Patricia Haig, widow of Gen. Al Haig, dies

Patricia F. Haig, formerly of Palm Beach, died Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. She was 83. She was the widow of Gen. Alexander M. Haig. She lived in McLean, Va.

Born Patricia Antoinette Fox, she was the daughter of Elizabeth (Jordan) and Army Lt. Gen. Alonzo Patrick Fox, a member of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s staff. Gen. Fox also was a former special assistant to the secretary of defense. Her family was stationed in Japan with MacArthur when Patricia, still a teenager, was at a football game and caught the eye of West Point graduate Alexander Haig, who asked his friend, Jack Cassidy, for an introduction.

The pair married on May 24, 1950. At the time of Gen. Haig’s death, they had been married 60 years. Mrs. Haig’s experience as an Army brat and then Army wife prepared her well for her husband’s political career, during which she was a steadfast and calm presence at his side.

Rest of obituary at: http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/national/patricia-f-haig-widow-of-gen-haig-dies/nSfyH/

Team Obama: Romney will be ‘drop-on-the-floor funny’ at dinner

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is—jokingly—building up expectations for Mitt Romney as the candidates head Thursday to an annual dinner where featured speakers are expected to at least try to be funny.

"I will say Mitt Romney has practiced for longer than any presidential candidate in history for tonight. We expect him to be drop-on-the-floor funny," spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force One, dryly parodying her own pre-presidential debate comments. "The president will make his way through."

The event in question is the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. Obama and Romney are the headline speakers this year—something of a tradition in presidential election cycles.

Both candidates can be a bit stiff—Obama has that professorial streak, while Romney can sometimes go a little deep into his numbers. But they also have writers who can help loosen up their rhetoric. (This reporter is an avowed "mirther"—a believer that Romney is reliably, intentionally funny.)

Before the dinner, Obama will visit Jon Stewart for a taping of "The Daily Show."


http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/team-obama-romney-drop-floor-funny-dinner-155630691--election.html

Henry Winkler has offered "Joanie" (Erin Moran) an acting role on his show (don't know which

one, maybe about the doctor in the Hamptons) but I just thought it was so nice. Go Henry!

As a registered Independent I did receive a call this morning from the Romney campaign.

"May Governor Romney count on your vote?" "Oh, I'm sorry, I've already voted for Obama, but thanks anyway." It really felt good. Woman was pretty nice and wished me well.

Questions raised about legality of Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor’s plan to copy flawed

absentee ballots

RIVIERA BEACH —

Lawyers for rival presidential candidates Mitt Romney and President Obama descended on the Palm Beach County Elections Office today, trying to find out what procedures would be in place next week to assure an estimated 27,000 absentee ballots that contain printing errors would be copied accurately.

Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher said candidates or their representatives would be allowed to observe what is expected to be dozens of two-person teams duplicating the ballots. But, she said, the exact procedure won’t be announced until Friday. Ballots will begin being opened and copied on Monday at 10 a.m.

“It will be first-come, first-served one person per candidate,” Bucher said. Representatives could come from the campaigns of anyone seeking office in the Nov. 6 election, from Obama and Romney to Palm Beach County Port Commissioner Jean Enright. How many will be allowed to watch each team will be a function of how much room is available.

“That’s not a procedure, that’s chaos,” said Miami attorney Raquel Rodriquez. While she is statewide co-chair of Lawyers for Romney, she said she was only speaking for herself, not the group.

Rest of article at: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/questions-raised-about-legality-of-palm-beach-coun/nSf3r/

Charlie Crist does surrogate duty for Obama, rips Romney on tax plan and ‘binders full of women’

Former Gov. Charlie Crist, a potential Republican vice presidential pick in 2008 who criticized Barack Obama as a surrogate for GOP nominee John McCain, returned to surrogate duty this afternoon — but this time for Obama.

Crist, who became an independent in 2010 and endorsed Obama in August, appeared on a Democratic conference call to bracket upcoming visits to Florida by Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan.

“As Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan come to our own state all they have to offer are empty promises and failed policies,” Crist said.

Echoing Obama’s stump speeches, Crist accused Romney of backing a deficit-busting $5 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and an unnecessary $2 trillion hike in defense spending.

Rest of article at: http://www.postonpolitics.com/2012/10/charlie-crist-does-surrogate-duty-for-obama-rips-romney-on-tax-plan-and-binders-full-of-women/

Does anyone have an e-mail address for Candy Crowley?....n/t

SS will receive a 1.7 increase in benefits

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 56 million Americans on Social Security will get raises averaging $19 a month come January, one of the smallest hikes since automatic adjustments for inflation were adopted in 1975, the government announced Tuesday.

Much of the 1.7 percent increase in benefits could get wiped out by higher Medicare premiums, which are deducted from Social Security payments.

At the same time, about 10 million working people who make more than $110,100 will be hit with a tax increase next year because more of their wages will be subjected to Social Security taxes.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, on payments is tied to a government measure of inflation released Tuesday. It confirms that inflation has been relatively low over the past year, despite the recent surge in gasoline prices.

For more: http://news.yahoo.com/social-security-benefits-1-7-percent-bump-202151806.html

Update: A Chinese Flag Flying in Freeport, Illinois?

This was found on Crooks & Liars: Update: This is a statement directly from the now unemployed Sensata workers in Illinois:

"There seems to be some confusion about whether or not our Sensata plant took down our American flag and replaced it with the Chinese flag. Here is the truth. Sensata took down our American flag on the day they flew in our Chinese replacements that we were forced to train. They put our American flag back up after the Chinese workers left. They never flew the Chinese flag."

http://crooksandliars.com/node?page=1

Margaret Mitchell profile on PBS tonight. She did a lot more than write "Gone With The Wind."..n/t