Searching for insight-Part 2

So just in case you think we're just talking big talk when we say we're in hot pursuit of answers about the state of the financial market, we decided to go a step beyond what the media is reporting on the issue and spent some time in the Lehman Brothers discussion group on Google Finance. (Ok, we were on NYMag.com and there we found the link to a post by chris_desbarres@yahoo.com, but over here following links counts as research) Disclaimer: we have no clue who Chris is but we thought his "30-second version of what happened with Bear Stearns and Lehman" broke the issue down in a way that laymen can understand. That said, know for yourself and only use this info as a condensed means to a comprehensive end:

People went to traditional banks and mortgage brokers and bought mortgages. All of these mortgages carry different amounts (e.g. $100,000 mortgage vs. a $500,000 mortgage) and different risk levels. The ones that are more likely to default have a higher interest rate, so the bank stands to gain more money...but at a greater risk of the home owner defaulting on the mortgage.

The problem with this is it is very difficult to balance your risk-reward ratio. So they created an investment vehicle called a mortgage-backed security (MBS). This is reffered to as a "derivative" because it is based off of the mortgage. The way it works is the banks chopped up all these different mortgages into different securities that were worth different amounts and different risk levels. They then sold these to other banks and investments firms. The firms who bought these MBS then received a payment based off of the mortgages. For the banks selling MBS, it helped them pool risk and generate capital, and for the firms who bought the MBS, it provided a source of cash flow with what was thought to be a very safe,secure underlying commodity: real estate.

Since real estate was so "safe," these banks used huge amounts of leverage (borrowed money to buy the securities) because they didn't think they were that risky. Some firms, like Lehman, were leveraged 30:1, meaning that for every $30 they borrowed, they had $1 of underlying assets. That would be like you making $1000 a year but taking out a loan of $30,000.

While all this is going on, people are buying up adjustable interest rate mortgages (ARMs). They offer a cheap introductory rate, but then skyrocket. So all of a sudden, all these people discovered they couldn't make their monthly payments. The default rate shot through the roof. The firms that had purchased MBS did so based on certain
calculations of default. In other words, X number of people could default on their mortgages, but they could still make a profit and have a positive cash-flow. However, when the default rate shot up, this threw all of their calculations off.

Now the firms faced a real problem. They had HUGE amounts of debt on their balance sheets, and the assets that were supposed to balance that debt were becoming worth less and less because of the rising default rate and the drop in housing prices. These are the "write-downs" that you hear about. The firms had to pay interest on that debt, but they did not have the corresponding cash flow to be able to pay the debt. Lehman, for example, had $5.4B of debt obligations last quarter, but only had $2.3B in income.

When you can't pay your debt obligations, that's called being insolvent. Many people think that bankruptcy is caused by having more liabilities than assets, but that's not true. It's caused when you can't make good on your debts, so the repo man comes and claims your assets in order to make up for it. When that happens, you have to file for bankruptcy in order to make sure that people get paid in the correct order because otherwise different creditors are going to be suing you to make sure they get what you owe them.

So that's where we are now with Lehman. They couldn't pay their debts, so they had to file for bankruptcy.

Make sense?

To visit the discussion group see:
http://finance.google.com/group/google.finance.657107/browse_thread/thread/54fdd4c1327913cd/670c91dbcf5945ad?lnk=st&q

Searching for insight-Part 3

After hearing from commentators and informed citizens, the next logical step is to hear our future leaders' perspective on the state of the economy. Senator McCain has stated that economics is not his forte and “...is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” His surrogates have all but confirmed those sentiments as fact. Today, the Senator from Illinois broke from the 30-second rule for commercials and issued a 2-minute ad as a counterpoint to the Senator from Arizona's deep knowledge on the subject. Check it out:

Change of pace

Over here at ALBC, its not all politics all the time. As you'll come to see we have a broad range of interests. The quest for "a lil bit of change" is a cultural phenomena that goes far beyond candidates, campaigns and catch phrases. It's about being the best you can be and, by doing so, inspiring others to be better .

In that vein, we borrowed this amazing pic from our neighbor thesartorialist.blogspot.com. A subtle understanding must exist between an artist and its subject; they must challenge each other while also being vulnerable amongst each other. This shot embodies "a lil bit of change" because the subject exudes an energy that is free from restraint and the artist reciprocates by capturing the subjects magnetism.

Enjoy. Thanks Sart.

For Your Information

Your friends here at ALBC are keeping close watch on Wall Street and the chaos that is our economy. Things are changing rapidly and honestly it's impossible to know what will happen next. This weekend it was Lehman and Merrill, today it is AIG, and there's potential for another major institution to fall victim later this week (knock on wood those words don't come to life). Yet in the midst of the confusion we thought we'd share some information on "Why AIG matters" courtesy of CNNMoney.com.

I have insurance through AIG. How worried should I be about the problems at the company?

At least in the short term, you probably don't need to be worried at all. The problems are with the AIG holding company, not the individual insurance company subsidiaries that you do business with, according to a source with New York State's insurance regulator.
Even if AIG's holding company is forced to file for bankruptcy court protection, there's a good chance that the subsidiaries will continue to operate normally with no disruption in claims payments. That has happened in the case of other insurance holding companies' bankruptcies in the past, such as Conseco (CNO).

What guarantees that my claims will be paid?

Typically, if an insurance company falls into financial distress and is at risk of having claims that exceed the assets it holds to make those payments, the insurance regulator in its home state will take control of the firm and make payments.

The state regulator will not only use the firm's own assets to make those payments but, if necessary, can also make payments out of a state fund into which all insurers in the state are required to pay.

This guarantee applies not just to traditional insurance policies but also to retirement products that have a promised payout, such as annuities.

But there are limits to the payments that will be made to customers that vary depending on which state a particular AIG subsidiary is based, according to Joseph Belth, professor emeritus of insurance at Indiana University and editor of The Insurance Forum, a newsletter often critical of the industry.

Should I be thinking about changing my policy away from AIG to another insurer?

While credit rating agencies downgraded debt held by AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) on Monday, AIG's ratings are still considered investment grade and the company's insurance subsidiaries are considered to be secure, at least for now.

