Reuters – Asian shares rallied to two-week highs on Thursday, building on strong global gains after the world’s six major central banks moved to tame a liquidity crunch for European banks by providing cheaper dollar funding.
Bikey sisters, Alison, Karen and Valerie top. Bottom, letter-writing/trouble maker Mamma Voyer and golfing, planning to buy a bike Daddy. I’d like to thank all my readers for all the thumbs-up directed at my mom following her letter (see my last post) recently posted on the Greenville (SC) News website. Both my sister and I linked it to our Facebook accounts and she found all the positive feedback from our friends quite flattering. At age 79, she might not bike but she’s still rather progressive and stays as up to date as possible on trends, especially what young people are up to. Although she doesn’t have a FB account of her own, she knows what a “like” is and proudly informed me in a recent e-mail that she received over 7000 likes on her pro-bike lane letter-to-the-editor. Unfortunately, she was just as disturbed by the hostile, angry tone in most of the on-line comments posted in the Greenville News, which you have to have paid on-line subscription to access. No need to bother, as I did. The on-line comments were the usual dribble about how bicyclists’ don’t pay taxes for road and highway funding. I thought we had settled that falsehood long ago but for some facts just don’t matter. Heavy sigh! So anyway, my rockin’ mom appreciates all the love. She’ll keep writing those letters and we’ll all keep riding those bike!
One man is at large and another is in the hospital after a shooting Wednesday evening in Prescott.
AP – These are the kinds of negotiations NBA fans have been waiting for.
AP – Blending governing with re-election politics, President Barack Obama roused a cheering northeast Pennsylvania crowd Wednesday as he warned of a “massive blow to the economy” if Republicans block a payroll tax extension.
Reuters – China’s factory sector shrank in November for the first time in nearly three years, an official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed on Thursday, underlining the central bank’s move to cut bank reserve requirements to shore up the economy.
AP – Mayor Michael Bloomberg helped light the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on Wednesday night, putting a spotlight on a small-town spruce from Pennsylvania and ringing in the holiday season.
AP – Adele, Bruno Mars, Mumford & Sons and Bon Iver received two Grammy nominations each on Wednesday night as nominations were revealed for record and song of the year.
Reuters – President Barack Obama struck an optimistic note on Wednesday night that lawmakers in Congress could reach agreement to extend payroll tax cuts he said earlier were needed to avoid a “massive blow” to the economy.
AP – Players eating fried chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse during games. If it didn’t bother Bobby Valentine as a baseball lifer, it would certainly offend his sensibilities as a self-proclaimed gourmet chef.
