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#1. American Saturday Night by Brad Paisley #2. Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors #3. Crack the Skye by Mastodon #4. Revolution by Miranda Lambert #5. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix #6. Love vs. Money by The-Dream #7. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt 2 by Raekwon #8. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear #9. I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers #10. The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga . . .

The last year has been a whirlwind. From the economic fall to America's lost position on the world stage to the attacks upon those “un-American, bigoted, religious hate mongers who are attempting to keep America in the shadows of progressive accomplishment”. Time magazine, as every year, has chosen their Person of the Year. Was it someone that has done good for the country, like members of our Armed Forces or Emergency personnel (Firemen, police, EMS, first responders) that place their lives on the line day in and day out? No

She may not be the Person of the Year, but Time considered her influence significant enough to put her on the list of PEOPLE WHO MATTERED in 2009. Here's their explanation : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you thought Sarah Palin was just going to fade back into the Alaskan wilderness after she and John McCain lost the 2008 presidential election, then you don't know Sarah. America's favorite Rorschach political figure is still going rogue, whether quitting her job as governor — who needs a bully pulpit when there's Facebook? — or spending her hour on Oprah dissing the 19-year-old father of her...

To be fair, 2009 was a year that defied prediction. Who would have thought the stock market would drop like a stone until early March and then abruptly rise like a rocket? For that matter, who would have predicted Tiger Woods' ugly fall? Still, if you stick your neck out and prognosticate in public, you have to be prepared to take some ribbing when you're wrong. Looking at you, Rick Wagoner. PREDICTION The unemployment rate will top out at 8% in the third quarter of 2009 if the Obama stimulus plan is approved. —Chart of projection by Christina Romer and...

If last Christmas season was a disaster for retailers, 2009 looks like the Titanic. Gallup reports that its survey of consumers shows holiday spending down 20% or more each of the last three weeks from the previous year. Its job survey continues to show no improvement over 2008, either: Self-reported consumer spending was down more than 20% in each of the last three weeks from last year’s depressed weekly comparables. At the same time, Gallup’s Economic Confidence and Job Creation Indexes were essentially unchanged. … Gallup’s attitudinal economic data suggest that the Main Street economy continues to lack a lot...

The nominations for the 67th annual Golden Globes were announced on Tuesday morning (December 15), bringing recognition to both newcomers and long-established Hollywood talents. "Up in the Air" received six total nods, followed by "Nine" with five and "Avatar" and "Inglourious Basterds" with four each. In the television categories, "Glee" topped all others with four nominations, followed by several programs with three nods, including "30 Rock," "Big Love" and "Dexter." In the Motion Picture - Drama category, James Cameron's "Avatar" and Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" will face off against Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker" and "Precious," a...

Call it a wash. The biggest retail day of the year managed to match up against the sales figures from last year, eking out a 0.5% increase — perhaps not even enough to cover what little inflation may have occurred over the past year. Retailers took in $10.66 billion on Friday, but the news reports leave out an important question: Shoppers who endured long lines and sometimes-frigid temperatures spent only slightly more during their Black Friday shopping sprees than they did last year, according to data released Saturday by a research firm. At the same time, their pajama-clad counterparts, a...

On election night, Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman conceded defeat to Democratic candidate Bill Owens after dramatically under-performing in key counties and deciding that he couldn’t overcome the gap. Today, the campaign is “looking very closely” at a recanvass of the district that has revealed, as recanvasses often do, screw-ups in the initial count. What was a 5,335-vote margin for Owens on election night is now a 3,026-vote margin, due largely to initial under-reporting of Hoffman votes in Oswego County and Jefferson County. According to Mark Weiner’s report, the Hoffman campaign is leaving open the option of legal challenges if...