Belth said changing insurers is not a simple decision.

"A lot depends on what kind of insurance you talk about," he said. "If you're talking about life insurance, you have to think about whether you can qualify with a new insurer, if your health has changed. But it's something you have to consider if the ratings decline into the vulnerable range."

Why should I care about problems at AIG if I'm not a customer?

AIG is by far the world's largest insurer and its stock is found in many mutual funds, including any S&P 500 index fund. It is also a component of the Dow Jones industrial average. All by itself, it's been responsible for dragging the Dow down more than 400 points so far this year.

AIG is also active in the business of credit default swaps, complicated financial instruments used by investors to protect themselves from bond defaults. Lehman Brothers (LEH, Fortune 500) was another major player in that field. If both go away, it would create a tighter credit market for consumers and businesses trying to get loans.

For this reason, there is a debate about whether the Federal Reserve will agree to lend the company the tens of billions of dollars it needs to cover its short-term funding needs or if the Fed will try and get private firms to assist AIG instead.

AIG is an insurer, not a lender. Why do I keep hearing about its problems with subprime mortgages?

All insurers take money they collect in premiums and invest them in different forms of assets. The idea is to make money on those investments so that the insurer can keep their premiums low and attract more clients.

But AIG made a bigger investment into securities that were backed by subprime mortgages than most other insurers. As defaults and foreclosures of those loans rose, the value of those securities fell, creating big problems for the firm.

In the past nine months, AIG has reported net losses of more than $18 billion, largely due to its exposure to bad mortgages.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/16/news/companies/aig_questions/index.htm?postversion=2008091621

Labor indefinitely

To say that the American economy has been in a tailspin the past few days is kind of an understatement. Honestly, I really don't know how to quite articulate what's going on right now. HOWEVER!!!, I found someone who can. Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich gives his 2 cents on the economy while doing a handstand and dropping the S-bomb.


I couldn't have said it better myself.

It's hard finding good help

As the economy goes to "shit", Senator McCain and his surrogates show how well prepared they are to get us back on track.

At least Mitt Romney found it funny.

Fortune Magazine: MySpace sets music free

By Devin Leonard, senior writer

Myspace founders Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson have had an uneasy relationship with the music industry. Nearly every music act has a MySpace page; some of them, like British pop diva Lily Allen and American psychedelic-funk purveyor Gnarls Barkley, have used the social network to become stars. But two years ago Universal Music Group discovered unauthorized songs from U2 and Jay-Z on MySpace and sued the site in federal court.

Well, that relationship is about to improve. In August some of the industry's most prominent executives - including Universal's Jimmy Iovine - showed up at MySpace headquarters in Beverly Hills for a visit that couldn't have been more cordial. "It was almost like we were all singing 'Kumbaya' together," DeWolfe says.
It was the first meeting of the board of directors of MySpace Music, an unprecedented joint venture between the social network and three of the Big Four music companies: Universal, SonyBMG, and Warner Music (WMG), which together account for 77% of all U.S. album sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. MySpace is also in talks with the fourth biggie, EMI, whose U.S. market share is 9%.

MySpace Music, scheduled to launch in September, promises to be the most significant rollout of a digital-music service since Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iTunes. It will enable MySpace users to listen to any song from the catalogs of the three music giants free. There will be on-screen ads along with that music, but yes, it will be free. And that includes U2 and Jay-Z-and Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock, and rap superstar T.I.

DeWolfe says the key to the new service is this: Users will be able to visit the pages of major label artists and click on the songs they like as they listen. Then they'll be able to create playlists on their own pages made up of those tracks: "There will be a button that says, FOR THE FULL CATALOG, CLICK HERE," he says. "That's what's never been done before." The idea is that people will use the playlists to personalize their MySpace page, which, in turn, boosts traffic. "Think about why people go to a music service," he says. "They go to iTunes because they just want to get the songs and get out. MySpace is different. It's like going to your friend's house, and they have cool music playing in the background that makes the experience that much better."

"This is how people discover music now," says Luke Wood, executive VP of Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M. "It's not happening through people reading Rolling Stone. It's not happening through the radio. It's happening through social networks online."

If listeners really like a particular song, they can buy it with one click and have it routed immediately to iTunes or Windows Media Player via a download service created by Amazon (AMZN, Fortune 500). To Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the alliance makes perfect sense: "MySpace, with its hundreds of millions of users, is an important place for music discovery, just like the Amazon MP3 store."

Bezos sounds excited, and no wonder. He's confident that Amazon's alliance with MySpace will increase his company's share of the music-download market. The market research firm NPD says that Amazon's year-old MP3 store is already the nation's second-largest digital-music retailer, after iTunes. MySpace's music company partners are also pleased that the joint venture will strengthen Amazon's hand. Although they won't say so on the record, they aren't happy with iTunes' current domination of digital music. Says Ivan Gavin, COO of SonyBMG's BMG Label Group: "Competition isn't the worst thing in the world."

DeWolfe believes that MySpace Music could generate enough money through ad sales, downloads, and eventually music-related e-commerce like T-shirt and concert ticket sales to put the industry back on its feet again. The music labels, of course, could use some new revenue streams right now. The industry is in a state of upheaval. Last year alone, CD sales declined an astonishing 20% - that's $2 billion in revenue gone. Digital sales rose by $500 million - nowhere near enough to make up the difference. "We think this has the ability to change the economics of the music industry and create a revenue stream that replaces lost CD sales," he says.

Yet for MySpace Music to succeed, it will have to sell ads - lots of them, and at commanding prices. Its label partners want a penny each time someone listens to a song on an ad-supported service. That means MySpace Music needs to charge $10 for every 1,000 ad impressions just to break even. Think how many MySpace pages automatically play a tune when you land on them; each one counts as an impression. MySpace won't comment, but media buyers say it has been able to charge only $3 per 1,000. Why? Because there's a glut of social-networking ad inventory on the market. That's one reason Fox Interactive Media, MySpace's parent, missed its revenue target for the fiscal year ending in June by an estimated $100 million.

