Daily Archives: 05/04/2012

Speculators Drive Down Oil 4% Friday to Day Low of $97.51

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Speculators calculated that the US economy is in shambles. As results, they pushed down the price of oil today by more than four dollars to close at $98.48 a barrel.  The pessimism spread after it was reported that the economy in April added less jobs than what Bush 41 added in April 1992 before he lost the election later that year presumably due to the weak economy.

The Unemployment Rate held steady in April 1992 at 7.4%, versus 8.1% in April 2012. In the April of twenty years ago with a much smaller population, the Employment Level increased by 285,000, but went down 173,000 last month.

Clinton Endorses Palestinian-Friendly Congressman vs. Jewish House Dem

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Former President Bill Clinton endorsed today Bill Pascrell in the NJ9 Democratic Primary versus Jewish Congressman Steve Rothman. Both were pushed into the same district due to redistricting. Pascrell was one of 50-plus Congressmen to sign a pro-Palestinian letter to President Obama afew years ago.

Before people want to name Pascrell as Anti-Jewish, it is worth noting that he signed a letter to AG Eric Holder on behalf Sholom Rubashkin well before Rothman did: Pascrell, as we reported back in March, was letter number twelve (and the first NJ Dem to write) while the Jewish Rothman was – two months later – number 32 out of fifty-plus lawmakers who wrote to Holder asking a review of the arrest and prosecution of Agriprocessors’ former boss.

The Republican in this race is Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

France – Presidential Candidate Hollande: ‘A Trip to Israel Will be Part of My Plans’

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Both presidential candidates in France who will face off in a second round of voting on Sunday said they will travel to Israel if they win.

“Yes, this trip will be part of my plans,” Socialist Francois Hollande, whom all polls predict a win, told French Jewish news website Tribunejuive.info which interviewed the two candidates. Hollande said that peace between Israel and the Palestinians should include “two neighboring and sovereign states each within its own legitimacy.”

“Even beyond the Israeli-Palestinian issue, we must be very firm with respect to Iran, whose nuclear program is a vital danger for Israel and for world peace,” he also said. He said he is “totally opposed” to the boycott of Israeli products which, he added, “is illegal and does not serve the cause of peace.” Extreme-left  parties and the Greens, which are potential partners of the Socialists if Hollande wins, support such a boycott.

PHOTO: After Winning 750 Local Seats Nationwide, Party Leader Milband Gets Egged

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In NY6, Meng Raises $500K in Six Weeks!

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“Congressional hopeful Grace Meng this morning is touting the half-million dollars her campaign has raised over the last six weeks, a target she says underscores a competitive campaign,” reports Liz Banjamin. Meng is in a three way Dem Primary for late June, with Assemblyman Rory Lancman being one of the better known candidates. NYC Councilman Dan Halloran is the Republican in the race.

VIDEO: U.K. Leaders React to Major Electoral Shift Following Local Elections

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First speaking is Ed Milband, the leader of Labour whose party picked up more than 740 local seats nationwide. Next up is David Cameron the Prime Minister and leader of the Conservatives who lost at leas 400 seats. Last is Nick Clegg, the Deputy to Cameron and the Leader of the Liberal Democrats who lost more than 300 seats:

Israeli and Iranian Peace Activists Hold Meeting

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Following the success of the love initiative between Israelis and Iranians on  Facebook, it’s time for a face to face meeting. Israelis and Iranians attending  a number of meetings in Berlin the last few weeks, due to produce a first joint  demonstration on Saturday. The purpose of this demonstration is to protest against the voices calling  for war, the sanctions imposed on Iran, and in support for a nuclear  demilitarization of the Middle East. The organizers are eight Iranians and 13 Israelis, amongst them left-wing  activists Itay Naor and Dana Rothschild. The meetings were not photographed  because of concerns for the welfare of the families of the Iranian activists.  For this reason, they also use aliases on Facebook. – Haaretz Via Forward

London – With 50% of the Vote Counted, Mayor Johnson Ahead {Updated]}

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With roughly half the votes counted as of 8:45 am in New York; 1:45 pm in London, according to the Telegraph:

JOHNSON   Con 45%

LIVINGSTONE Lab 39%

JONES Green 4%

PADDICK Lib Dem 4%

BENITA Indy 4n%

UPDATE 11:45 AM: At 4:45 PM local time, Johnson is up only 4 points.

UPDATE 4:00 PM in NY; 9:00 PM local time official results due any minute.

FACT OF THE DAY

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Three times more people (350,000) dropped out of the Labor Force in April than the amount who got a job (115,000). Additionally, 172,000 more people who would in regular times come into the work force due to growing up/ending college, simply didn’t enter the workforce.

U.K. – Labour Picks Up 500-Plus Council Seats Across Country

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David Cameron’s Conservatives party, and the party of his deputy (Liberal Democrats), took a beating in the local elections Thursday, losing a combined 369 seat in the counting as of 11:00 PM in New York, 4:00 AM Friday local time. As more results will come in through Friday, the losses will exceed 500 seats, experts say.

The 4:15 local time count by the UK Guardian has the following results: Read more »