L-R Andrew Grose, me, Jeff Williams, Jeff Collins, Bill Ullman (circa 1985)News Round-Up: August 12, 2019
L-R Andrew Grose, me, Jeff Williams, Jeff Collins, Bill Ullman (circa 1985)
L-R Andrew Grose, me, Jeff Williams, Jeff Collins, Bill Ullman (circa 1985)News Round-Up: September 12, 2018
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| Rodiney Santiago (via Instagram) |
Some news items you might have missed:
• InstaHunk Rodiney Santiago can’t stop gushing about his awesome vacay in Mykonos. Funny, I can’t stop gushing about Rodiney… 🙂
• Hottie Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy recently told US Magazine that he believes Colton Haynes may be reconciling with his ex, Jeff Leatham.
• Tadd Fujikawa has become the first male professional golfer to come out as gay.
• Viola Davis recently told the New York Times she has some regrets about making the film, The Help, as the story ended up being more about the white characters’ perspective on racism than those of the black characters.
• According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal budget deficit was $895 billion for the first 11 months of fiscal year 2018, $222 billion more than the shortfall recorded during the same period last year. #SoMuchWinning
• Chris Pine is amused by folks reaction to his full-frontal scene in the new film, Outlaw King:
“What I find very funny is that there’s so much beheading in this, and yet people want to talk about my penis,” Pine told the The Hollywood Reporter. “And I think that says something about our society, where people can get disemboweled, but it’s the man’s junk that is of interest.”
News Round-Up: November 2, 2015
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| Boxer Yusaf Mack comes out as bisexual |
Some news stories you may have missed:
• Did you hear the one about the straight pro-boxer who swears he must have been drugged because he doesn’t remember starring in a gay porn? Never mind that he doesn’t address this other gay porn he starred in.
• Sen. Ted Cruz and Ben Carson climb in a new Iowa poll as Donald Trump loses ground.
• Have I mentioned my latest theatrical adventure?
• Did you know big pharmaceutical companies can PAY generic drug makers to delay making those meds available to us, costing Americans $3.5 billion a year?
• Alleged Philly gay-basher Kathryn Knott heads to trial December 9th to defend herself for her part in an attack that left a man with a shattered jaw needing to be wired shut for months.
• “Pawn Star” reality celeb Rick Harrison bemoans the fact that he loses business for supporting anti-LGBT politicians.
• Despite all the moans from Republicans/conservatives, the U.S. deficit just hit a seven year low. #ThanksObama
• Sen. Marco Rubio surges to 3rd in New Hampshire poll after debate performance.
Annual Deficit Cut By Nearly Three-Fourths During Obama Administration
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No one’s talking about this much, with all the conservative hand wringing about deficits and national debt, but the fact is the U.S. budget deficit has fallen to an 8 year low.
That’s a good thing, kids.
The deficit is the annual number showing the difference between how much the federal government spends and how much it takes in via taxes and fees.
Via Yahoo News:
The US government’s budget deficit fell to an eight-year low in fiscal 2015, dropping to $439 billion, the Treasury Department announced Thursday.
The cut in the finance gap — which was $1.4 trillion in 2009 — brought the deficit down to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product, the lowest level since 2007.
The achievement marked a long effort by the administration of President Barack Obama to pare back the budget shortfall after it soared when the economy plunged into crisis in 2008.
“President Obama’s agenda continues to put Federal finances on a sustainable footing while laying the foundation for durable economic growth and broadly shared prosperity,” Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a statement.
“Under the president’s leadership, the deficit has been cut by roughly three-quarters as a share of the economy since 2009 –- the fastest sustained deficit reduction since just after World War II.”
How Is The U.S. Deficit Doing?
US deficit falls to lowest level in 5 years
Want to balance the budget? How about we make some cuts here…
SRSLY. How much defense spending do we need?
After a certain point it starts to look like a man in mid-life crisis buying an expensive sports car. We clearly outspend EVERY major industrialized nation. Why not a trillion? Two trillion? When is enough enough?
OR – if you really care about the deficit – I’m talking to you Tea Baggers – how about we trim some of this from the defense budget and pay down the deficit?
(…falls on deaf ears…)
Congressional super-committee to announce failure to find resolution
Members of the “super committee” charged with coming up with $1.2 trillion in budget cuts are focused on how to announce failure to reach a deal, Democratic and Republican aides confirmed to CNN Sunday.
While aides said no final decision had been made, they acknowledged that — barring an unforeseen development — an announcement of an end to negotiations is the most likely scenario.
Democrats have proposed a “balanced” solution that would generate $400 billion from increased tax collections and $700 billion in spending meant to jump-start the economy, including an extension of the payroll tax cut, extended unemployment benefit payments and money to permanently prevent cuts in payments to doctors who treat Medicare patients.
However, Republicans would only agree to spending cuts and the closing of one small tax loophole for corporate jet owners.
Talks on trying to reach a deficit reduction agreement are essentially over and discussions are focused on a Monday announcement, a senior Democratic aide said.
More at CNN.com
Who increased the federal debt the most?
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From the U.S. Treasury Department.
Now – any questions…?
The President’s Balanced Approach to deficit reduction – chart
Two-thirds of the savings come from spending cuts,
one-third from closing corporate tax loopholes and allowing Bush tax cuts to expire.