DeWolfe promises that MySpace Music will have no problem selling ads. He points to his company's 300 ad salespeople, most of whom are working on the new music service. Toyota, McDonald's, and State Farm are sponsoring the launch. "We recognized that this is a groundbreaking addition to the music industry landscape," says Doug Frisbie, national media manager for Toyota Motor Sales.

In a way, MySpace Music was something that DeWolfe and Anderson had to do. Their site had a huge audience of music fans, but it wasn't making enough money. So nine months ago they pitched the idea of an ad-supported service to News Corp. (NWS, Fortune 500) CEO Rupert Murdoch and his deputy, COO Peter Chernin. The two executives took a typically contrarian stance. They weren't bothered that other major media companies have been fleeing the music business. "This venture marries the largest music community in the world with the biggest music catalogs in the world," Murdoch tells Fortune. "We're confident it will be a big success."

"It's not like we were going out and starting a record label," says Chernin. "This is something we'd been talking about for a while."

Here's a big question hovering over MySpace Music: Will it actually improve the music industry's slumping overall sales? "We believe that you can't just have ad-revenue-sponsored content," says Michael Nash, Warner's chief digital strategist. But why will people buy more music when MySpace will be offering so much for free? DeWolfe says people will still need to buy tunes to play on their iPods.

The truth is, MySpace et al. are making a leap of faith by pushing free music. Dalton Caldwell, CEO of imeem, an ad-supported music social network that has 27 million users, warns that DeWolfe is setting the bar too high. "I don't know if we can be superheroes and save the world," says Caldwell. "I think it would also be difficult for anybody to say they can replace lost CD sales."

Don't tell that to DeWolfe. He's already talking cultural juggernaut. "Think about MTV," he says. "Not necessarily what they are right now, but how they created pop culture in the late '80s, early '90s. I think that's what MySpace Music will do now." Maybe he should get those lost CD revenues replaced first.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/11/technology/leonard_myspace.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008091212

Soapbox Sundays

Public preference on the issue of the war in Iraq has largely boiled down to those who favor withdrawing the troops and those who favor prolonging the battle. Senator McCain, who is a member of the later group, is running on a 'We can't afford to lose' platform. Yet who defines winning and losing? More specifically, what constitutes victory in a conflict such as this one where the immediate defeat and surrender of the know enemy was immediately followed by conflict with an unknown enemy?

Ultimately the People will determine the definition based on who they vote for. By electing Senator McCain, the People would be defining the recipe for victory as a continued surge in troop levels and a corresponding escalation of the conflict. Best case scenario, the surge expeditiously wears down the militias, restores a reasonable degree of peace and allows us to commence the daunting task of rebuilding. Conversely, a far worse scenario is the Iranian influence on Iraq will evolve from clandestine to conspicuous.

My preferences aside, the reality is, if elected, Senator McCain will declare he has a mandate based upon popular support. What do you think about that?

Ageism has no place in America, but...

Moments of ageism always provide me with a good laugh. This post is in honor of my two year old cousin who threw a fit when his mother wouldn't let him play football with a group of older kids. His response was, "Not too young! Vaughn not too young!" As a person who can relate to the ageism Vaughn experienced (shout out to my 2nd grade teacher who didn't believe World News was my thing and was convinced I memorized the newspaper stories every morning), ALBC would like to share with you a short video from slate.com, How to Call McCain Old Politely.


And in a knee-Jerk rebutal from Sen. McCain, he shares how he feels about his age in his own words, after the jump:

Palin: Obama probably wishes he'd picked Clinton as VP

(CNN) — Sarah Palin said Barack Obama could be wishing he had asked Hillary Clinton to join him on the Democratic presidential ticket.

"I think he's regretting not picking her now, I do," the Republican VP nominee told Charles Gibson of ABC News. "What determination and grit and even grace through some tough shots that were fired her way. She handled those well." Palin herself has said that Hillary Clinton had been “whining” about sexism during the primary season. "When I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism, or maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, 'Man, that doesn't do us any good, women in politics, or women in general, trying to progress in this country,' " she said at a media forum earlier this year.

But when the Alaska governor first hit the trail after being named John McCain’s running mate, she made remarks at campaign events praising the New York senator, though she stopped making the comments after drawing consistently negative reactions from GOP crowds.

Clinton herself has largely avoided discussing Palin publicly since the governor's selection as McCain's VP.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/13/palin-obama-probably-wishes-hed-picked-clinton-as-vp/

"It's like a really bad Disney movie..." says Matt Damon

Click Read More! below to watch Matt Damon share his opinions about McCain & Palin. It's pretty straight-forward, he even mentions Actuary Tables.

"if you havent seen it, he sums it up just like i would!"

-M. J. P.

Palins no porker. But John McCain's economic plan...

Change your Flight Pattern

Recorded live by a banker, beatboxed by an actor, and produced by a Genius. All done for the love of the game; not too serious but seriously interesting. And funny. And clever. And you might be in it. And if you don't see yourself it might be because the Genius tucked your shot into a fraction of a second in the frame. And if that's not the case then you need to change your flight pattern and be fly with us.


A lil bit of comment would be nice.

Engulfed in Change

On the Sunday preceding Hurricane Gustav I received a text message from an old friend from high school. It was a mass text that instructed people to use text messages to communicate so as to not tie up the cellular towers during Gustav's commencement and aftermath. Aside from being amazed at how technology has altered and improved disaster relief, the text struck me as odd because my friend lives in Baton Rouge. Prior to this text, I like many others had made the far too common mistake of relegating all things gulf coast to merely the city of new Orleans. Not to take anything away from the danger New Orleans consistently faces during hurricane season, but it is only one of many cities, towns and municipalities in Louisiana, as well as the entire South, that faces the threat of devastation.

After checking with my friend as to her safety, I was informed that she'd evacuated to our hometown, Tallulah, which is in north Louisiana a couple hundred miles from the actual Gulf. From there, I proceeded to inquire about the state of things in Tallulah and was happy to hear that all was well. I was so pleased with the news that I didn't feel compelled to check with my parents to verify. They didn't call and I didn't call; no news was good news. I proceeded to enjoy the rest of labor day weekend by overeating and debating whether Sarah Palin was the Anti-Christ or Eve with a barrel of apples. (I did finally call my mother after the storm had passed to make sure that things were as I'd hoped they were.)

