industry is more or less a weaning process. If every racehorse today were taken off every medication used with them, the industry itself would most probably collapse.


Try and get that level of delicacy, concern and activism from a casino! 


It ain't all about money!


Secretariat stood approximately 16.2 hands (66 inches, 168 cm) tall, and weighed 1,175 pounds (533 kg), with a 75 inch girth, in his racing prime.


Secretariat was a huge. He won handily because his conformation managed the stress of racing without a problem. His stride was enormous. His stride contributed to his victories. His girth was 75 inches which spoke to the size of his heart and lungs. Between his stride, his physical stamina and his spirit there was no stopping the fact he set records in all the race records of the Triple Crown. The clock at the Preakness was malfunctioning and never officially recorded his time, but, locals to the track stated he finished with record time on their hand held timers.


The industry can claim he was an unusual three year old, but, that is inaccurate. It is breeding and the genetics of Secretariat that happened to occur in 1973. He was a son of Bold Ruler, a lack luster thoroughbred, but he was within the Princequillo thoroughbred bloodline. That lineage is sadly understated in the racing industry today. The Princequillo bloodline thoroughbred had huge wins even if not well known. Those bloodlines were bound to be the most potent to the history of the industry, it just happened to come together at Meadow Stables under a watchful eye of a family that loved the breed and its potential.


So, the question is what kind of 'Class of 2012' does the thoroughbred industry have to offer this year? Will Gemologist prove to be a Triple Crown winner? Will he prove to run in a muddy environment as well as a dry track? Secretariat ran in and on everything and won. He ran on grass and dirt, in mud and not. He was an amazing example of the "Class of 1973."

Four Dead in Ohio