THE MONDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING....

Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving, is one of the busiest shopping days of the year for online retailers.

Retailers notice a spike in sales on this day as many consumers chose not to shop during Black Friday or did not find what they were looking for, headed to the web on Monday from work or home to find bargains.

Many retailers use Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday shopping season by offering special promotions.

We highly recommend to all of our readers to join Ebates.com you will get up to 6% or more cash back on certain purchases. We've been a member for over 3 years and you can join free.

Here's a list of businesses you might want to check out:

* Ace Hardware Coupons
& Cash Back - 4.0%
* Barnes and Noble Coupons
& Cash Back - 8.0 %
* Bath and Body Works Coupons
& Cash Back - 9.0%
* Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
& Cash Back -3.0%
* ESPN Shop Coupons
& Cash Back - 10.0%
* Famous Footwear Coupons
& Cash Back - 9.0%
* Foot Locker Coupons
& Cash Back - 3.0%
* FTD Coupons
& Cash Back - 20.0%
* Home Depot Coupons
& Cash Back - 5.0%
* Kmart.com Coupons
& Cash Back - 5.0%
* Kohl's Coupons
& Cash Back - 4.0%
* Lands End Coupons
& Cash Back - 6.0%
* Old Navy Coupons
& Cash Back - 7.0%
* Payless Shoe Source Coupons
& Cash Back - 3.0%
* PetSmart Coupons
& Cash Back - 4.0%
* Restaurant.com Coupons
& Cash Back - 15.0%
* Sears Cash Back - 6.0%
* Lowe's Cash Back - 5.0%
* Walmart Cash Back 5.0%
* JC Penny's Cash Back 3.0%

Happy Cyber Shopping!

Freedom Of Speech Staff

MAIL CALL....

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, the rest for me
'Cause I'm Obama.'

Should one percent appear to small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm Obama.'

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet
'Cause I'm Obama.'

Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
'Cause I'm Obama.'

If you got a corporate jet, your to rich for me
If you got a pet, I'll tax your cat
If you wipe your feet, I'll tax your mat
If your over weight, I'll tax you fat
'Cause I'm Obama.'

And you're working for no one, but me
'Cause I'm President Barack Obama.'

IT'S BAILOUT TIME FOR ENGLAND & NEW ALBANY FIRST....

What the council is voting for tonight is (1) a $2.3 million bailout for soon to be x-mayor of New Albany. Unless you live under a rock like Councilman Bob Caesar "who will claim he balanced" the budget (cough) it's just another one of his lies.

Our local government is only thinking about the raises they gave, mismanagement and for our own police, fire department and to save face.

You nine council members voted once to make England accountable to us taxpayers. Now that the election is over it is a complete different story.
It's not fair or right for us taxpayers to pay for England's incompetence, and his malfeasance.

Wonder why were broke?

Read below and get your answers:

Balance Estimate for EDIT/Rainy Day/Riverboat Year End 2011-After Appropriation for Rolling Deficit:

EDIT/ Rainy Day/Riverboat
(end 2011)............................$5,472,169

Appropriation - General
Fund...................................($2,300,00)
Appropriation - Parks.........($100,000)

Appropriation - MVH..........($500,000)
________________________________
Balance EDIT/Rainy Day/
Riverboat...........................$2,572,169

---

EDIT 2011:

Ending Balance Oct. 2011..$3,708,792

Est. Income Nov. 2011.......$185,504

Est. Income Dec. 2011.......$185,204

Expense-Remaining of
Budget.............................($1,167,057)
_____________________________

Estimated Balance Ending
2011-No Additional..........$2,912,743

---

River Boat 2011:

Ending Balance Oct. 2011..$1,300,307

Est. Income Nov. &
Dec. 2011..........................$200,000
Estimated Balance Ending 2011
-No Additional.................$847,487
---

Rainy Day 2011:

Balance Oct. 2011...........$1,760,303

Est. Income Rest of 2011..$-0-

Expenses-Remaining of
Budget...........................($48,364)
Total Expected Year End-No
Additional Expenses/
Appropriations..............$1,711,939

---

Total Funds Amounts Available for Rolling Deficits:

Riverboat Fund ... $847,487
Rainy Day............ $1,711.99
EDIT....................$2,912,743
Total....................$5,472,169

(2) $40,000 x 2 for New Albany First:

Freedom Of Speech would like to say:

Why should EDIT dollars be USED for a salary and is this NOT discrimination if they give it to one group and not give it to other groups or non-profits?

Do you really think the citizens of New Albany "will buy local" when they find out it was their EDIT Funds that set this group up?

They can't raise the funds for New Albany First, so they expect YOU to foot their bill!

WAL-MART VS NEW ALBANY FIRST....

Should taxpayers support every non-profit group?

What does $40,000 pay for:

Salary for part-time employee (20-25 hours/wk) - $25,000

Rent/Phone/ Internet - $2,000

Conference/trainings - $2,000

Marketing/advertising - $5,000

Office/printing supplies - $1,000

Programs of Work - $5,000

Operations and Management/Staffing:

We have attained 32 affiliates in our first six months. Our projection is to double that by the end of our first year and have 100 members by the end of 2012. We intend to hire a part-time director by January 1st 2012.

Question: And, who might that be?