These are partial results for Libertarians who were candidates in the November 3, 2009 elections. We will post more results as we learn them. In Georgia: Karen Richardson was re-elected to the John's Creek City Council. Chris Neill, running for Mayor of Marietta, got 14%. Richard Segal, running for City Council in Douglasville, got 41%. Jeffrey Sexton, running for City Council in Leesburg, got 22%. Kellie Weeks, running for School Board in Gainesville, got 32%. Dr. Thomas Smoot, running for School Board in Valdosta, got 24%. In Iowa: Roger Fritz was elected Mayor of Roland. Nick Taiber got 46% running...

Reporting from New York - The grand opening year for the new Yankee Stadium concluded in grand fashion, in the only way the New York Yankees know how. In 1923, the inaugural season for the old Yankee Stadium, the Yankees won the World Series in six games, with three home runs from Babe Ruth. In 2009, the Yankees won the World Series in six games, with three home runs from Hideki Matsui. In what could have been the final game of his career with the Yankees, Matsui homered and drove in six runs, lifting New York to a 7-3 victory...

New York's District 23 Congressional race should send a clear signal to the Republican party that conservative candidates can win elections, and stand up for the values that the party should support now and in the future, says Mike Brasovan, Republican Congressional candidate for Texas District 12. "I believe this race clearly indicates that if the Republican party will stick to its conservative principles and lead based on those principles, people will follow," he said. Brasovan says he's glad the campaign of conservative New York Republican Doug Hoffman overtook that of Republican state assemblywoman Deidre "Dede" Scozzafava. She was supported...

Republicans increased their majority in the Virginia House of Delegates in Tuesday's election by picking up at least five seats -- stanching a recent Democratic tide in the state's lower chamber. The GOP also made inroads into a handful of seats representing the Washington suburbs, including the 34th District, comprised of part of Fairfax County. Republican Barbara Comstock defeated Democratic incumbent Margi Vanderhye in the race for that seat by the razor-thin margin of 50.6 percent to 49.2 percent. Meanwhile, Republican Scott Garrett nipped incumbent Democrat Shannon Valentine in Lynchburg, 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent, with the race called by...

Pedro vs Andy

CHRIS Christie's gutsy win in New Jersey puts the arrogant big spender Jon Corzine in his place. But it is the election in Virginia that probably has more to say to marginal Democratic congressmen considering how to vote on health-care reform. Obviously, Christie's victory is a body blow to Obama after Corzine outspent the Republican by five-to-one and the president put on a serious push for the incumbent. Corzine's defeat sends a message that the nation is moving sharply against Obama. But Virginia results are the most important. More than 80 Democratic congressmen and 20 senators come from states that...

Breaking News: Fox News Projects: Democrat Owens Wins Race for New York's 23rd Congressional District

Follow those races here. Report turnout, exit polls etc. as they happen..

Happy Birthday Jim Robinson We appreciate the hard work and dedication you have made towards the cause of conservatism. This forum has been a beacon of information, hope and friendship for thousands of people around the world. We all hope you will have a wonderful birthday & great year ahead TOPICS: Humor; Miscellaneous; Poetry; The Poetry Branch; Click to Add TopicKEYWORDS: amysplace; april; friends; friendship; Click to Add Keyword [ Report Abuse | Bookmark ]

3 Points in 3 Months: VA Gov Contest Polling Ends Just About Where It Began, with GOP Sweep of VA Races: Three months ago, when SurveyUSA began polling on the Virginia Governor race, Republican Bob McDonnell led Democrat Creigh Deeds by 15 points. Today, 3 months and 7 polls later, McDonnell leads by 18 points, essentially unchanged over the last three SurveyUSA releases, and essentially unchanged since late July. Today, it's McDonnell 58%, Deeds 40%, according to this latest SurveyUSA poll conducted for WJLA-TV Washington DC, WDBJ-TV Roanoke, WTVR-TV Richmond, and WJHL-TV in the Tri-Cities. McDonnell has never polled below...