It would be unfair and inappropriate for me to criticize "the government" for choosing to err on the side of avoiding catastrophe by requesting all citizens to evacuate. However, although the storms themselves have caused great damage, it seems that preexisting "weak" infrastructure, both physical and administrative, has caused the most substantial and sustaining damage to the region. It wasn't just Hurricane Katrina but also the weak levees and inadequacies of FEMA that lead to the moment in time that we will never forget but pray that we won't revisit. Further, although Hurricane Gustav has come and gone, there are still hundreds of thousands of gulf coast residents living without power, in part due to Entergy’s regional monopoly of the power industry. While the thought of citizens being without power may not shock your senses in the same manner as seeing thousands stranded in front of the Morial Convention Center, trust me when I say “Hell is probably less hot and humid than Louisiana is right now”; throw in the mosquitoes who thrive in those conditions and you have something straight out of Dante's inferno.

I don't want to cop out here and go on a Kanye-esque the government doesn't like Gulf Coast people diatribe. I could easily spew out statistics about the Gulf Coast being the most impoverished and undereducated region of the country; I could easily talk about the high crime rates in cities like New Orleans and Mobile; I could easily say that President Bush once again flew over the devastated areas to observe the damage but didn't come up with a practical and sustainable plan of action once he was back on the ground. However, doing so would only place this amongst the already thunderous chorus of op-eds, articles and essays that chronicle the post hurricane state of affairs. What I would rather do is challenge us all to use this as an example of why it's important for citizens to serve as a check on government. We must elect officials who can articulate an understanding of and a plan of action for the needs in the community they seek to serve. We must form citizen groups to counter the influence wielded by corporate special interests. We must use the advancements in technology and communication to modernize citizen activism.

We must use the tools at our disposal to incite change.

Change Agent: Cassandra Henderson, changing sex education

Every month, ALBC will highlight citizens who are serving as a catalyst for change in various civic capacities. Meet our first "Agent of Change", the multi-talented Cassandra Henderson. ALBC interviewed Ms. Henderson about her quest to change the way sex education is taught to students. In an era where the rules of engagement and the possible consequences have drastically changed, it has become even more important to properly educate our children on the facts about sex.

ALBC: What change are you currently involved in?
CH: As of July 2008, I incorporated my now growing entertainment company Yardi Entertainment Inc., and as the first major project, I am working to revamp the sex education curriculum, first in the United States and ultimately world-wide. It is a project I have been wanting to do for over 10 years.

ALBC: What made you interested in revamping the Sex Education curriculum?
CH: In 1996, Georgia had the nations highest rate of teen pregnancy. Having spent most of my life in Georgia, this was important to me. As a teenager at the time, I became involved in an organization founded by actor, activist, and advocate Jane Fonda called "The Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention" (G-CAPP). I served as one of the youth spokespersons of this organization for two years. I attended conferences, made speeches and promotional videos, but the most life-changing experience I had was being part of a "support group" for teen mothers at my high school. I had never had a child, so spearheading this group with one of the guidance counselors put me in a very unique situation to see the before, during and after effects of teen pregnancy. Ultimately, this experience opened my eyes to not only the consequence of unplanned parenthood, but other repercussions of unprotected sex and sparked an interest in me to learn about safer sex options--something it seemed my peers didn't really understand or know about. How do you make the best possible decision without proper information? Answer: you can't. It is my firm belief that revamping the curriculum for human growth & development will not only aid to inform youth, but will also be a bit more relatable to today's adolescent.


ALBC: Why is this change important to you?
CH: I am a filmmaker, producer, writer, director, actor and entrepreneur. With all of these titles under my belt I am very aware of the "magic of moviemaking" I know that the images of romance and the "fairy tales" of love, sex, romance, relationships, and life that appear in 1-2 hours or less shape young and older minds alike. It is important to have a balance between fiction and reality. It is important to be able to see the persona, and still understand that when the lights fade to black, the person in those roles returns to real life just as the viewer in the audience. This is why I am utilizing the headliners of today, the people behind the personas to use this opportunity to speak honestly to youth everywhere. I am inviting musicians, actors, artists, politicians and other public leaders to use this platform as a platform to tell their own stories to speak on drug abuse, date rape, eating disorders, teenage pregnancy, abortion, relationships, depression, curable and incurable STDs, etc. With the help of these celebrities and role models and the collaborative help of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), we can and will inform, entertain, enlighten and inspire awareness, provide real information and resources for young people. We are all here to live the best lives we possibly can, and to help others do the same. William Penn is quoted as saying "If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." With the rise in cases of AIDS and HIV, it is imperative that we find ways of reaching young people, teaching young people, and providing young people with the most helpful resources available to help them learn, grow and achieve.

ALBC: What can other citizens do to be a part of this change?
CH: I am always looking for help. Grant writing, funding, researchers, community organizers, fundraisers, parents, young people are imperative to the continued development of this project. Educating young people is truly a collaborative effort. Equally as important are people who have stories to tell. Yardi Entertainment Inc.'s motto/slogan is "Find your voice...tell your stories" if you have a story that you feel may help a young person, or bring an issue to the forefront that may typically not be included in human growth and development curriculum, please send your stories to us yardient@yahoo.com. If you would like to help in any way, please send your contact information via e-mail to yardient@yahoo.com. I welcome both monetary and in-kind donations in support of this project as well as other current and future projects.

Find out more about Ms. Henderson and Yardi Entertainment at www.cassandrahenderson.biz

" Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

- Marianne Williamson

Did you know that you can register to vote the DAY OF THE ELECTION!?!?

...well that's only if you live in Minnesota, Idaho, or Wyoming. But it's not too late to move! We at ALBC have heard great things about the agriculture and textiles in all three of these states. If you are anything like us, you like to travel; or maybe you have business in more than one state; or maybe you have pleasure in more than one state. Either way, if you are not already registered to vote and plan on traveling domestically this fall, paste this Voter Registration Deadline chart in your wallet...right next to your tip chart.

