Daily Archives: Oct. 30, 2008

O-spam-a

An internet security firm, Secure Computing Co., did an analysis of spam whose message line refers to either Obama or McCain.  Not sure what it means, but Obama has a 70-30 advantage in the amount referring to him for good or ill. Here are few headlines:

  • “Obama shows McCain what a real debate should be”
  • “Obama’s private video”
  • “Obama’s Biggest Mistake Yet”
  • “McCain belittles Obama’s abilities”

In reality, once they’re opened they’re the same old crap: male enhancement, etc.  The one telling piece, though, is that McCain references lead when the spam is about discount pills.

Recession?

We in the media have been tiptoeing around the “R-word” for a while, using weasel words such as “downturn” or “slowdown” or “what feels like recession.” Technically, a recession is two quarters of negative GDP growth.

We’re not there, yet. But, today, the first shoe dropped with the release of national GDP showing the economy shrank in third quarter by -.3 percent. I’m betting that other shoe will hit the floor with a deafening bang in the fourth quarter. And then we can call it a recession.