WATERTOWN, N.Y. — On a Sunday evening conference call with conservative bloggers — where he was joined by former Dede Scozzafava campaign manager Matt Burns — Rob Ryan, spokesman for NY-23 Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, said that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had recorded a robocall for the campaign. That makes Giuliani one of the small number of Hoffman endorsers to put deeds behind his words, joining former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and former New York Gov. George Pataki, who’d appeared in the district, as well as Fred Thompson, who is speaking at the campaign’s last big...

This is the latest ad from John Corzine, these guys know exactly what they are doing and will stop at nothing to get re-elected (Photos, Video + Polls)

BARACK OBAMA’S most devilish political move since the 2008 campaign was to appoint a Republican congressman from upstate New York as secretary of the Army. This week’s election to fill that vacant seat has set off nothing less than a riotous and bloody national G.O.P. civil war. No matter what the results in that race on Tuesday, the Republicans are the sure losers. This could be a gift that keeps on giving to the Democrats through 2010, and perhaps beyond. The governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia were once billed as the marquee events of Election Day 2009 —...

Someone mentioned there was a debate TONIGHT w/Owens, Scuzzyfuzzy and Hoffman...that was why Hoffman didn't go to last nights....is there anywhere we can follow it?

TRENTON, N.J. — The independent candidate running for governor in New Jersey says a Massachusetts Republican has urged him to quit the race. Chris Daggett says he’s received two phone calls and an e-mail from Christy Mihos, who warned that Daggett would be blamed if Republican Chris Christie loses a bid to unseat Democrat Jon Corzine.

I’ve written about David Harmer before. He is in a very close election out in CA-10, running in a special election to replace former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher. As Jim Geraghty noted yesterday, Harmer is running full steam ahead into the public option in his district, which leans blue, but in which Harmer is polling very, very well against a state wide elected Democrat — California’s Lieutenant Governor. Harmer could use some last minute help. Things are looking good for him, but money and volunteers remain in short supply. To donate folks can go to the website: http://www.harmerforcongress.com/ To volunteer, people...

Was it a cheap shot? Governor Jon Corzine is having second thoughts about one of his campaign commercials that appear to target Republican opponent Chris Christie's weight. "Christie threw his weight around as U.S. Attorney and got off easy," the ad says. For months now Corzine has been making challenger Christie's girth a campaign issue, but Christie's frank admission that he's struggled with his weight must have touched a sympathetic cord with voters because now Corzine is backtracking. Asked if he should have used words other than "throw his weight around," Corzine said, "I think that's probably a good idea."

Chris Christie leads Jon Corzine 42-38, a slight increase from a PPP poll two weeks ago. Independent Chris Daggett is at 13%.

McDonnell expands lead again Raleigh, N.C. – Bob McDonnell now leads the race to be Virginia’s next Governor 55- 40, up from 52-40 a week ago. Democratic voters have been showing gradually less interest in the election over the last month as it has becoming increasingly clearer McDonnell is the likely winner. A month ago 37% of likely voters were Democrats. That declined to 33% a week ago and now to 31%. McDonnell is winning 94% of the Republican vote while Deeds is at only 84% of the Democratic vote. McDonnell also has a 59-34 lead with independents. Deeds’ favorability...

ARLINGTON, Va. - With one week until Virginia's gubernatorial election, an exclusive poll for WJLA-TV shows Republican Bob McDonnell retaining his commanding lead. The SurveyUSA poll dated Oct. 27 shows McDonnell with a 17-point lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds, 58-41. McDonnell maintains his lead across most demographics, including age, sex and income. Independents are breaking 2-1 for McDonnell, 60-38. Thirty-eight percent of abortion rights supporters say they will vote for McDonnell, twice the percentage, 19, of anti-abortion voters who say they will vote for Deeds. The poll also shows McDonnell with a 58-41 lead across Northern Virginia, where Democrats have...

According to a new poll released by the Club for Growth, Doug Hoffman now leads in New Yorks 23rd congressional district special election! While I have been expecting Hoffman to slowly surge into second place, for a hell of an election finale, it appears Hoffman has surged beyond all of my expectations. Boo yeah!