State Voter Registration Deadline
Alabama Fri, Oct. 24
Alaska Sun, Oct. 5 (postmark by Sat, Oct. 4)
Arizona Mon, Oct. 6
Arkansas Mon, Oct. 6
California Mon, Oct. 20
Colorado Mon, Oct. 6
Connecticut Tues, Oct. 21
Delaware Sat, Oct. 11
D.C. Mon, Oct. 6
Florida Mon, Oct. 6
Georgia Mon, Oct. 6
Hawaii Mon, Oct. 6
Idaho Register at Polls
Illinois Tues, Oct. 7
Indiana Mon, Oct. 6
Iowa Fri, Oct. 24
Kansas Mon, Oct. 20
Kentucky Mon, Oct. 6
Louisiana Mon, Oct. 6
Maine Tue, Oct. 21
Maryland Tue, Oct. 14
Massachusetts Wed, Oct. 15
Michigan Mon, Oct. 6
Minnesota Same Day Registration at polling place
Mississippi Mon, Oct. 6
Missouri Wed, Oct. 8
Montana Mon, Oct. 6 (or same day at elections office)
Nebraska Fri, Oct. 24 (mail by Fri, Oct. 17)
Nevada Tue, Oct. 14
New Hampshire Same Day
New Jersey Tues, Oct. 14
New Mexico Tues, Oct. 7
New York Fri, Oct. 10
North Carolina Fri, Oct. 10
North Dakota N/A
Ohio Mon, Oct. 6
Oklahoma Fri, Oct. 10
Oregon Tue, Oct. 14
Pennsylvania Mon, Oct. 6
Rhode Island Sat, Oct. 4
South Carolina Sat, Oct. 4
South Dakota Mon, Oct. 20
Tennessee Mon, Oct. 6
Texas Mon, Oct. 6
Utah Mon, Oct. 6 or in person Tue, Oct. 28
Vermont Wed, Oct. 29
Virginia Mon, Oct. 6
Washington Mon, Oct. 4 (or Mon, Oct. 20 in person)
West Virginia Wed, Oct. 15
Wisconsin Wed, Oct. 15 (or on Election Day at polling place)
Wyoming Can register at polls

L. L. Cool McCain?

Lynn Green summed it all up in her article on hicktownpress.com where Fred Thompson says McCain earned OVER 300 Demerits in Naval Academy AND had a Stripper Girlfriend. What in the world was Thompson thinking with his comments? Hey, you've gotta admit that the Ladies Love Cool McCain ... at least, we found one. Watch the video:



"...in flight school in Pensacola, he did drive a Corvette and date a girl who worked in a bar as an exotic dancer under the name of Marie, the Flame of Florida," remarked Fred Thompson while adressing the Republican National Convention yesterday. Wow. McCain been pimpin!

Thanks ol buddy, ol Palin

CNN) – Barack Obama's campaign says it has raised more than $8 million from over 130,000 donors following Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin's speech Wednesday night.

The campaign also says it is on track to raise $10 million before John McCain takes the podium at the Republican National Convention tonight. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Less than compalin arguement

There was a great article on washingtonpost.com (By Shailagh Murray)about Obama's direct reactions to the RNC- by direct, I mean HIM, not his peeps. I really love that he refuses to attack and do dirty politics as the GOP insists on practicing. At any rate, I thought he said some great stuff:) Enjoy!

"I think she's got a compelling story. But I assume she wants to be treated the same way that guys want to be treated, which means that their records are under scrutiny. I've been through this for nineteen months. She's been through it what, four days so far?" (On the GOP crying sexism) "They're talking about the three years of work that I did right out of college, as if I'm making the leap from two or three years out of college into the presidency. I would argue that doing work in the community, to try to create jobs, to bring people together, to rejuvenate communities that have fallen on hard times, to set up job training programs in areas that have been hard hit when the steel plants closed, that that's relevant only in understanding where I'm coming from. Who I believe in. Who I'm fighting for. And why I'm in this race. And the question I have for them is, why would that kind of work be ridiculous? Who are they fighting for? What are they advocating for? They think the lives of those folks who are struggling each and every day, that working with them to try to improve their lives, is somehow not relevant to the presidency? Maybe that's the problem." (On his 'lack of experience and work as a community organizer')

"What did you guys expect? I anticipated this last Thursday in my acceptance speech. This is what they do. They don't have an agenda to run on. They haven't offered a single concrete idea so far in two nights. They spent the entire two nights attacking me and extolling John McCain's biography, which is fine -- they can use their convention time any way they want. But you can't expect that I'd be surprised by attacks from Republicans. And by the way, I've been called worse on the basketball court." (On why HE's the man, lol)

I love this dude!

Only in America, is right.

***Kalia Booker***

SAY IT AIN'T SO JOE! SAY IT AIN'T SO!

I almost voted for you in the 2004 primary, since I'm a native of CT and for a time you were MY senator. Losing must be such great sorrow to push you to appear at the RNC.

There's so many great Joes ... it's a good name. There's also a Cup of Joe that people all around the world enjoy, so why did Joe Lieberman have to go and spoil a great name? He could be remembered with other popular Joes like Joe Biden or even middle-of-the-road, don't trouble the water Joes, like R&B singer Joe. But now, he's down there with Joe Dirt.

This is the only time I will ever reference something Star Jones said, but Mr. Lieberman, it's so sad for you to sink so low just to get a prime time TV spot as you "are in the sunset of [your] career."

Lucky for you, the ink on the napkin I wrote my notes on during your speech smeered when I wiped the tears from my eyes after laughing hysterically at the lack luster appeal you made to the American people...so I'm gonna have to watch your speech again to rip it apart piece by piece. Shame.

Less Than Pallateable Palin

I opened my email this morning and found this. "Not an SNL Skit". Who cares about her politics? Get this Alaskan hottie a Maxim Spread. I'm sure she gives the best Eskimos kisses. Do I smell another scandal?? This pic is from her future son-in-law, Levi Johnson's MySpace page. Maybe the baby is hers and Levis?????

