Free kibbles

TAX AND SPEND:

Feds tax home buyers to pay for payroll tax cut extension. No matter what you do, they find ways to steal your money. This also puts downward pressure on home prices while they claim they want to prop them up.

Capital gains taxes are scheduled to rise at the end of 2012. Just what we need, another drain on private sector investment.

FEDERAL RESERVE:

When I first read about this MF Global bankruptcy, I recognized the name Jon Corzine, but I never did place it. Here's a reminder who Jon Corzine is:

"Jon Corzine told the House Agriculture Committee, "I simply do not know where the money is, or why the accounts have not been reconciled to date." The public is outraged that the former CEO of bankrupt global financial-derivatives broker and prime dealer in US Treasury securities MF Global doesn't know where the missing $1.2 billion in client funds went.Corzine is the member a few exclusive clubs: he is a Goldman Sachs alum, former US senator, and former New Jersey governor. After the incumbent Corzine was beat by Chris Christie in the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial race, the MF board probably rejoiced, believing the guy to fix their problems was suddenly available. Now he's in the club of taking a mere 20 months to create the eighth largest bankruptcy in history."

This is probably the most under-reported story of the year.

GLOBAL WARMING AND ENERGY:

Forget what scientists tell you about endangered polar bears. The real story is growing polar bear populations are becoming problems for small towns.

FOREIGN POLICY:

Egypt's military attacks protesters.

"Troops pulled women across the pavement by their hair, knocking off their Muslim headscarves, and slapped a middle-aged woman in the face repeatedly Saturday. Young activists were kicked in the head until they lay motionless in Cairo's Tahrir Square."

Remember when Egyptians considered the military to be on their side? I wonder what they think now. Things were fine as long as the protesters just wanted Mubarak to surrender power. Now that the people want the military to surrender power, things are very different. People in power always want more. They never want to give it up. They'll use every bit of their power to protect their power.

Kazakhstan government disables the internet because of protesters much the way US governments have shut down cell phones and blocked Twitter during protests.

POLITICS:

Leno gives Ron Paul 20 minutes. Three segments. This is a great interview.

Now the establishment claims that if Ron Paul wins Iowa, then Iowa no longer matters.

Occupy Wall Street crooks break into Episcopal church parking lot because they hate property rights.

MEDIA:

Liberal commentator makes case for Ron Paul over Obama. This is why Ron Paul would trounce Obama in the general election. He will draw a significant number of votes from the left. The Republican establishment always claims Republicans should nominate a moderate to win centrists, and that's baloney. They should nominate a supporter of the Constitution to really draw votes from the left.

LOCAL:

In a wonderful example of how Americans help each other, local visitors to Kmart are paying off delinquent layaways to help families have a good Christmas. I wonder if it's Kmart managers. Not to be cynical because it's generous no matter who does it, but this is a great plug for the store.