As you are aware, I released my initial winter outlook on September 1, 2009 (you can read the full post here) and I followed that up with some specific details for key locations with this post. On October 14, 2009, one of the nation’s largest private weather companies, AccuWeather, released their 2009-10 Winter Outlook (viewable by clicking provided link) and today, October 15, 2009, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the official U.S. Government 2009-10 Winter Outlook. I would like to compare my forecast with the other two and to see if we are thinking in similar ways...

A poll released today shows Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie tied in the race for New Jersey governor. A Quinnipiac University survey shows Christie nudging Corzine, 41-40, with independent Chris Daggett pulling in 14 percent. The results are within the poll's 2.8 margin of error.

From the Press of Atlantic City: Asked directly if he thought Christie was fat, Corzine touched his bare head, smiled and said, "Am I bald?"

Proposition 2 (HJR 36 - #1) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead." Proposition 3 (HJR 36 - #3) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes." Proposition 11 (HJR 14 - #1) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment to...

Now more than ever we need an attorney general who will fight for limited government and stop the expansion of federal programs. As the federal government gets more intrusive in our lives, we need someone like Ken Cuccinelli who will stand up for our rights. Ken has the same belief our Founders did when they established this great nation and cautioned against too much government power and regulation. Ken knows that the government that governs best, governs least.

In Virginia, 4 Weeks Until Votes Are Counted, Republicans Remain Poised to Win 3 Top Statewide Contests: Middle-Aged, Women See Something in Deeds, But Little Else Is New : In en election for Virginia Governor today, 10/05/09, one month until votes are counted, Republican Bob McDonnell defeats Democrat Creigh Deeds, 54% to 43%. Compared to an identical SurveyUSA poll one week ago, Deeds has gained ground among women, among voters age 50 to 64, and in Southeast VA. In 4 identical SurveyUSA tracking polls conducted for WJLA-TV in Washington DC and WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, McDonnell has polled at 55%, 54%,...

Most economists, using their conventional models, are looking at things like “output gaps” to rationalize additional borrowing to stimulate the economy. So long as people and capital are unemployed, cost-push inflation isn’t seen as a threat so stimulus is believed to be cost-free. The risk, of course, is that we can’t borrow to infinity. At a certain point — tough to say when — we’ll tap out the national credit line. Where economists get in trouble, IMHO, is they envision this nebulous period in the “medium term” when the economy will be growing again and debt can be paid back....

Republican Robert F. McDonnell has bounced back to a nine-point lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds in the race to become Virginia’s next governor. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Virginia voters finds McDonnell attracting 51% of the vote while Deeds picks up 42%.

Attorney General Tom Corbett (R) is the most well known of the candidates looking to replace the term-limited Gov. Ed Rendell (D), and therefore leads his potential opponents by wide margins, a new Quinnipiac survey finds (Sept. 21-28, 1100 RV, MoE +/- 3%).

After trailing by 14 points two months ago Creigh Deeds continues to close in on Bob McDonnell. The race now stands at 48-43.

I’ve mentioned in the past the importance of electing officials who share our principles of liberty, limited government, and personal responsibility. That’s why I’ve ardently supported Senator Ken Cuccinelli as our next Attorney General. Both Virginia and our nation as a whole could benefit from more leaders like him. I’m pleased to announce that my former employer, Congressman Ron Paul, has taken note of this race as well. From an email earlier today: Dear Friend in Liberty, The 2009 elections in Virginia promise to be very important for the direction of our Country. America has taken a dangerous turn away...

Fraternal Order of Police endorses Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General Cuccinelli receives single most important endorsement in Attorney General's race Richmond, VA. - Today, Senator Ken Cuccinelli announced his endorsement for Attorney General by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) the Commonwealth of Virginia's largest law enforcement group. The announcement was made during a morning press conference in Richmond. "Ken Cuccinelli's outstanding recognition of the problems faced by the Supreme Court Case Melendez Diaz, his early and outspoken push for a Special Session, and its ultimate success which will allow the prosecution of certain cases to proceed - is a...