***it's been revealed that the pic is a photoshop edit but we like it so it'll stay up a few more days.***
Read more from the eloquent Mr. Johnston's Myspace profile after the jump.


"I'm a f - - -in' redneck" who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes.
"But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- - - and just f - - -in' chillin' I guess."
"Ya f - - - with me I'll kick [your] ass," he added.
He also claims to be "in a relationship," but states, "I don't want kids."

Um, would this guy be hanging in the White House? Will Sarah be??? Proud to be an American....yeeehaw!

What is A Lil Bit of Change?

A Lil Bit of Change (ALBC) is a production company committed to public service as exhibited through our creation of content based on social, economic and political themes packaged in a palatable and edgy format that is entertaining, inspirational and informative.

We believe American citizens are not a people who need more direction from the top down; we are a country who needs direction from the bottom up, starting with our citizens up to our civic leaders.




We all have played the elementary school game "Telephone" where one student comes up with a sentence and it is passed from one kid to the next. By the time the message makes it to the last student, the original sentence is usually butchered ... sometimes on purpose. I was one of those kids who would sometimes alter the message for laughs. Well, the game changes as we grow up - the stakes become higher and the need to get information first hand becomes critical, especially when that information is used in a decision making process. Politics is no different. Take the time to research primary sources and "KNOW FOR YOURSELF."

NYTimes.com Op-Art

A Lil Bit of Liberal Laborday Laughter



http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/01/opinion/20080901_opart.html

Letter to the Senator from Illinois

In the wake of a campaign that has insisted upon our participation and thrived off of our scrutiny and opinion, we, "A Lil Bit of Change" offer this letter of hope to the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States of America, Sen. Barack Obama


"Decisions are made by those who show up." - President Josiah Bartlet

Dear Senator Obama,

Its always good to hear from you.

We've been reading your emails, gettin your messages on Myspace and checking your updates on Facebook. Oh and we've definitely been making contributions on barackobama.com.

Listen, we know you probably can't get all of us on the VIP list for the inaguration ball but if you make it to the White House don't act like you don't know us anymore.

When you move to Pennsylvania Ave, keep us in the loop. Hit us up on Twitter. Shoot us a text.

We're not just ready for a Brand New Deal, we're ready to put in work for A Lil Bit of Change.

Sincerely,

The Citizens

Lunch time banter

On the BIG DAY, your humble correspondents took some time to have lunch and digest the abundance of happenings we'd witnessed. But even downtime was worktime; while having appetizers, our new friend Bill Clarke from the Rocky Mountain News was so gracious as to ask us to be part of his Politics at the Palm segment. He was such a great guy we couldn't tell him no. Check it out.

Notable Quotable

ALBC: You excited?
High Level Staffer: I'll be excited when we nominate the next Black President.

Very well stated.

Her Voice: Politically INCORRECT Views on Obama by H.T.

I have recently been compelled to write on the topic of politics. I’ve had many interesting conversations concerning Obama, McPalin, and the African American status, scratch that black status because there are plenty of black people in America who are not considered Americans(but that’s another topic)…so lets get to it!

First, after posting a comment about McCain I received an email from a friend stating, “I could not help but notice that you both are definite supporters of Obama. I myself support Obama because of the significance of what he has achieved, but at the same time I am having trouble really deciding who to vote for due to his liberal policies and lack of experience. If you have any type of substantial opinion on either of these matters I would love for you to share them with me.” I read the email and it really made me think because at first I thought well no I don’t have any substantial opinion about his liberal views or his lack of years. I believe in Obama, I believe in what he represents and what he stands for and that’s enough for me! Then I started second guessing myself because I thought well maybe I’m caught up in the brand of Obama and I need to familiarize myself with the hardcore issues and what he’s really about. After a couple of days watching CNN and hearing the same stuff over and over, I’ve come to the conclusion that come HELL or HIGH WATER, I will be voting for Obama, but its important that I share why and how I came to this conclusion.

I don’t know much about politics.period. I recently became a citizen (October '07) and this will be my first time voting for anything. So, I never really got into politics because one, it was boring and two, I couldn’t vote anyway. But the reason I am voting for Obama isn’t because I know where he stands on the issue of space exploration when Earth becomes so polluted that our grandchildren will not be able to breathe without a gas mask. It’s because as an African, African American, and a Black human being, the “DREAM” is finally being produced as a movie!!!!! We are at the forefront of what all the other black “leaders” have been prophesizing. I use leader in quotations because, for me, it has become a very abstract word when talking about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman…etc. these have been extremely influential people in the advancement of black people and have made strides in encouraging a very focused group of people, Black people. HOWEVER, with Barack Obama there is no abstraction about it! He will be the LEADER of the United States of America! That’s EVERYONE in the United states, and when you start to think about how much influence America has on the rest of the world, leadership starts to become Global…and that’s HUGE. And he’s BLACK! The movie is in production ya’ll, its just up to us to make it a blockbuster hit!

There is no turning back for us. Obama has single handily changed the CURRENT perception of black people in America. This, immediately, becomes a good and a bad thing. However, long term, it will advance the state not only of Black people, but ultimately all of America….I’m not trying to go to deep with my audience but follow me, if you will. I recently read a article about Michele and Barack and their relationship, Barack said in the article that his mother told him that she could tell if a country would develop depending on how they treat their women. Basically, making sure a woman had equal rights and was treated fairly would determine the outcome of a country. Well, I hate to tell ya’ll, but Black people are the “women” of America, and there is a direct correlation between the growth of the United States and African Americans (I’ll let you decide whether it’s positive or negative). I had to go deep to prove that this changed perception is a great thing! We are that much closer to that 40 acres and a mule! So much is about to change. It’s cool now to wear suits, when we go for that loan so we're not looked at as just another Black person who may or may not be about anything. You’re in a better position to get that loan cause if this color can run the free world, imagine how quickly I can double this investment. Hillary might have put 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling but Obama bout to crack that sucka wide open. But here’s the trick, Black people now have to step their game WAY UP. There’s no more “man I hustle cause I cant find a job” my response “nigga (and I have no problems with this word when used appropriately…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigga) did you know we have a Black president.” Get off welfare, apply to Yale, and play rugby, WE-HAVE- A-BLACK-PRESIDENT!!!! I never thought I would be quoting [rapper] the Game but, “F*ck Jesse Jackson cause it ain’t about race!” yeah I said it. Obama isn’t talking down to Black people he’s trying to prepare us, [because] it’s about to be a whole new ball game!!! There are no more excuses. Now when we talk people are really going to be listening so please make sure you can back it up. We as a people have become so comfortable feeling un-entitled. Now my child can say I want to be president and no one is thinking to themselves yeah right…especially black people because we are our own worst critics!

