Blowing up: The Palin-ization of everything

It had to happen sometime. Or maybe it didn’t. But yesterday a company announced it was releasing a Sarah Palin blow-up doll. The sales pitch? “Sarah Palin blow-up doll is full of more hot air than…

Carving out Obama and McCain: Which pumpkin is most fit to be president?

Looking to show your presidential pride this Halloween? A number of sites have come up with politics-themed stencils worthy of the best political cartoonists and satirists. A website called “Yes We Carve” is a gathering place for…

Credit card users beware: How the crisis will affect you and your bills

Just as Washington hands over the biggest bailout in history to Wall Street in what is ostensibly a way to free up credit markets, banks are looking for ways to collect more money from debt-submerged consumers. They’re charging new fees, raising rates, and lowering limits.

The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights, which Reps. Bachmann and Kline voted against, might offer some reprieve for strapped consumers, if it passes the Senate. But is there any recourse from bank control in the meantime?

What’s the difference between a Democrat and Republican? Hint: It ends with a ‘job’

In an interview with C-SPAN that aired last night, presidential candidate Ralph Nader details what he says is the real change America needs: Control of a country by many instead of the few; an end to the wars in…

A folk hero zero? Band of women bloggers in Alaska rally together to fight Palin

A grassroots movement is growing in Alaska. Women against Palin are blogging, protesting, signing petitions and influencing women nationwide. A group of female bloggers in Alaska talks to MnIndy about what the public and mainstream media get wrong about Palin and why it matters now more than ever to get it right.

Pre-liveblogging the debate: Palin steals from Toby Keith, Biden drinks a tallboy

We predicted it: The pre-debate already has turned into an arena football game complete with monkey mascots, star-spangled ass-kickin’ boots, and the origin of a Lifetime channel made-for-TV movie, Let’s Finally Stop Pretending This Was Ever a…

Another hit to the economy: Down Payment Assistance is officially killed

In the face of tightening credit, increased loan restrictions, rising costs of gas and food, and of course the biggest bailout for the wealthy ever, Americans were dealt another blow yesterday when Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs were officially killed by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act Bush signed into law in July of this year. Critics say it’s a major blow to the economy, women, and low-income families.

McCain can’t bring himself to say ‘foreclosure’

A new “In Quotes” features from Google Labs makes it easy to search for the presidential candidates’ pithy dialogue and talking points appearing on Google News in the last month or so. One can easily search for quotes in print or online from McCain and Obama on abortion, gay rights, the Iraq War, immigration, the environment, taxes, and so on and so on. Basically, it’s a nifty way to search hot-button issues and have them appear side-by-side for easy comparison.

So what do McCain and Obama say about the foreclosure crisis? According to “In Quotes,” McCain can’t even bring himself to utter the word. Foreclosure. Foreclosure. Say it with me: For-close-your.

Minneapolis July home prices down 13 percent over previous year’s

On the brink of the greatest Wall Street bailout ever, home prices continue to decline nationwide, according to the most recent S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Data released today reveals that 20-city home-price composite indices have reached record-level declines of 16.3 percent for the period of July 2007 to July 2008. In fact, every city was saddled with a year-to-year decline, with Minneapolis reporting a 13.1 percent price drop.

Palin vs. Biden: Are you ready for some football?

Biden is carrying an actual pigskin. McCain is taking cues from Chicago Bears. Palin has been reduced to a cheerleader. As the countdown begins to the kickoff of the Palin-Biden debate on Thursday night, both the Dems and Republicans…