BOLLING RECEIVES ENDORSEMENT OF FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE -Law enforcement coalition cites Bolling's dedication to protecting the citizens of Virginia- RICHMOND - Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling has received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Bolling received the endorsement at a press conference earlier today at the State Capitol with FOP President P. Thomas Edwards, Bob McDonnell, Ken Cuccinelli and members of the law enforcement community "I am very pleased that the Fraternal Order of Police has chosen to endorse my re-election as Virginia's Lieutenant Governor. Throughout my career in public service I have consistently stood in support of...

Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Bob McDonnell for Governor Roughly 8000 members; 50 lodges across Virginia -In Just Last Month McDonnell Endorsed by: The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation; Virginia Realtors; Virginia Credit Unions; National Federation of Independent Business; National Rifle Association; Fairfax Chamber of Commerce NOVABizPAC; Fraternal Order of Police- RICHMOND- Bob McDonnell, Republican gubernatorial nominee and former Attorney General of Virginia, was endorsed today by the Fraternal Order of Police in his campaign for governor. The announcement was made during a press conference in Richmond this morning. The FOP is the voice of our nation’s law enforcement officers. Virginia’s...

Anyone here on FR have any idea what this is going to be? Heads up fellow patriots! This Monday, September 21st, we will be making a major announcement. And here's your clue about the big plans in the works. If you liked the 9/12 March on D.C., you're going to love what's coming up next! Above: Photograph from 9/12 March on Washington - courtesy of FreeRepublic.com Supporters of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have been hurling the most vile criticisms of the tea party movement, our Tea Party Express and the 9/12 March on Washington. No less than...

Daily Kos/R2000 9/14 - 9/16 600 LV 50 43 McDonnell +7

With 49 days to go, a new poll in Virginia finds the race for governor tighter than any poll in the last two months. Bob McDonnell (R) leads with 42% to 37% for Creigh Deeds and 20% undecided, according to Clarus Research Group, a non-partisan polling firm (Sept. 10-14, 600 RV, MoE +/- 4%).

Public Policy Polling’s habit of asking revealing, bizarre questions continues with a survey of New Jersey voters that finds—as President Obama’s approval rating dips slightly—only 79 percent of voters ready to rule out the possibility that their president is the Anti-Christ. Eight percent say he is, while 13 percent are not sure. Further breakdowns on that question: - Twelve percent of McCain voters think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Twenty-one percent are not sure. - Fourteen percent of Republicans think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Fifteen percent are not sure. - Eighteen percent of “conservative” voters think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Seventeen...

I'm not saying New Jersey is in the best condition right now, but compared to other states we're not doing too bad considering the make up of our economy, and that many New Jerseyans were directly affected by the financial collapse last year. But now some are blaming the Governor for their economic ills when in fact Jon Corzine has spent much of the last four years, with pail in hand, bailing out the under compartments of a ship that Captain George W. Bush steered with his unsound and untested economic policies into every ice burg he pretended wasn't there.

New Jersey and national Democrats have spent the last few weeks insisting that Gov. Jon Corzine is making a comeback in a race that as recently as last month looked unwinnable for him. As evidence, they cite the barrage of negative stories about former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (R) as well as a new Monmouth University poll that shows Christie's lead shrinking nearly in half in the last month. "This race has been getting closer for more than a month and almost every poll shows that," said pollster Joel Benenson who has been working with Corzine since August.

This is a great day! New York State’s first 9/12 Candidate has already been attracting attention, and this announcement is the result of him attracting our attention. Aaron Blake, a contributor for “The Hill” recently wrote: Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman is beginning to look like he might be a force in the upcoming New York special election. DeRoy Murdock of the “Washington Times” had this to say: Appropriately for a Lake Placid resident, Mr. Hoffman is rather low-key and soft-spoken. However, his voice urgently rises when he addresses the ways in which Washington pins down so many of his...