Financial Plan:

New Albany First IBA's initial fee structure is as follows:
Individual/Family Membership - $25/$40 per year
Friends of New Albany First (for non-profits and other interested parties, including business located outside of New Albany/Floyd County)- $50/year
Regular Business Memberships - $120/year
Supporting Business Memberships - $300/year
Sustaining Business Memberships $500/ year

Question: Have you considered having fundraisers and collecting donations?

Freedom Of Speech would like to say:

Our city is sitting on a $2.3 million deficit of miss management and malfeasance. Why should this group or any other group be entitled to our EDIT Funds? Should every Tom, Dick, and Harry that has a non-profit or have applied for non-profit status get funding?

If you do for one then do we have to give to all?

As they say: "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink!"

CHRISTMAS TREE TAX....

The new Christmas tree program we've all heard about will impose on U.S. domestic producers and importers an initial fee of 15 cents per tree.

Meaning: it will start at 15 cents, and go up from there.

Implementation 'Delayed.'

Now here rather is a revenue-raising idea that we all can get behind: a tax on stupid. Start with Congress, and by the time you get through the three branches of federal government, the deficit will be wiped out, guaranteed!

Yep, too good to pass up.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES...

City Of New Albany Mayor:

Jeff Gahan - 4,506

Council At Large:

Shirley Baird - 3,297

John Gonder - 3,556

Kevin W. Zurchmiede - 3,319

City Of New Albany Clerk:

Vicki Glotzbach

District 1:

Dan Coffey - 498

District 2:

Bob Caesar - 734

District 3:

Greg Phipps - 550

District 4:

Pat McLaughlin - 653

District 5:

Diane McCartin-Benedetti - 786

District 6:

Scott Blair - 640

Freedom Of Speech would like to say:

"Mission Accomplished!"

COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION 2011...

It is such a cliche that many of us roll our eyes when we hear the phrase "every vote counts."

But in New Albany we saw the old saying come true in the primary.

City resident Diane McCartin - Benedetti won her bid to run in the general election for council by a mere 25 votes.

By the same token, Dan Coffey won his chance because of the decisions of just a dozen voters.

But the point remains that it is a squeaker and for all the voters who decided they didn't want to venture out to their local polling place because of the rain or because they were turned off by negative campaigning or, worse of all, because it just doesn't matter if they vote, clearly they need to think again.

This is the most important election the City of New Albany has had in several years.

As we have said before, it is unfortunate so many voters sit local elections out because those who are elected determine so much that affects our daily lives - whether it is our taxes, increase fees, who will haul away our trash, fix our sewers, whether city departments will be cut or major lay offs will happen due to lack of funds.

We recommend you vote for the candidate and not the party. Our opinion is that both party chairman's should be removed!

Matthews and Wilcox both are doing a disservice to their party.

Don't vote "against a candidate" because of the color of their skin or gender.

Be an inform voter.

If you can't find the answer to a particular question call the candidate for your area. You have so much information available on line, council minutes which shows their voting record, and their comments in our local newspaper.

For those who have grown tired of the rhetoric, deal cutting and think their vote doesn't count or have simply come to "hate New Albany politics" - don't give in now!

The general election is just two days away. Do your civic duty go to the polls and VOTE Tuesday November 8th!

SOLYNDRA DOCUMENTS...

Obama got subpoenaed to hand over all of Solyndra documents.

Is this a prelude to impeachment?

White House calls Solyndra subpoena "Unreasonable burden in the president's ability to meet his Constitutional duties."

This is a big joke, right?

Constitutional duties? The Jackass-In-Chief doesn't even know what that means and he certainly never read the document.

So what exactly does he need to hide, Hmmm?

Inquiring American minds DEMAND to know!

Constitutional duties = Multiple R&R's.

e.g - golfing retreats, mansion vacations, vacations under color of "diplomacy", and numerous re-election fundraisers!

The Obama Presidency is so fragile that he can't "Meet his Constitutional Duties" if he has to tell Congress what he is doing. That's like not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Well, thinking about it, we have to admit that does describe Obama pretty accurately.

TOWN HALL SERIES...

State Budget - House Enrolled Act 1001

* No tax increases
* Structurally balanced in both years of the biennium
* Maintains a prudent level of reserves to protect taxpayers
* Increases tuition support funding by 0.5% in CY12 and 1% in CY13
* Increases funding to K-12 education by $150 million

Where our tax dollars go:

General Fund Appropriations - As Passed Budget
FY 2012/FY 2013 Biennium (in millions)

* 47% Education K-12
* 13% Medicaid
* 12% Higher Education
* 9% Health & Human Services
* 7% General Government
* 5% Corrections
* Teacher's Pensions
* 2% Capital

Living Within Our Means - Indiana's Fiscal Restraints:

* Received 5.0% less revenue (1.34 B)
* Spent 5.5% less than anticipated ($1.52B)
* Ended with a reserve of $1.18B (9.1 of FY2011 expenditures)

Freedom Of Speech would like to thank State Rep. Ed Clere of House District 72 for taking the time to answer our questions and to meet with the citizens of New Albany.

OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY........

Dorothy Howell Rodham, mother of Hillary Clinton past away early this morning at George Washington University Hospital.

Our Prayers Go out to Hillary, Chelsea, Bill and the entire Rodham Family. Mrs. Rodham lived a long and abundant life and in its celebration, Hillary will continue to learn her lessons and hold her mother close.

Thank you Mrs. Rodham (Dorothy) for sharing Hillary with the world and all of her 18,000,000 supporters.