I don’t want to come across as the next Malcolm X, I am simply enthusiastic about myself, and being Black, I am naturally voting for Obama because he’s Black. And I’m here to tell you if you are too, it’s OK!!!!!!!!! If you know nothing about how he feels on the issue of oyster mining ... who cares! He wants to bring our troops home and lower gas prices…that’s good enough for me. I know a little about the NWA, ILLUMINATI, 5%, and PROPAGANDA to realize that politics are politics, talk is talk and whether OBAMA is part of the “master plan” at this point I don’t care because at the end of the day there are only two presidential candidates and I’m picking the one who looks just like me, AND WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE BEST CANIDATE ANYWAY!!!

So on that note, let;s address McPALIN. McCain I’m not dumb! And while I find you to be mildly smart only because the rest of the world is mildly stupid, you’re not fooling me. I know a Gimmick when I see one. You barely know this woman, in fact no one knows this woman. He couldn’t pick a Black candidate cause that would have been too obvious, he didn’t want to pick a more fitted suitor because that would have done nothing for his campaign. So what does he do, picks a Tina Fey look-a- like with 5 kids one with down syndrome. Super woman!!! Nonetheless, I have a hard time accepting that (God forbid) McCain becomes president and he dies (not necessarily in that order) and Palin become our president, she could make abortion illegal, or give every citizen a gun…not cool!

I am a capitalist at the end of the day…I am 'bout my money, so honestly it wouldn’t kill me to vote republican. But if I did I would be kicking myself for all the missed opportunity Obama as president will bring for me in the future. This has become more than politics and its OK because America is more than just in a bad situation we need a drastic change. African Americans need a drastic change. So, for me morally, politically, and selfishly Obama is my candidate and if anyone knows how he feels about oyster mining or space exploration please let me know, but it wont change my vote!

“The greatness of any product is measured by longevity, not success, anyone can be successful.”

Harriette Thomas, Liberian-American

Political Biz

At the Perennial Entertainment party @ DNC '08

Biz Markie: "If you don't want no Drama..."
Crowd: "Vote for Obama!"

Obamanation: The acceptance of the Nomination

As we sit (as Black Man in America) and witness Sen. Barack Obama accept the nomination to be President of the United States of America, we are thankful to the Democratic Party for their courage and fearlessness and belief in the strength of the democracy that is this great nation's hallmark.

Our notes on a speech that ran close to an hour:

The video began and was a humble and moving tribute to the promise that "we make to our children, that each of us can make what we want of our lives."

"Nowhere else on Earth is my story even possible", said the Senator.


For the first time we see the intimate relationship between Barack and his mother and understand HOW he was raised.

The video is being played on the outside of the arena, you can see people standing to watch it.

One of the sickest wedding pictures of all time!!! Michelle lays in Barack's lap.

They showed all people of all ages and in all times zones (California, Times Square, etc)

People are crying

The flashing lights: everyone scrambling to be apart of the moment that they made happen.

The next President walks out and even he had tears in his eyes, and a fresh line up on his head.

Michelle looked so strong and so focused on what it is that she would have to do. She is his rock, it is obvious.

He had a grin and a suit on that was crisp and perfect.

Flashing lights going off everywhere!!!

This is the biggest convention ever!!!!

"I accept your nomination for Presidency of the United States of America"

Who ever cried at their own convention before?

Shout out to HRC real quick, the candidate who "traveled the farthest"

(We can't help but think "where is John Edwards?")

BO shouts to Bill Clinton. Man this dude is humble.

Joe Biden has a smile that says "I will kill somebody for you, Obama."

Began with greetings to everyone.
Joe Biden, Clintons, Wife and Kids, Chairman of the convention

Brought the ideal of the defining moments to the forefront
"The American promise has been threatened"

lost homes, cars you can't afford, bills you can't afford, tuition beyond your reach

"THE FAILURE TO RESPOND IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FAILED PROMISES OF WASHINGTON AND THE FAILED PROMISES OF GEORGE W BUSH. WE ARE BETTER THAN THESE LAST 8 YEARS:"--Barack Obama


"We cannot be a Nation that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns"

HE YELLED "ENOUGH"!!!!


Every shot of people shows them crying

"8 is enough"

******anything he says the people will chant*****

"John McCain thinks George Bush has been right 90% of the time I am not willing to take a 10% chance on change"


In the middle of this speech I came to the realization that he held a concert
"
"Its not that he doesn't care, he doesn't get it" (about McCain)

"Give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down...
ownership society but really it means you're on your own. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps even if you don't have boots, you're own your own. Its time for them to own their failure."--Barack Obama

"I think he doesn't know" (about John Mc Cain)

"I want to make sure fuel efficient cars of the future are made right here in America."

(this man was giving SPECIFIC plans)

Dudes in the room here in Harlem, NY say, "I want some girls. If they gonna look this cute then I want some daughters"

By the way: the youngest girl will be the wild child.

*****67:02:51:52 ELECTION CLOCK******

"John McCain likes to say he will follow Bin Ladin to the gates of hell, but he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives?!!!!!!?????? You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq!!!!"

"We are the party of Roosevelt, we are the party of Kennedy, so don't tell me we won't defend this nation!"

