On Friday’s Radio Show…

• Alan and Major General Paul D. Eaton, US Army (Ret.) discuss President Obama’s announcement that all remaining troops are coming home from Iraq.

• Days before Mexican trucks roll into the US, Alan discusses the controversial program with US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce President Al Zapanta.

• Leon Logothetis, author of Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, shares the amazing story of how he traveled across America with nothing but five dollars and the kindness of strangers.…

Hertz Fires 25 Drivers Who Don’t Clock Out To Pray

Hertz in Seattle terminated 25 drivers who would not punch out for prayer (h/t Global Grind).

The rental-car company at the time said some of the workers were taking longer than the 10 minutes allowed. The workers usually take two paid breaks during a regular eight-hour shift.

Nine of the 34 suspended drivers signed the agreement and have returned to their jobs, the company said…

The Teamsters said the requirement for workers to clock out for that break is not in the contact and the firm had agreed during negotiations last year it would not require it.

The union …

Obama Has Written Personal Checks To Needy Families

President Obama has occasionally written personal checks to families who needed help, according to a new book by Washington Post writer Eli Saslow.

“It’s not something I should advertise, but it has happened,” the president told Saslow.

How many times has President Obama intervened on someone’s behalf, and with what kind of problems does he help? Mortgage payments? Medical bills? And when he wants to help someone out with a personal check, how does it work? Does he send a check signed “Barack Obama” directly to the individual in need, or does he send the money to a bank or …

President Obama Announces U.S. Troops Out Of Iraq By Year’s End

The Obama administration is following the plan by the Bush administration to be out of Iraq by the end of the year.

According to a White House official, “this deal was cut by the Bush administration, the agreement was always that at end of the year we would leave, but the Iraqis wanted additional troops to stay. We said here are the conditions, including immunities. But the Iraqis because of a variety of reasons wanted the troops and didn’t want to give immunity.

“So that’s it. Now our troops go to zero,” the official added.

“We will have a very …

Is Community College A Good Investment?

by Stuart Shapiro

I’m sure it is a good investment for some people but is it a good investment for the government?  My already nascent doubts were heightened by the publication of an American Institutes for Research report:

The report by the nonprofit American Institutes for Research found that from 2004 to 2009, federal, state and local governments spent nearly $4 billion on full-time community college students who dropped out after their first year.

Now I can see some counterarguments (one year of community college helps people, we need to target the money better, etc.) but I remain skeptical.  I’m …

Senate Blocks $35 Billion Hiring Bill

Republicans got assists from three Democrats to stop progress on jobs.

A united GOP Conference, along with three members of the Senate Democratic Caucus — Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) — voted 50-50 to block a debate on the package, which would have been funded by a 0.5 percent surtax on those earning more than $1 million.

“It seems all we care about is scoring political points to be used in the next election,” said Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). “Shame on us if the blame game is the best thing that we can …

Herman Cain Has Secret Plan To Help The Poor; He Just Won’t Tell You Yet

Herman Cain told the Western Republican Leadership Conference he was waiting to be attacked before telling what his plan is to help the poor.

The other thing that they try to say – “well it’s going to be regressive on the poor.” No it’s not. We anticipated that attack, but I didn’t tell them how I was going to fix it yet. I wanted to wait until I get attacked on that for a while. We already have a plan for that. But I wanted to see if they would come at that. They thought it was going to be …

Jon Stewart On How Republicans Can’t Give Credit On Heels Of Qaddafi Death

No matter how many bad guys the administration offs, the GOP can’t bring itself to acknowledge the successes.

“Is there no Republican,” asked Stewart, “that can be gracious and statesmen-like in this situation? We removed a dictator in six months, losing no American soldiers, spending, like, a billion dollars rather than a trillion dollars, and engendering what appears to be goodwill with the people who now have a prideful story of their own independence to tell… not to mention oil, they have oil. Anybody wanna give credit?”

He then played a clip of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) and Sen. …

Did A Psychic Predict The Exact Date And Time Of Occupy Wall Street?

Kansas City Psychic Steve MacDonald says he has proof that he gave the exact date and time of the start of the OWS movement. Here’s what he predicted last January:

“The lower class and/or middle class revolt will be Sept. 17, at 3:45 p.m.,” according to Steve MacDonald.

 …

Romney Hot Under The Collar

NBC has a montage of feisty Romney exchanges on the campaign trail.

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On Thursday’s Radio Show…

Guest host Ellis Henican fills in for Alan.…