Castration without representation

-        Be careful what you wish for.  As the battle in the courts and Congress over repeal of the Affordable Care Act increases, the eventual showdown at the Supreme Court is inevitable.  Possible outcomes could include the law is determined to be constitutional, only the individual mandate is ruled unconstitutional, or the entire law is ruled unconstitutional.  In the case of partial unconstitutionality, the individual mandate could be replaced with options.  Option 1 would be a tax break for those that get health insurance.  Option 2, would be a public option provided by the Federal Government.   So at the end of the day, could the Republican efforts to repeal this law lead to the Public Option in the long run?  Not out of the question.
-        Circle March 3rd on your calendars.  That is when the current collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the NFL Players Association expires.  Any sane individual has to wonder how these parties cannot compromise on splitting up the $8Billion pie that is the NFL.  Like all enterprises, the issue is how to expand revenues (18 game season) and limit costs (rookie salaries). 
-        Rumor is on January 11th in New York, Verizon will announce the Verizon iPhone.  Wonder if Verizon will offer better data service than AT&T and have an international plan.
-        Massachusetts’s Supreme Court upheld a decision that U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo & Co. failed to prove they actually held the mortgages at the time the properties were foreclosed.  This decision could lead to increased uncertainty in the mortgage backed securities (MBS) markets and an adverse impact on financial stocks.
-        Ever notice when you watch episodes of your favorite sitcoms from the 70’s and 80’s, they aren’t nearly funny now.  Further, the longer the show was on the air, the less funny the show became as they tried to stay popular with silly storylines.  The only exception: Seinfeld.  Still fresh and right up to the 2nd to last episode, still funny.
-        65 year old Portuguese journalist Carlos Castro was found castrated and bludgeoned to death at the InterContinental New York Times Square Hotel.  Meanwhile, the likelihood of an EU/IMF bailout with excessive conditions of Portugal is becoming more probable as its bond yields and cost of borrowing spiked again on Friday.  Micro and Macro Castration. 
-        SecDef Gates announced $78Billion in Pentagon budget cuts over a five year period. Sounds like the Pentagon is willing to make the necessary cuts to curb the deficit right?  Not exactly, the majority of the cuts described by Gates won’t even go into effect until 2014-15.  Yep, like a New Year’s Resolution to go to the gym, but not until June.

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