(from friends of ALBC in the stadium)
"How much it cost to rent this stadium and build the set?"
"Cheaper to shoot Superman"
(And the crowd goes wild like Holyfield just won the fight)

I got news for you John McCain, "We ALL put out country first!!"--said Barack Obama

BARACKISMS:
**If you don't have any fresh ideas than you use scare tactics to scare voters
**If your hopes have been dashed again and again then its best to stop hoping
**What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me, its about you
**for 18 long months you have stood up and said enough to the politics of the past.
**the greatest risk we can take is to play the same old players with the same old plays and expect a different result
**the change doesn't come FROM Washington, it comes TO Washington

Then the podium disappeared into the stage.

We at ALBC saw the definition of faith and hope in this very moment.


That's how we heard it,
2.0n the record

You Should Barack The Vote!

We caught up with Lorielle, founder of Barackawear...perhaps one of the greatest benefactors of and contributors to the Obama Economy...all the celebrities have been rockin the designs she's crafted. Check them out for the latest gear @ www.barackawear.com and stay tuned for ALBC's exclusive inteview with the founder and an upcoming series on the Obama Economy.

A Lil Bit of Change Rocks the Vote

Our friends at Rock the Vote share our sentiment that you should Know For Yourself. First register to vote, then learn the issues, and then take action.


"1,049,398 17-29 year olds have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is young men and women who are fighting these wars. It is young wives and husbands; young sisters and brothers.

This is about our future; our lives. We are speaking out and demanding change."-RTV


Rock the Vote for A Lil Bit of Change

Random shots of Downtown Denver

Lets clean it up


50 flag salute


And the old way was?



Take me to another place, take me to another land


Change Calisthenics


Flag Bearer


One of many odd Obama related wares


Spin the clown


Energy efficient and will take you out if you step off the curb


No, I didn't go inside


Your humble correspondent

Jonathan Rollins

In honor of my working in L.A. this summer at the firm that Vault (I think it was Vault) says L.A. Law may've been based on, I took a pic of Blair Underwood-pause

Change Shoes and Socks

Boy o boy have we done alot of walking. Like so much walking that around dusk I like to go change my shoes and socks. You see, I'm trying to preserve the sexiness of my loafers. You can't expect to put so much constant wear and tear on your slippers and expect them to hold up.

***Thanks to Coca-Cola for keeping us hydrated***

We've been criss-crossing downtown Denver running into really interesting people who are passionate about change and taking an active role in bringing that change to life. It's been so inspiring to hear people's stories about why they are in Denver and what they envision the future to be. We've documented most of it and will produce it in video form shortly so I don't want to spoil it; however, the consistent theme is, everyone at the Convention has channeled Senator Obama's message of hope and change to drive them towards action. Even the dissenters felt compelled to take planes, trains and automobiles to Denver so that their voices could be heard.

Pardon my momentary corniness but this experience has greatly influenced my outlook on democracy. Like for real. Change requires action which means we have to stop whining about how bad things are and get on the grind to make things better. Admittedly that's a blanket statement but there's no universal approach to taking an active role in government. In plain terms, do something, anything...but merely complain.

(Stepping off my soapbox and changing from loafers to Air Max)

The Other Jay-Z

U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)

The Obama Economy

Hello Friends,

Lets get straight to it and start from last night. The Genius and I were supposed to bunk up at a relative of a relatives crib. Problem is, we didn't head home til around 2am. Bad idea. We get to the door and I notice Genius lightly touch the doorbell to which I remarked, "aint no quiet way to ring a doorbell. It gets extra loud after midnight."

So after no one answered we decided to find a hostel. After being told there was no room in the inn twice (all of the hotels in the Denver area are sold out this week), we found a Comfort Inn that was being run by a gentleman of my own heart. He said, "are y'all with AAA," we replied, "we could be," he replied, "man yall ain't supposed to say that; just say yeah." The rest is history. Lets just say we paid less than the standard rate.

So on to more important matters. The Obama Economy. Small business owners have sprouted out of seemingly nowhere to create and sell Barack Obama related wares. We'll speak on this issue more in depth in the coming days but for now here are some pics to get you warmed up.

Change Confidential Program

As you know we are all about Change. Not too much too fast, just a lil bit. Nice and steady. Recently, we have started capturing ordinary citizens unafraid to share their stories of change big or small.

We present to you the latest installment of A Lil Bit of Change

Don't Change A Word

Quotes pulled from Senator Barack Obama's essay, Renewing American Leadership
Foreign Affairs July/August 2007 Vol 86, Number 4

"We need to invest with our allies in strengthening weak states and helping to rebuild failed ones...we need to deepen our knowledge of the circumstances and beliefs that underpin extremism."

"Our essential challenge is to build a relationship that broadens cooperation while strengthening our ability to compete."

"By 2050, global demand for low carbon energy could create an annual market worth $500 billion. Meeting that demand would open new frontiers for American entreprenuers and workers"

"I believe...that it is time for a new generation to tell the next great American story. If we act with boldness and foresight, we will be able to tell our grandchildren that this was the time when we helped forge peace in the Middle East. This is the time we confronted climate change and secured the weapons that could destroy the human race."

"This is our moment to renew the trust and faith of our people- and all people- in an America that battles immediate evils, promotes an ultimate good, and leads the world once more."

Changing Time Zones

Hello Friends,

A Lil Bit of Change chartered a commercial flight and decided to get away from Eastern Standard Time and Pacific Standard Time; we chose to meet in the middle,(kinda) Mountain Standard Time. America is still America out here even though we are a mile in the sky and we've been wheezing every time we try to walk and talk.

However, the high altitude has its benefits. A few months ago we published a letter to the Presidential candidates; but today we had the bright idea of expanding the concept into a series of letters to the President. We believe that change starts with the people, not the President or Congress. If the people don't speak up and express what type of change they desire, then elected officials are left to conjure up ideas on their own. While our favorite Presidential candidate seems more than capable of putting together a nice reform package, we don't want to leave him to walk the journey alone (we'll refrain from opinionalizationalism on our less than favorite Presidential candidate). Therefore, we're capturing everyday Americans speaking directly to the candidates and even to our sitting (on his hands) President.

We look forward to eavesdropping on the conversations.

ps. We showed up in Denver with no room, just a rental car, so we had to leave our baggage behind